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Easier to learn "hard" songs than easy ones?

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(@dl0571)
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Joined: 19 years ago
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Topic starter  

I noticed, as I've been learning a few songs for a short acoustic set this weekend, that it is much easier for me to memorize riff based or more intricate songs (though not necessarily outside my abilities) than it is to memorize easy chord strummers. Does anyone else experience this?

It's not that I really spent more time on the riff based songs, especially one of them which is really just arpeggiated chords, but I memorized it so much more quickly than a song that's really just 4 chords in alternating patterns. This has really got me perplexed.

"How could you possibly be scared of being bad? Once you get past that, it's all beautiful." -Trey Anastasio


   
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(@musenfreund)
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Joined: 22 years ago
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It all depends on the riffs and the chords.

Well we all shine on--like the moon and the stars and the sun.
-- John Lennon


   
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(@rparker)
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Joined: 20 years ago
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I'm toast if you throw me some riff or lead to do. Takes me forever for the simplest ones, and I forget 'em easy. Give me a chord progression anyday.

Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin


   
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(@fleaaaaaa)
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Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 680
 

Be specific on which songs you are talking about.......

Which strumming songs can you play or not play?

Which riffs?

together we stand, divided we fall..........


   
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(@kent_eh)
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Joined: 18 years ago
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Maybe you expect the "hard" songs to be difficult, so you're mind is psyched up for it and works harder?

Or maybe you just learned something about the way you learn?
What's easy for you might be impossibly hard for me.
What's easy for me might have you pulling out your hair...

I wrapped a newspaper ’round my head
So I looked like I was deep


   
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 Ande
(@ande)
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Joined: 16 years ago
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Maybe you like the harder songs better? I find that, easy or hard, a song someone recommended that I learn is always harder than a song I just WANT to be able to play. Probably partly because I already know exactly how it's supposed to sound.

Best,
Ande


   
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(@ignar-hillstrom)
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I'm hopeless in remembering anything. When forced to play I usually end up guessing after two rounds, calling them 'jazzy chord substitutions' when the harmonic qualities are questioned.


   
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(@dl0571)
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Joined: 19 years ago
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Topic starter  

The particular songs I was referring to were "Oh My Sweet Carolina" by Ryan Adams as the strummer I can't memorize and "Words" by Umphrey's McGee as the "hard" song that I memorized easily.

Here are both the tabs just to give you an idea: [link removed] (Words) and http://www.cowboylyrics.com/tabs/adams-ryan/oh-my-sweet-carolina-8489.html (Sweet Carolina)

Regardless of the songs though, I always seem to pick up muscle memory on riffs much quicker than strummers, especially when they're simple chords (D A G Bm). Maybe Kent_eh is onto something with my mind psyching itself up, but I don't think it has much to do with which song I like better (hey, I still can't get Shine On You Crazy Diamond down and I've been trying on and off for two years).

I just think it's odd the "easy" songs come so hard to me.

"How could you possibly be scared of being bad? Once you get past that, it's all beautiful." -Trey Anastasio


   
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(@vic-lewis-vl)
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Possibly it's the way you're learning. A few years ago, I had a head full of lyrics - could sing along with hundreds of songs. Now I struggle to remember lyrics I've known for years - now I've got a head stuffed full of chord progressions, riffs, licks, solos......

Something I've found as well, the last few years, if I learn a song by looking up the tab, I have to keep on looking up the tab - whereas if I work out a song myself, it tends to stay in the memory a lot longer.

:D :D :D

Vic

"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)


   
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(@wes-inman)
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Sometimes simple songs can be confusing, especially if you have a song that uses the same chords, but mixes the order up. For example, if the verses go A, D, E, but the chorus goes A, E, D, it is real easy to make a mistake on songs like this. :D

If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis


   
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(@tmarius)
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Yeh, actually on that, do you guys have any tricks for remembering chord progs? I just seem to have a hard time remembering them, especially if i learn a new song, the old one goes straight out my head! I'm guessing it's just going to be a matter of practise and revision? Or is there some sort of magic trick!!!? :) (there never is)


   
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(@jackss565)
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Practice makes it easier, also if you've figured the song out by ear it tends to stay longer for me. This happen to others?

Jack


   
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 cnev
(@cnev)
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I'm not sure it's easier to play harder songs than easy ones..I guess it depends on what you are calling hard in the first place.

But as someone else mentioned I pretty much forget a song after I've moved on to something else if I don't play it for awhile. Lately I've gotten better with that so maybe it's just a matter of keeping them fresh in your mind by playing them every so often.

I had learned Purple Haze a few years ago but couldn't remember much past the opening riff, so I spent the last week "re-learning"it.

Eventually I think if you play a song enough it'll stick, the problem sometimes is bythat time you're so sick of the song you don't want to play it anymore.

"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!


   
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(@alangreen)
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..I guess it depends on what you are calling hard in the first place.

What I find is that you work harder on a hard song and assume that an "easy" song is going to be a no-brainer. An easy song is still quite capable of throwing you a curve ball.

A :-)

"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
Wedding music and guitar lessons in Essex. Listen at: http://www.rollmopmusic.co.uk


   
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 cnev
(@cnev)
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Hey Derek you taking about the 4th measure of the intro or the verse?

"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!


   
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