First off, I'm having loads of fun. It's been 20 months since I got my first guitar and have been off and running. That brings me to my first bad habit.
#1: Too much time off. I bet I've not touched the guitar for a few months at a time on a few occasions. When I get back into it, it's like I have to relearn everything. This is my worst offense.
#2: Scales and chord practicing. Yeah, yeah. It's good to do, but I rarely do. It's been better as of late.
#3: I jump around too much. Not just from accoustic to electric, but from bands to bands. Today, for example, I did a little bit of Rush, some Led Zep, Pink Floyd and Bob Seger.
#4: I have not learned an entire tune. Sure, I've learned every part of some songs, but I never put it together.
#5: I jump way beyond my skill level too often. I've got no business trying to do the slide part on Free Bird.
OK, OK, so I DO confess that these are bad habits. You teachers out there will cring while reading this. Newbies will point and laugh, and hopefully learn something by my mistakes.
However, I am having fun. Thanks to everyone who posts on these boards. I do refer to them often for tips. I don't contribute a whole lot, but I'm not sure what I CAN, given my aversion to an organized learning pattern.
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
haha, kinda sounds like me i just bought a slide and figured it would make freebird easy, lol,...lol :roll:
"I’m one of those lucky beginners who never actually makes a mistake." - Chris_C
The only one that's a real problem there is number 4. Learn 'em all the way through and you'll have something to show for your efforts.
The only one that's a real problem there is number 4. Learn 'em all the way through and you'll have something to show for your efforts.
I concur wholeheartedly. If I had a nickel for every song I know part way through.. well, I'd have a lot of nickels I tell you 8)
I've been teaching myself for a couple of years, using book and online lessons (like here at GN) but I recently started taking private lessons with an instructor, and we started at the begining. I mean way back at the begining. Mel Bay Level 1 learning all the notes and standard notation. Wow.. I thought I knew the fretboard well, I know lots of scales and chords, but I couldn't name more than a few notes from memory to save my life. Its tough, but I can already see it making improvements.
Anyway, long way of saying, sounds like your are working hard and hard at work, but don't underestimate the value of those silly little things like chords and scales and by all mean learn your notes and standard notation.
Based on the comments, I have decided to plan out which songs I will learn completely. I've chosen some accoustic, electric hard rock and classic rock to start with. We'll see how that goes. The funny thing is, after creating the list, it looks like I've learned a good portion of 26 songs.
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
Well, I did it. I learned a song all the way through. Curtis Loew, doing the ryhythm. It's not stage ready by any stretch, but it is the song.
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
excellent
start making a list of the songs you can play
rparker
That is great. Now write that down and start a notebook. In no time you will have dozens of songs you can play from beginning to end.
What's wrong with learning the slide on Free Bird? If you just learn that one solo, you will have developed some great slide technique.
If something turns you on, learn it. :D
But you really should try to play more. At least several days a week.
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
Wes,
I've taken a different approach to Free Bird. I think it's an ultimate song to learn on once I passed the absolute begginner stage. It's got 8 rhythm parts, a picking part, a zillion solo riffs and of course, that slide piece. It covers a whole big range of techniques.
It will not be in the completed songs list for a long time, but, it will be something to learn that will help with a ton of other songs.
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
I about fell over with #1. I could not imagine playing for even a week. Still, you must have a life so if you need to take time off the guitar it's cool.
Yea, learning say a lick or a portion of a song and then going on to another one is extremely common especially in new players. Why? You want to learn your favorite song so you learn the cool part and get joy from it. Then you realize there are ten billion other songs out there you wanna try so you jump on the next song, learn a clip of it, etcetera.
I remember learning the intro to Rebel Rebel (Bowie), Day Tripper (Beatles), and Radar Love (Golden Earring) in my first couple of months of playing. I was SO proud to get that Bowie intro down while playing against my CD that I had to go show a relative that night. The other two tunes I got the intro stuff down but somehow all of those songs got dropped from my mind long ago. To boot, I never learned the whole song!
After playing for about a year I decided that I would not practice songs to just get part but to try to learn the whole thing a bit at a time. There are tons of songs I love but I've read them and don't think I can play the whole thing so wait. I purposely pick songs I like and think that I can reasonably learn the whole songs.
If it's any consolation, I'm now playing with another guitarist who's been playing for 10 years and he'll just start up a song and stop after about 20 seconds because he doesn't know the rest. He'll get the interest of the other guitarist and bass player and they want to learn it. That's when I have to ask them if we are going to learn the whole song (can the singer sing it? Can we reasonably approximate the sound?) Or just screw around.
I literally type up every song (lyrics/chords) of every song I've learned. It helps me learn the song and it's a great reference.
So, as you can see:
1. Make a list of your favorite 100 tunes or so
2. Read about them to see if you think you are capable (at this point) of learning/playing the whole thing.
3. If not, ditch the song there are a million more out there
4. If so, practice it diligently in small bites until you have the whole thing downl
5. Put all the songs you know in a binder. Keep organized!
"Nothing...can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts."
Corbind,
I've taken a similar approach starting maybe a week ago. I've got a list going. The list is first divided by songs I've started and songs I have not. Then it is further split by guitar types. For each song I've started, it's split into the different parts of the song I need to learn.
It's pretty amazing. I've actually now identified 39 tunes that I've started at some point. There are another 25 songs I've identified as wanting to learn. I'm sure that list will grow, but I'm not actively looking for new songs to learn. :)
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
That is great to keep track of how/where you are on each song. Very organized, indeed. My hat's off to you on that.
"Nothing...can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts."
one's persons bad habit anothers....?
I thought I had bad habits. never did a #1 but lots of 4's.
I've jumped styles often. I have to because my musical tastes are all over the place.
eastern, western, rock, country swing, etc...but after nearly forty years of playing I see it in perspective.
it's just the way I am. and my own style has developed.
I may be pretty good at one or two things.
and I can play alot of styles, songs etc...never will I be a monster player. that's ok.
Ive had fun all these years.
that's the bottom line.
Ive never been one to study laboriously over a tune to get it exactly.
I mess with it. then I own it.
some times one may be forced o take a hiatus from playing.
a week makes a difference; giving one freshness.
but, over a month... I could never, unless my arm was broken...but then I would find a way.
