Learning a song by ear

here's what (generally) works best for me.....

usually (IME) fingerpicking stuff involves a repeated pattern (especially if the singer is also the guitar player), so I usually try to figure out the block chords first, going primarily from the bass line, until I can strum along with it and it sounds in tune. then I try to figure out the fingerpicking pattern.

actually, I mostly cheat and just use a fingerpicking pattern that fits, unless the pattern used on the recording has a specific sound that I'm trying to emulate. what? I have a short attention span. so, in repsonse to your question about floyd rose trems, I really don't know..... :wink: :lol:

hth

i just noodle until it falls into place, like a puzzle... or like magnets, drawing you into the correct notes. this computer has a pretty weak stereo. the guitar was sort of buried. i just heard a simple arpeggio.

As Sara says, no matter how complicated the song, figuring out the general chords first (whether by trial and error, listening to the bass line, listening to the voicings) is usually the best first step. Reason being that guitarists generally use the same tools and. unless there's an alternate tuning involved, the chords often dictate what's available for fingerpicking.

Knowing the chords, even the basic chords can also help you know if a capo is involved. I didn't get a chance to do more than a quick listen to the sample, but that sounds like it's a single chord (possibly E major) being played on the guitar (and, as Jason said, it sounds like a static arpeggio - meaning that it's just taken from the basic chord) while there's a descending line going on in the bass. That might make it sound like there's more going on than what's actually being played.

After you've got the chords, the next thing to do is to listen for the voicing on the picking pattern. What note of the chord is the highest? The fifth? The third? The root? Another note from outside the triad? That will also help you to find what sort of chord shape is being used and where on the guitar it might happen to be.

Can't promise, but I'll try to give this a more thorough listening sometime this weekend.

Peace

Also agree with Sara's (Scrybe's) and David's approaches. Philosophies differ, but I've always felt is most important to capture the essense of a song's style within one's own playing abilities. As they've mentioned already, this essense includes a good approximation of the chord structure (e.g., maybe only partial chords, but dominants for dominants, minors for minors etc), and notable voicings and close-enough arpeggiation. I will add these to the list: the groove (a.k.a. feel) plus the signature lines and riffs. I too have a short attention span and have a good dose of lazy tossed in the mix. My excuse around these is that one should add a bit of their own self to a cover. Convenient excuse. But how many live versions of tunes by the original artist are the same as the studio version or even another live recording? Not many. Could it be that a lot of musical performers playing sans-a-score suffer the same "oh look a shiny object!" issues?

Thanks for that guys. I have figured out the first bit and been playing it now. That takes some of the pressure off when you think of it as playing the song within your own abilities. I know, that should be obvious, but I agree that making it sound like the original while putting in my own style is a good thing.

Much appreicated.
Jim

Jim, I found that song on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrU6k5zJUFM&feature=related

Unfortunately, I could not find a video of the artist actually playing the song.

David Hodge is correct, it is in E Major. And I believe he is using a capo at the 4th fret and using the C major chord "form" behind the barre (you hear the G# note on the 1st string often).

But it is also very possible he is using an open tuning.

Being in E, if there are other chords, they are likely A, B, C#m, F#m, and G#m (the three Major and three relative Minor chords in the key of E) or slight variations of these chords. But playing behind the capo you would use the C, F, G, Am, Dm, Em forms which will transpose up with the capo.

As others said, listen carefully to the bass line. More than anything else this will show you the chords.

David Hodge is correct, it is in E Major.

My ears must be getting better! I listened to that a little after eleven and didn't have a guitar handy to try it out! :wink:

I'm with Wes on the capo as well. Initially I was thinking capo on the seventh fret and play in A, but playing in C leads to a lot more of the sustaining notes played over the descending bass line.

Peace

Heh, check this out, I found a site with the chords. :D

http://lacuerda.net/tabs/j/juan_luis_guerra/si_tu_no_bailas_conmigo.shtml

As you can see, using the three major and three relative minor chords was close. But there is one part where the song looks like it changes to the key of G, you see G, C, D, and B7, Em chords. So it looks like it changes key and then goes back to E.

Down at the bottom it shows the chord forms.

Hope that helps.

Wes

Since the relative minor of G is Em, then I'm going back to my original thought of the capo on seven and switching from A to Am (relative - C major).

This is fun! :wink:

Peace

David

I was looking at the chord forms at the bottom of that page, they may be played exactly as shown, but you could also use a capo at the 2nds fret and use the "D chord form" for the E Major chord. All the chords would be very easy at this position.

But heh, pretty good at recognizing E Major by ear. I can usually hear D Major and G Major by ear, other keys I am not so good.

See, all those years of playing have paid off! :D

(*is there a smiley for "slapping one's forehead really, really, really hard? :wink: )

You'd have thought I'd have thought of the second fret. D and Dm. Piece of cake and also plenty of (relatively) easy shapes that one can play and sing at the same time.

E's a tricky one for me, but for some reason it's gotten easier to recognize in the last five years or so.

By the way, Jim, thanks for turning me on to this song and this artist. Very moving music!

Peace

I agree with David, thanks for the great song. I should listen to music like this more often.

And it was a lot of fun trying to figure this song out. :D

This is what I love about GuitarNoise, lots of helpful folks here. And it is fun for us to help, plus we learn from you!

I leave for a few hours and WOW.. something I already knew. YOU GUYS ROCK. I am so appreciative. I was playing it open but now I am going to give it a go with the capo. I was playing the melody part pretty well but I hadnt tried the bass part yet and maybe the capo will help.

Juan Luis is awsome. I only own "La llave de mi corazon" "The key of my heart" but I plan to buy more. He is from the Dominican Republic I believe. Another great guy from I think Columbia is Juanes. He has more of a rock style. He used to be in a Metalica inspired band but grew tired of metal all the time so he took off in his own direction.

I have really enjoyed getting into the "Latino" music.

The plan for this has to do with a Spanish immersion class I am taking in Nov. You have to deliver a presentation of some sort but it has to last 10 mins. I am going to try to do this song, then I have been working on a couple Spanish lingua originals. The three should give me about the amount of time I need.

Thanks again guys.

Jim

Hey Jim,

If you want, I can send you some easy Spanish classical pieces that are written for solo guitar. Just say the word!

Peace