Quote:
Originally Posted by Pitar
I am probably not remembering my own frustrations from the time I taught myself, but I just got to it and learned what I wanted to know by listening to the music. You listen a few times, search for the key that sounds right and then test that by trying to fit the chords and progression you think you're hearing. If that doesn't seem right, perhaps the original is capo'd. You try that as well. Before too long you'll have it and then it's just a matter of polishing it.
I don't remember it ever being more difficult than that and the by-products are concurrent ear and fret hand development. You're searching the board for the right chords for the melody and that will take you on a fret board journey that video song lessons will never do.
But, these days people don't take the initiative to teach themselves. They seek out the shortcuts and then complain about their lack of quality.
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I am self taught, and do much like you, by first listening then trying to flesh it out with a lot of trial and error, which most times leads to a reasonable reproduction of the song I want. I only go to YouTube if there is a sticking point that I just can't workout by myself.
Many times when listening to a tune I can not know for sure what the guitar is tuned in, is it standard or something other than that, capo'd, or not, my ear is just not that good these days. If I go to YouTube I can get a visual on the tuning if they use standard cords, but if it is something like a finger picking tune that may not use any cords then if it is not stated at the beginning of the lesson the tuning it is in, well like I said my ear is just not good enough to pick up on it, many time they don't let you know this up front.
The bulk of my playing stems from just plan noodling around on the board, but need a visual sometimes to bring it home for me.
I guess that is why I get frustrated when the instructor just yammers on and on, when I just want to hear and see it played, then give me some instruction in case I can not make out what they are doing.
I should mention, I learned with cords, not tabs, I am just now beginning to pick up on tabs, but it has been slow going with them. Cords I can play at a glance, tabs make me pause in order to figure them out quickly. As for sheet music unless it is laid out with cords, fagedaboudit.
