Share your song-learning tips and techniques
Discussion
Mine is to sing/play the first part or first few bars/phrase or whatever until I can sing/play it several times in a row without messing up, and then add a bit more and do the same thing. Cab be a very slow process though and there's no guarantee I'll be able to remember it the next day.
Remembering subsequent verses can be quite hard as usually the chords are the same but there's a new set of words. I'll usually try to visualise some silly meaning to the words, that seems to help, especially if it links one verse to the next.
Anyway, I will be interested to hear what tricks and methods you all use.
Remembering subsequent verses can be quite hard as usually the chords are the same but there's a new set of words. I'll usually try to visualise some silly meaning to the words, that seems to help, especially if it links one verse to the next.
Anyway, I will be interested to hear what tricks and methods you all use.
I don't think I have any for someone who isn't a beginner!
Just get the 'shape' of the riff, lick, solo section, so you know where your fingers will be going.
Have the record there to hand so you can get it A1.
The only thing I think of as a 'tip', is that if you are learning a technique that's really hard for the first time, once you get it right, Stop. Next time you pick up the guitar you'll have it in your head that you can do it and you wont be over thinking it. If you keep playing it once you played it right, I find you tend to play it right once or twice, then after that f
k up and make mistakes, so you think 'still haven't got this nailed' and keep trying too hard until you get pissed off and frustrated.
Apart form that, have loose fingers, don't over think stuff.
Just get the 'shape' of the riff, lick, solo section, so you know where your fingers will be going.
Have the record there to hand so you can get it A1.
The only thing I think of as a 'tip', is that if you are learning a technique that's really hard for the first time, once you get it right, Stop. Next time you pick up the guitar you'll have it in your head that you can do it and you wont be over thinking it. If you keep playing it once you played it right, I find you tend to play it right once or twice, then after that f
k up and make mistakes, so you think 'still haven't got this nailed' and keep trying too hard until you get pissed off and frustrated. Apart form that, have loose fingers, don't over think stuff.
I've been a vocalist / frontman in various rock bands over the years.
I only sing - I don't play any instruments. When I was younger, I was able to pretty much remember the lyrics / arrangements to songs well enough to get away with live. However, now I am in my early 40's (!) and in my current band, with it's repertoire of over 40 songs, there's basically no way I can remember all the lyrics to all the songs. Sad but true!
So - I constructed a clever 'tech' aid which helps me, and over the last few years, has prevented any embarrassment in a live situation!
I have a laptop PC, along with a separate 21 inch PC monitor. The lyrics to all the songs are saved in a Powerpoint presentation on the PC, one or two slides for each number, depending upon their length.
On stage, to the left of my speaker monitor, I have the laptop on the floor, underneath a box, with the screen monitor on top of it plugged into the laptop, angled at 45 degrees.
I then have a powerpoint remote 'clicker' plugged into the laptop, with a USB receiver in a USB port, and the 'clicker' taped to my mic stand.
All I then do is press the 'clicker' after each song, in order to move onto the next slide / song lyrics, which are displayed on the screen monitor by my feet. Simple really, and had never let me down.
I've seen a few other bands lately where the singer has an iPAD taped to the mic stand - however this looks a little clunky and obtrusive. My solution is much more elegant I feel!
I only sing - I don't play any instruments. When I was younger, I was able to pretty much remember the lyrics / arrangements to songs well enough to get away with live. However, now I am in my early 40's (!) and in my current band, with it's repertoire of over 40 songs, there's basically no way I can remember all the lyrics to all the songs. Sad but true!
So - I constructed a clever 'tech' aid which helps me, and over the last few years, has prevented any embarrassment in a live situation!
I have a laptop PC, along with a separate 21 inch PC monitor. The lyrics to all the songs are saved in a Powerpoint presentation on the PC, one or two slides for each number, depending upon their length.
On stage, to the left of my speaker monitor, I have the laptop on the floor, underneath a box, with the screen monitor on top of it plugged into the laptop, angled at 45 degrees.
I then have a powerpoint remote 'clicker' plugged into the laptop, with a USB receiver in a USB port, and the 'clicker' taped to my mic stand.
All I then do is press the 'clicker' after each song, in order to move onto the next slide / song lyrics, which are displayed on the screen monitor by my feet. Simple really, and had never let me down.
I've seen a few other bands lately where the singer has an iPAD taped to the mic stand - however this looks a little clunky and obtrusive. My solution is much more elegant I feel!
Fantuzzi said:
I don't think I have any for someone who isn't a beginner!
Just get the 'shape' of the riff, lick, solo section, so you know where your fingers will be going.
Have the record there to hand so you can get it A1.
The only thing I think of as a 'tip', is that if you are learning a technique that's really hard for the first time, once you get it right, Stop. Next time you pick up the guitar you'll have it in your head that you can do it and you wont be over thinking it. If you keep playing it once you played it right, I find you tend to play it right once or twice, then after that fk up and make mistakes, so you think 'still haven't got this nailed' and keep trying too hard until you get pissed off and frustrated.
Apart form that, have loose fingers, don't over think stuff.
I'd agree with that. Also, concentrate on getting it right rather than getting it fast - fast will come later. Just get the 'shape' of the riff, lick, solo section, so you know where your fingers will be going.
Have the record there to hand so you can get it A1.
The only thing I think of as a 'tip', is that if you are learning a technique that's really hard for the first time, once you get it right, Stop. Next time you pick up the guitar you'll have it in your head that you can do it and you wont be over thinking it. If you keep playing it once you played it right, I find you tend to play it right once or twice, then after that f
k up and make mistakes, so you think 'still haven't got this nailed' and keep trying too hard until you get pissed off and frustrated. Apart form that, have loose fingers, don't over think stuff.
Blood, sweat and tears.
When I'm learning a new bass line I tend to play through a song start to finish to get a feel for it, aim to get it mostly right after a few repetitions. I'll stop and work out any more complex bits with a metronome at half-speed - really important to keep the phrasing right. Looping a very complex passage and playing over and over also works.
I actually use Songsterr a lot and it works well for me but you have to be a bit careful that the song's right.
After that it's just about repetition until it's stuck in there.
I tend to keep 3 or so new songs on the boil (either stuff for the band or personal challenges) - at the moment I'm having a Maiden phase so I've been working on The Trooper, Aces High and 2 Minutes to Midnight. First two sorted but 2 Mins is a bit ropey!
I tend to go back and noodle through some random Rush selections too but my skill level makes that quite hit-and-miss!
When I'm learning a new bass line I tend to play through a song start to finish to get a feel for it, aim to get it mostly right after a few repetitions. I'll stop and work out any more complex bits with a metronome at half-speed - really important to keep the phrasing right. Looping a very complex passage and playing over and over also works.
I actually use Songsterr a lot and it works well for me but you have to be a bit careful that the song's right.
After that it's just about repetition until it's stuck in there.
I tend to keep 3 or so new songs on the boil (either stuff for the band or personal challenges) - at the moment I'm having a Maiden phase so I've been working on The Trooper, Aces High and 2 Minutes to Midnight. First two sorted but 2 Mins is a bit ropey!
I tend to go back and noodle through some random Rush selections too but my skill level makes that quite hit-and-miss!
Voice
1. Put on earphones
2. Cue up song you want to learn lyrics for
3. Play several times while writing out the lyrics by hand (don't get them from Google - write them out line by line)
4. Play 25 times through phones with your new lyric sheet in your hand
Instrument
1. Identify key and root chord
That's it
(assuming you are proficient on the instrument)
The rest is muscle memory and practice.
1. Put on earphones
2. Cue up song you want to learn lyrics for
3. Play several times while writing out the lyrics by hand (don't get them from Google - write them out line by line)
4. Play 25 times through phones with your new lyric sheet in your hand
Instrument
1. Identify key and root chord
That's it
(assuming you are proficient on the instrument)
The rest is muscle memory and practice.
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