What songs or pieces of songs have helped you make a breakthrough? It could be just a piece or a solo or maybe just a really cool chord progression that made you realize something you now can't live without.
For me, it was Landslide by Fleetwood Mac. Besides the fact that that was one of the first songs I learned from beginning to end, but I really got into fingerpicking more after I learned that song. Now, I love fingerpicking guitar and I'm learning alot more about it since then.
For me it wasn't really a song but a genre. I started foolong with the Blues and it was easy to pick up a bit here and a bit there until eventually the pieces started coming together. This ended up helping me with the classic rock songs I loved (and still do!) when growing up. My rhythm got better, finger independence improved dramticly, and my overall confidence level got better when playing. I still have my "down" momments but the Blues don't make me blue when it comes to the guitar! 8) 8) 8) :lol:
Specific to this site, I've found David Hodge's lessons on Blackbird, Melissa and Give A Little Bit most helpful - they definitely helped me improve my playing and contain patterns or chord progressions that I've recognized in many other tunes.
Also Doug Sparling's Celtic lessons have had an extraordinary influence on me, as they led me to explore a different style of playing and I feel I've made great progress there.
Last, forum member Kirk Lorange's lessons and "Planetalk" book/DVD have really opened doors for me in terms of improvisation and understanding the fretboard.
There are others, of course, but those stand out in my mind right now.
Edit: How'd I forget Little Brother's blues lessons? Got My Mojo Working was the first one I nailed - definitely inspirational!
"Everybody got to elevate from the norm."
Playing slide guitar. Specifically playing some of Claptons versions of Robert Johnson songs (Kitchen and Judgement Day in particular). The slide work really, really helped me to relax and pklay loose. It gets me away from trying to be too mechanical and perfect. Perfection is for practice. When you play, let it rip.
"There won't be any money. But when you die, on your death bed, you will receive total conciousness. So, I got that going for me. Which is nice." - Bill Murray, Caddyshack ~~ Michigan Music Dojo - http://michiganmusicdojo.com ~~
Fell in love with a girl by the white stripes. it was the first song i learned all of, it made me want to learn even more songs and practice harder. :)
Guitars: Electric: Jackson DX10D, J. Reynolds Fat Strat copy
Acoustic: New York and a Jasmine.
Amps: Austin 15 watt, Fender Deluxe 112, Fender Champion 600 5w, 0ld 1970's Sears 500g.
Effects: Digitech Whammy, Big Muff Pi USA, MXR, Washburn Distortion.
hands down it was Powedfinger by Neil Young.
I like that simple overdriven feel.
any of his stuff with Crazy Horse gets me inspired.
"The Needle And The Damage Done" the fingerpicking is great for practice and definitly gives a good sense of rythym.
I poked around for so long and unable to fully complete anything I tried. I saw a lesson on TV for this song one day and for some reason I was able to do it from start to finish.
It means a lot to be able to complete something fully. So many of us bounce around from song to song, trying to play things too advanced for our skills and moving on to something else to repeatedly hit roadblock after roadblock.
Find that one song you can play completely and you will be looking for another and another.
If it was easy it wouldn't be worth doing.
Lola by The Kinks - the A - C#m - B barre chord change in the bridge really helped me nail barre chords.
There are some Radiohead songs and Ryan Adams songs that have been really great for me. They are simple enough, yet interesting enough, to allow me to practice playing and singing at the same time. Specifically,
Creep
Karma Police
When Stars Go Blue
Nobody Girl
