I started to cheat when learning a new tune...

[TBman]

Usually when I learn a finger style tune I will learn each position at a time and slowly bring things up to performance speed. There's a tune I like and I'd like to learn it sooner than later.

My "cheat" that I used last night was instead of learning the whole position, I picked out the melody notes and the filler open strings and had a few measures going at a good speed. Then I went back and started filling in with the other finger positions. I think so far it's working out better because I'm getting that "expectation" of the tune's flow in my mind faster, which gets everything working better.

[raysachs]

Well, then it's not cheating, it's just a change in approach, no?

[TomB'sox]

Thanks for the tip, I recently did that myself by accident. I wanted to learn a new arrangement of a well known song that I could already play be ear. I found knowing the melody so well and being able to lay that down easily allowed my to fill in the other shapes more readily and I seemed to come by it more easily.

I tend to be a little OCD when I learn a song and need to get every measure perfect before moving on and that approach drives me crazy sometimes in that I have a song down 90% and give up on it as I can't get that remaining 10%...this is not the best way to be wired sometimes, other things in my life, yes, learning new difficult pieces, not so much.

[SprintBob]

My teacher and I had that discussion recently and he stressed that as long as you can get the melody notes and the bass notes in a measure, what’s in between is just “lagniappe” as we say in Louisiana.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by TBman

Usually when I learn a finger style tune I will learn each position at a time and slowly bring things up to performance speed. There's a tune I like and I'd like to learn it sooner than later.

My "cheat" that I used last night was instead of learning the whole position, I picked out the melody notes and the filler open strings and had a few measures going at a good speed. Then I went back and started filling in with the other finger positions. I think so far it's working out better because I'm getting that "expectation" of the tune's flow in my mind faster, which gets everything working better.

Hi Barry

Where is the 'cheat' again? There has to be a legal-way or best-path defined before there can be a cheat or shortcut.

Since I write my own arrangements (as opposed to copying other's arrangements), my order for learning is:

• Listen repeatedly to the song (dozens of times)
• Identify chord progression
• Learn the melody
• Try a number of keys where I can play the melody in at least two ranges (high/low, high/medium low, Normally and an octave up etc)
• Start messing with the style I want to arrange the piece in

If I've written the song I'm arranging, often the key and style are predefined or preselected. But I'll still noodle in other keys and styles to consider those for different sections of the arrangement.

[Mr. Jelly]

I have yet to see someone picking all six strings with five finger. I'm just saying …..

[Pitar]

Cheat is not another word for development. No need to nag your conscience over it.

[TBman]

I started using the "melody" only for original tune development just tonight. If I can I will post something tomorrow.

[Pitar]

From what I'm gathering from this thread, you've eclipsed the need for your eyes and have committed yourself to your ears. This is huge. I think a congratulations is in order.

[teson1]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

• Listen repeatedly to the song (dozens of times)
• Identify chord progression
• Learn the melody
• Try a number of keys where I can play the melody in at least two ranges (high/low, high/medium low, Normally and an octave up etc)
• Start messing with the style I want to arrange the piece in

Hi Larry,
thanks for your interesting view on arranging a song.

Going a little OT, but mind you give a little more detail on the following point:
> Try a number of keys where I can play the melody in at least two ranges (high/low, high/medium low, Normally and an octave up etc)

What does the "ranges high/low, high/medium low, Normally and an octave up etc" refer to ?
Does it relate to playing the melody at two positions within the key ? (and are these positions for the melody not necessarily entire octaves apart ?)
Or does the high/low relate to the relation between base and melody ?
Or other ?

I'd really be interested if you could confirm.
Thanks in advance for any feedback
Gunter