bkangel,
Don't worry once you start learning the songs and playing them enough you'll remember them. I thought the same thing when I started, that I would never be able to remember a whole song let alone 30 - 40 that are needed to play a night out in the local bar, but as you get better at least for me my memory seems to be getting better. I'm sure it has more to do with the fact that I now actually KNOW the song.
We have about 25 songs or so that we play and once in awhile I'll forget a chord or a change if I hadn't played it for awhile but I usually remember it fairly quickly.
It's funny how just sticking with this you will see improvements in every aspect.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
good concept on the video. Never actually seen anybody else learning a song.
Hi all
Well, three weeks in... is it really that long?
Still practicing but it's coming along. And then....we come to the barre chords... :lol: thanks!
Anyways, got a bad back today and couldn't cut the grass so I made a video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrgL3iPx_yA
Rock on!
D 8)
I'm nowhere near Chicago. I've got six string, 8 fingers, two thumbs, it's dark 'cos I'm wearing sunglasses - Hit it!
It's coming along nicely, Dylan. And it's was cool to see you bring up something that Jamie's going to mention in her video (I got a "sneak peak") that should be up online this week. She calls it "constant contact" - that part of making sure one finger is in place before lifting another. Karen, my partner who teaches piano, talks about this sort of thing a lot, too.
You're doing very well, sir, and I'm especially impressed with how you keep a fairly steady rhythm going despite not being comfortable with the chord changes. You're going to own this song one day. Probably sooner than you think.
Looking forward to more.
Peace
Nice progress Dylan. I'll be waiting for your next update.
Interesting thread.
Normally it'll take me no more than a couple of days to really nail a song - but then, I've been playing a long time. Though funnily enough, I'm having trouble at the moment with Warren Zevon's "Lawyers, Guns and Money." At first I thought he might have been using an alternate tuning - but after watching this video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5puAN1PGQw - seems he's using G, C and D chords. The bit I'm having trouble with is the transition from the second verse to the bridge ("I'm the innocent bystander, etc.) - I just can't seem to get the timing right.
This is one of those songs where I'm actually trying to play along with the video - I've got it about 95% nailed, but I always seem to screw up on the bridge. I know I'll get it eventually - but God, it's really frustrating, just not being able to transition smoothly from one part of the song to another.
Sigh - suppose I'll just have to keep practising it.
: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.)
Hi all
Not much practicing to get to this video I'm afraid, but thought I'd post what I have achieved... :roll:
Erm, ok. Still haven't perfected the first parts yet, but just felt it was useful to start trying to get practicing the barre chord transitions which is just as an important part of the song as the first bit....
I'm still learning barre chords for strumming, so to get them sounding good for finger-picking is even more demanding... it's starting to sound like a song now though... :wink:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzlWcvAzKTY
Rock on!
D 8)
I'm nowhere near Chicago. I've got six string, 8 fingers, two thumbs, it's dark 'cos I'm wearing sunglasses - Hit it!
Its coming along nicely, you can start to hear the tune now. I think in the long run its going to help you with your barres as well. Just out of interest have you applied yourself any differently to learning this song than how you would normally? The reason I ask as in general most of the songs I've learnt are ones that I've usually tried to learn before but have been beyond my ability at the time or I've become bored by my progress. It would be intresting to know at what stages your start feeling bored by the song or disillusioned by progress as they are big factors with my learning.
Yes, it is beginning to sound familiar . . .
Those darn barre chords . . . but hark . . .
after several weeks of practicing this. . .
you'll be able to play this song in your sleep . . .
not really . . . .
but I thought I'd just throw that out there . . .
as a means of encouragement.
When you do get it down though, it's going to sound sweet . . . Great choice of song.
Rock on, DB
It's the rock that gives the stream its music . . . and the stream that gives the rock its roll.
Thanks Jase
Literally as I type I've been practicing the song some more and sometimes I hit the barres nice and clean and quick enough to sound pretty good - but not nearly consistent enough... I actually think I've got a few months before this song will sound clean enough to pass for a complete song... :cry:
I suppose I should be happy with my progress - I've been playing for... erm... 20 months now and this is classed as an intermediate song. I'm also pleased that the barres are also coming along nicely - that is a BIG hurdle for me. The only really difference in my application to learning this song is that I'm practicing it regularly and relatively closely to the tabs to see how long it takes to learn. Well, I think I've actually 'learned' the song, now it's just a case of 'playing' it - I need to be carefully with my wording.. :roll:
A lot of the other stuff I play I practice when I feel like it - so that's probably the difference. I tend not to go back to my old songs I've tried to learn or learned (I should really because I could probably play them much better). Only tunes like Stairway to Heaven and Dust in the Wind get my continued perseverence because I think they teach me control....... :twisted: but another Zep song, Over The Hills and Far Away, I just got sooo frustrated I had to can it, but looking back I was getting on quite well...
When you say 'bored with your progress' do you mean that your frustrated that you don't seem to improve so you move onto something else and you find the same thing with that? Believe me, I become disillusioned by progress everytime I learn a new song but I honestly believe I am still a beginner, and one day....one day it will all come together.
There are chord transitions that I practice day in, day out and I still can't hit them after practicing for months. I've spent nearly a whole year getting to grips with barre chords. I'm actually playing quite a few songs purposely using barre chords to just practice them - you just have to keep at it. If it was that easy, everyone would be playing guitar...
Rock on!
D 8)
I'm nowhere near Chicago. I've got six string, 8 fingers, two thumbs, it's dark 'cos I'm wearing sunglasses - Hit it!
Yes, it is beginning to sound familiar . . .
Those darn barre chords . . . but hark . . .
after several weeks of practicing this. . .
you'll be able to play this song in your sleep . . .
Ahhhh, sleeeep......ZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Thanks KR
Indeed
D 8)
I'm nowhere near Chicago. I've got six string, 8 fingers, two thumbs, it's dark 'cos I'm wearing sunglasses - Hit it!
When you say 'bored with your progress' do you mean that your frustrated that you don't seem to improve so you move onto something else and you find the same thing with that?
Not so much not improving but more the slow rate that it happens at. I think I miss out on not having a teacher who probally could advise on more suitable songs for my ability. I think alot of the songs I've attempted in the past were beyond my ability at the time and probally doomed to failure before I even began.
Not so much not improving but more the slow rate that it happens at.
Well jase, I don't know how long you have been playing, what standard you are at now or what songs you have been trying to play, but everyone has to learn at their own pace. Ok, some lucky folks who don't have to work full-time (or at all) can dedicate all their spare time (once their finished their household chores) to playing their guitar and make quicker progress.
Others, like me are lucky enough to have a job where I can keep my guitar beside me during the day and if I have a spare ten minutes I can pick it up and practice or play. Some folks have a full days' work and have to spend time with the family when they get home and get frowned at if their hand strays too close to their six-string... :cry:
Look at the last four videos I've made over the last four weeks, look at the tabulature, listen and read the instructions....Is this something you think you could do? Quicker, slower, never? There are plenty of lessons in the beginners and intermediates that you could have fun with. Plenty of strumming tunes as well - you can find them online if you want.
Look at 'beginners videos' and see how long it actually takes 'real' beginners to learn the art of playing guitar - let me just say that I have seen 'beginners' that seem to start playing at intermediate level - if I thought I should be achieving that after my first six months, I would probably have given up...
I for one would like to see (or hear) someone else's version of this lesson and hear from them how long it has taken them to learn and how long they have actually been playing the guitar. I've read that folks can get a tune down in a couple of days - lucky them - let's hear it!
Rock on!
D 8)
I'm nowhere near Chicago. I've got six string, 8 fingers, two thumbs, it's dark 'cos I'm wearing sunglasses - Hit it!
I for one would like to see (or hear) someone else's version of this lesson and hear from them how long it has taken them to learn and how long they have actually been playing the guitar.
Not me. I have my own Beatle's pursuit going on.
I gave up on Norwegian Wood way back . . .
but now I'm taking a stab at it again . . .
day 4 and I can play the tune but sneaking the strumming in between the melody is what I'm having trouble with.
It's the rock that gives the stream its music . . . and the stream that gives the rock its roll.
Not so much not improving but more the slow rate that it happens at.
Well jase, I don't know how long you have been playing, what standard you are at now or what songs you have been trying to play, but everyone has to learn at their own pace.
3 years now and very much progressing at the slower end. I'm beyond being a beginner in some aspects but if we were talking about Lead or fingerpicking then I would definately class myself as a beginner still
Look at 'beginners videos' and see how long it actually takes 'real' beginners to learn the art of playing guitar - let me just say that I have seen 'beginners' that seem to start playing at intermediate level
I must say I've been amazed by quite a few on youtube who even after a year look like theyve been playing for 5 years.
kenrogers2 wrote:
I have my own Beatle's pursuit going on.
I gave up on Norwegian Wood way back . . .
but now I'm taking a stab at it again . . .
Which leads me back again to my earlier post about giving up or becoming bored with a song and then returning later to it and finally cracking it. If a guitar teacher said to me "were going to try and learn a certain song for the next 4 weeks but we wont perfect it but might go back to it 1 day" I would think what a waste of time, yet left to my own devices thats sometimes what I'm doing. Now after 3 years of learning there are plenty of "easy songs" out there that I can learn in a short space of time before getting bored. I dont use a different method for songs I fail to learn or songs I actually learn to play. I'm just wondering is this how we all learn songs or is there another way?
Dylan, I'm going to leave it at that now or the thread will go off topic but I'm looking forward to seeing how you progress.
