who wants to join a friendly "learn an new song" challenge?

So I'm working on Lonnie's Guitar a song by Woody Mann. It's a kind of lesson in Lonnie Johnson licks. It's neat because it's in DGDGBe which allows you to do open string alternating bass on 6-5-4-3 but still keeps the top three strings in standard tuning.

A couple of nights ago I watched the video and got the song in my head. Last night I watched video again, had a quick look at the tab (which didn't really match the video but whatever) and got to work. It came very quickly and after about 40 minutes I had the whole first verse (there are 2) down and I could play it through without mistakes, alternating bass and all.

But I have come to realize over years of doing this that this is the honeymoon phase for me. The songs tend to come quickly but for some reason get harder to execute as time goes by. Still not sure why though.

Next goal tomorrow night is to play the first verse through without mistakes again and then nail down the second verse. After that I have to come up with a third verse of my own which is fun and challenging.

[Benny61]

I wanted to get away from strumming so I think I'm gonna give john Mayer your body is a wonderland a try. It's probably an easy song for most of you but it's probably a month long project for me. Maybe longer we will see.

[rtfm]

Hi,
Great idea. I'd like to give it a go. Back into guitar after 25 year layoff, and I need to get the fingers moving again. I think I'll try "Red Haired Boy". Maybe not up to speed though. But we'll see.

Duncan

Originally Posted by rtfm

Hi,
Great idea. I'd like to give it a go. Back into guitar after 25 year layoff, and I need to get the fingers moving again. I think I'll try "Red Haired Boy". Maybe not up to speed though. But we'll see.

Duncan

Great! Welcome aboard.

No time to touch a guitar last night but I wanted to mention some things that work for me when I am learning a new song.

I try to "play" the music (just the audio, not thinking about my hands on the guitar) of the song I'm trying to learn over and over in my head all day. Kind of like a voluntary "ear worm". I find that it helps me remember the song better and it's fresh in my head when I do get to a guitar.

Also if I have some time to concentrate I then use visualization. I "play" the music in my head and then "picture" my hands on the guitar playing the tune. For me this does require quite a bit of focus though but I find I retain better what I have learned so far when I do this.

YMMV.

[LeftArm]

I try to "play" the music (just the audio, not thinking about my hands on the guitar) of the song I'm trying to learn over and over in my head all day. Kind of like a voluntary "ear worm". I find that it helps me remember the song better and it's fresh in my head when I do get to a guitar.

I do this to. I also listen to the song when I get time. I find it helps with getting the structure right.

Visualising I don't tend to do despite it being recommended. I manage to get the fingering wrong even in my visualisations then I worry that I'm ingraining bad habits. :-(
I haven't had much time for guitar today but I may manage something tonight.

[TBman]

Sounds like fun. I'll have to see if I can find something that won't take forever to learn.

[PickinPaddler]

If you don't mind, I'll take you up on this...

My song will be "Wagon Wheel" by Old Crow Medicine Show. Actually, I've already learned the chords, but as of late, I seem to have lost it on the guitar in general. I've been ill and also have injured my #2 and 3 fingers on my fret hand. I'm going to give it some time off to hopefully heal and get feeling better, then I hope to be able play along with the song without any mistakes. Maybe even warble along with it.

I've owned guitars for 35 years and always failed at it. I've been back into it for nine months and doing pretty well, then it all took a ****. I'm going to look into taking lesson, too. I plan to retire in the next year and want to have a good foundation for all the free time I will have.

Thanks,
Cary

For the record, I didn't swear. The smut filter censored me anyway.

Originally Posted by TBman

Sounds like fun. I'll have to see if I can find something that won't take forever to learn.

Originally Posted by PickinPaddler

If you don't mind, I'll take you up on this...

My song will be "Wagon Wheel" by Old Crow Medicine Show. Actually, I've already learned the chords, but as of late, I seem to have lost it on the guitar in general. I've been ill and also have injured my #2 and 3 fingers on my fret hand. I'm going to give it some time off to hopefully heal and get feeling better, then I hope to be able play along with the song without any mistakes. Maybe even warble along with it.

I've owned guitars for 35 years and always failed at it. I've been back into it for nine months and doing pretty well, then it all took a ****. I'm going to look into taking lesson, too. I plan to retire in the next year and want to have a good foundation for all the free time I will have.

Thanks,
Cary

For the record, I didn't swear. The smut filter censored me anyway.

Great! The more the merrier.

[H165]

"Wagon Wheel" by Old Crow Medicine Show"

This song may be easier to find if you search on the co-writer: Bob Dylan.

I should join up here. I'd like to learn the Pentagle cover of an old American children's tune "Watch the Stars".

Originally Posted by H165

"Wagon Wheel" by Old Crow Medicine Show"

This song may be easier to find if you search on the co-writer: Bob Dylan.

I should join up here. I'd like to learn the Pentagle cover of an old American children's tune "Watch the Stars".

Welcome aboard! Let us know how it's going.

Stayed up WAY too late working on the new song. Forced myself to play the first verse through without errors before moving on to the second verse. Second verse was somewhat difficult due to the timing but I eventually played it all the way through. Next step is stitching the two verses together.

[TBman]

I'm going to try Sweet Home Chicago, Woody Payne's version. I found it on Songsterr, which is a neat website to learn new stuff.

Originally Posted by TBman

I'm going to try Sweet Home Chicago, Woody Payne's version. I found it on Songsterr, which is a neat website to learn new stuff.

Can't wait to hear how it goes Barry.

Just played verses one and two together without stopping or making a mistake. Yay me. Now to arrange a third verse... Yikes!