methadology; how to find/hear/discover chords to songs on u tube

jasperguitar · #1 10-24-2016, 12:14 PM

I like to play along ... I generally look for easy songs .. folk, country, bluegrass, traditional ..

what method do you use to know the key, chords and chords progression

et all ...

thanks

Mandobart · #2 10-24-2016, 03:29 PM

I pick up new songs to learn from podcasts and Pandora. I get an electronic version and listen to a playlist of the songs I'm learning during my 15 minute commute to and from work. I play the same playlist while working in my shop, driving around town, etc. I sing along as this helps me get it "in my head." Once it's there I sit down and figure out the chords in the key that best fits my vocal range. For most American Roots music there are predictable chord progressions - I, IV, V; I, vi, IV, V; V, IV, I; I, IV, II, V; etc. I can usually figure out a couple songs a week with this method.

rick-slo · #3 10-24-2016, 03:38 PM

Pretty quick for the easy songs:
Just listen and play along guitar in hand.
If a problem with that then first determine and know:
Major or minor key
the I, IV, V to narrow it down to a specific key
chords in that key

jasperguitar · #4 10-24-2016, 03:54 PM

thanks .. I normally first off try to figure out what key the song is in ..

Then I go with the I, IV, V ... and the ii, iii, vi

But for some strange reason I can't seem to match the chords on this song

Here is the u tube link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gd0tS1lZftQ

#5 10-24-2016, 04:00 PM

I developed and maintain an ear by watching TV with my guitar in hand, usually one of the electrics (unplugged) and play along with anything that comes on - themes, commercials - whatever. After a while it sinks in and you can hear the chords, the patterns, the progressions; you learn to anticipate. This ultimately makes transcribing a song by ear a piece of cake.

jasperguitar · #6 10-24-2016, 04:23 PM

A Mac ... I just starting doing that .. and it is a great way to get a better ear

Mandobart · #7 10-24-2016, 11:26 PM

Ok playing along its in G. The tricky part is the verse starts on the IV (C). The intro is D (V), C (IV) then G (1). My picking is better than my computer forum text transcribing. Here's how I hear the verses (I'm not attempting to show the hammer ons, synchopation, etc.). This is a very basic idea after listening to the song a couple times.

/C-C-C-C/D-D-D-G

/C-C-C-C/A-A-D-D7 (This A chord (II) is probably what threw you.)

/C-C-C-C/D-D-D-G

/D-D-C-C/C-C-C-G (This is also the intro)

jasperguitar · #8 10-25-2016, 01:01 PM

thanks ,, that A chord .. huum... thanks a lot

jemartin · #9 10-26-2016, 08:53 PM

One way that works for me is a software program called ... Chordify.
It works because of my busy schedule. I can discover a song and then copy /paste it from YouTube into Chordify. It has good features... and if you want to capo to a good guitar or voice friendly key it will allow that by changing the chords for each key (song still sounds the same key though). It has some basic song speed controls but I haven't used them yet. You can start or restart anywhere in the song too. The drawbacks?... it cost me an annual or monthly fee to get the good features. Also.. the chords aren't always accurate inside of the song though not terribly bad and usually easy to hear when they are wrong. It's not the best but the features are a big help to me and keeps all my Chordified songs in its Library. It is also available for IOS on the App Store.

https://chordify.net/

Tahitijack · #10 10-26-2016, 09:57 PM

And the obvious short cut is to do a YouTube search for how to play the song. Some coach chords others teach melody, riffs and fills. I heard the live version the old Hollies hit Long Cool Woman yesterday, it stuck in my head and I found several lessons on YouTube today. Be aware that some songs are not written with simple major, minor, sharp or flat chords. Unfortunately for me I don't have a good ear so learning from others is my best path to playing a song.

JonPR · #11 10-27-2016, 06:39 AM

Record it into Transcribe! https://www.seventhstring.com/xscribe/screenshots.html
Then I can play along at any speed and loop any section I want to work on. I can raise the octave to hear the bass more clearly (help identify chords). I can mark up the audio with barlines and labels etc to help navigate.

I do this even with easy songs that I could get just from playing along, just so I can be 100% sure.

If I actually want the video at the same time (eg to check fingering), I download and convert to MP4, which gives the program a video window too. (Slowing youtube to 0.5 on the browser is often enough, but its not easy to focus on one short section, loop and repeat.)

Chordify and Riffstation get things wrong, so I don't see the point. (If you can hear when they're wrong, you can hear well enough to find the chords yourself, even if it's a little slower. And doing it yourself is so much more satisfying, as well as good ear training.) Software has its limits (I don't trust Transcribe's chord guessing function either), and if I can't hear what a chord is, I know that those programs certainly can't. But there are humans out there with better ears than mine, so when I get stuck I might check out online tabs or charts for a second opinion. Or even ask on a forum!

TomiPaldanius · #12 10-27-2016, 06:57 AM

I only use software with very difficult songs but only to do the A-B repeat or shift the key to more guitar friendly key.

Software can be dangerous if you think you need it all the time.

When you get to higher level you start to hear whole chord patterns. Like 1-5-6-4, 1-6-4-5, 6-2-5-1 etc.