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Post subject: Re: How do you go about learning songs?
Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 1:11 pm
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asgeirman wrote:
So I think both tabs and Youtube are fantastic ways of learning fast - but still I feel it (often) is a bit like building a house without having a stable foundation . Which sometimes leads to nearly comical listening experiences :lol: You think you listen to a good player - suddenly it comes a horrible mistake , like one note wrong, which gives a major rather than the sound of a minor . And they keep on repeating it - without hearing it !?


I hear this so often these days - loads of people out there who sound great at first listen and can learn anything from tab, but have utterly no understanding of why it sounds like it does, or how to tell if it's wrong. Drop them in the middle of an improvising scenario or get them to jam along with a band and learn a track on the fly, and they just flop around cluelessly.

One guy I auditioned recently learned the tracks (we always audition with covers even though we do 90% original material - keeps it less scary for people :lol:) from tab he found online - came to play with the band, and he was constantly about two semitones flat on one track. He didn't notice, and when we stopped and told him, he argued that he learned it from the tab, so it must be right, and we obviously were playing it wrong if we thought it sounded off. :shock:

Told him to just transpose it up a bit, and he got all huffy and failed miserably. :lol:


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Post subject: Re: How do you go about learning songs?
Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 1:26 pm
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Vulpinity wrote:
Told him to just transpose it up a bit, and he got all huffy and failed miserably. :lol:


Did he get the job ? :lol:

I am happy to see that most of you guys seem to do it with EARS as weapon . I didn't notice all your nice posts - as I took some time to write my last post - I was busy listening to music while I wrote it :lol:

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Post subject: Re: How do you go about learning songs?
Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 1:50 pm
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asgeirman wrote:
Did he get the job ? :lol:


Only thing he got was directions to the exit. :lol:


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Post subject: Re: How do you go about learning songs?
Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 1:54 pm
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Songsterr+ has been my go-to app for learning songs. Check it out!

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Post subject: Re: How do you go about learning songs?
Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 5:00 pm
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I agree with Vulpinity. Tabs may teach you how to mimic a song but they don't teach you how to play the guitar.

jeebus wrote:
i usually have the song down before i even get a guitar in my hands. i'm not trying to brag but its true.


This is true for me as well. Sometimes I'll hear a song late in the evening and have it on my mind while I'm falling asleep. When that happens I usually know how to play it by the time I awake in the morning. Sometimes it doesn't even take that much. A buddy will say have you ever tried to learn this one? He'll play it for me while we're in the car or something and I'll say, "they're doing that in D minor, there's the C, there's the F," etc.

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Post subject: Re: How do you go about learning songs?
Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 7:30 pm
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1st of all . . . . I love the RAMONES ! ! ! !

I was lucky to see one of their last shows in Atlanta in 1996.

Answering the question here. I have a new iPhone app that has guitar tabs that people contribute to the site. So in other words when you look up a song, there are many versions of that particular song on the tabs!


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Post subject: Re: How do you go about learning songs?
Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 8:17 pm
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Just my opinion, but I think Tabs impede your progress in becoming a musician in the same way that Paint-by-Numbers impedes you from becoming a Painter.

You gotta put in the work, there really are no shortcuts.

That said, I realize that many don't have the perseverance and need more instant gratification along the way to avoid giving it up altogether, and that's OK.

IF you don't abandon learning notation, aural training and theory for the sake of Tabs.

My wife gave me a book of popular Rock songs as a stocking stuffer at Xmas. I opened it, saw it was all tabs... haven't opened it since.

Once I learn to play from notation, I'll give the book a go.

cheers!

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Post subject: Re: How do you go about learning songs?
Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 8:13 am
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I learn new songs by ear, but if I get stuck or there is something unusual I'll check out the tab.


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Post subject: Re: How do you go about learning songs?
Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 8:28 am
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what i do is listen to the tune over and over for about a week or so. in the truck, on the ipod and on the boom box at work. especially if theres quirky time changes. then when the weekend rolls around i at least have the structure down somewhat. as i said before, i usually have the chord changes down before plugging in.
i guess what i'm kinda doing here is letting the music marinate in my brain if you will. some tunes simply come easier than others. i've never tried a solo note for note. i'll just hit some of the signature phrases. i'm much more technical with rythyms. solos, not that much. i'm not nearly that talented.


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Post subject: Re: How do you go about learning songs?
Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 6:51 pm
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Maybe try and get the first 4 bars of a song commited to memory and then carry on.

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Last edited by yanbi07 on Thu Feb 28, 2013 6:24 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: How do you go about learning songs?
Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 10:36 pm
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I learn by ear. The only problem is trying to explain the strange
calluses I get on my ears. :lol:

But seriously folks, I don't focus too much energy on learning
someone elses song. I spend more time creating my own.
I've always been that way. But I'm an odd bird.

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Post subject: Re: How do you go about learning songs?
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 2:40 am
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I used to be able to learn 3 songs a day for cover bands, treating it like an 8 hour job..memoring and repeating. Then I'd see if I could remember the songs learned in the days before. Most cover band drummers want you to modify your basslines by playing all, or mostly all quarter notes..and they want the notes slightly behind the beat. Guess this makes the whole thing go smoother.

Being able to guess the note in a country band is a serious skill, too. I prefer real rehearsal.


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Post subject: Re: How do you go about learning songs?
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 9:48 am
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Like many of the other old timers on this Forum, I've been playing over 40 years and started my first band in 1964. Back then, and to this day, I've learned my songs by ear. It takes me longer to write out a song's lyrics than it does to find the chords and progressions and put it all together. I also sing everything I do since most of the time I am a solo performer.

The only time I use TAB is when I am trying to figure out a specific lead part for a song I am doing and the right TAB can frequently save a lot of time just getting you onto the right frets! That said, as others have mentioned above, TAB won't help you when it's time to jam, especially with people you don't know.

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Post subject: Re: How do you go about learning songs?
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 11:19 am
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M*Campbell wrote:
II don't focus too much energy on learning
someone elses song. I spend more time creating my own.

+1

although learning others songs can sometimes inspire in different ways . It can of course make you a better player. I am not overly satisfied with my own playing , but it's ok - at least for what I am doing . I am able to play several instruments , and put it all together to make an understandable demo...... despite the lack of skills :oops:
So I find that part of playing more interesting than just try to copy others :)

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Post subject: Re: How do you go about learning songs?
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 8:21 pm
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i manily write my own stuff but if i go to learn a song ill use guitar pro

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