The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > PLAY and Write

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #16  
Old 01-04-2019, 12:42 PM
Gitfiddlemann Gitfiddlemann is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,368
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Growler View Post
Now, let's listen to the old fogies tell us about wearing out 45s and LPs on their record players doing this back in the good oi' days.
Ouch...
That's how I learned. It's not like we had too many options, but it was at least a good ear developer.
You young'ens, you don't know how good you have it, especially just starting off.
Just wait 30 years from now when you're reading posts in the AGF forum that say:
"Can't wait for the ole' geezers to chime in about back in the day when they were watching YouTube and listening to MP3's!"
__________________
Best regards,
Andre

Golf is pretty simple. It's just not that easy.
- Paul Azinger

"It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so."
– Mark Twain

http://www.youtube.com/user/Gitfiddlemann
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 01-04-2019, 04:00 PM
Riverwolf Riverwolf is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: OREGON
Posts: 4,277
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by brianmay View Post
Not for me. I have song in my head and generally have a go at working it out - interspersed with stuff I know. Eventually it's there and I've enjoyed the journey.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BobbyMocha View Post
If I have a song that I want to learn/play along with, I immediately find the chord sheets for it online and print those out. Then, find a decent tutorial (or two) on YouTube to work out the tough parts.
Kinda like these answers.
If I play a song for someone they will know what song it is. It will be that close.
But no closer, because it is MY COVER of the song.
I never try to sound note for note like anybody.
I recently started attending an acoustical jam.
Only then did I notice that I play most everything slower than the original.
But that is the way I like it. IT IS my cover.
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 01-04-2019, 04:14 PM
Dino Silone Dino Silone is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Northern New Jersey, NYC Metro Area
Posts: 203
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Silly Moustache View Post
Hi, I am certainly one of those old fogies that used to struggle with putting needles on records !

Then running the cassette tape back and forth and writing down the words as best I could hear them.

The music I was listening to were mostly blues and bluegrass and the chord progressions were rarely challenging, but the words were the challenge for me.

Things are "currently" different, as if I hears a song that haunts me, I simply google for the lyrics and/or chords (if I can't immediately hear the progression)

Then cut and paste the info onto a word document.

Test it, and (often) correct it)

Then format it in 14 point and position the chords over the lyrics in the way that I choose to do it.

I'll then practice it at home - amend the key as necessary, sometimes change the lyrics to suit myself, and note the intro, solo points and outro, and print out three copies - one for me and one for the chaps in the trio.

Then we'll work it out, and change /adjust as necessary.

A song must be able to be written and read on only one page
I do almost exactly the same thing, including the single page and 14-point type! I often don’t include the chords, just the lyrics, if the song is either a standard chord pattern or one I’ve heard all my life. I do note the key I like to play it in, and sometimes the fingering (like key of D, C-fingering, capo 2nd fret), or something like that. I’ve always been the “master of the first verse”, and have been trying to work on learning entire songs, which is why the focus on lyrics.

YouTube has been the real game-changer (including your stuff - thanks from a happy subscriber!). Not only all the free lessons (which are of varying worth), but the playback speed control feature they added. Now I can watch someone’s fingers at 50% or even 25% playback speed, which makes it really easy to learn new stuff.

In a way, this has been a mixed blessing. Back when we were young (we’re almost the same vintage), the thing most of us aimed at was getting the general idea. And, if you listen to Dave Van Ronk (just to pick a name) playing a Mississippi John Hurt song, you notice that he’s not doing it note-for-note. (Which would actually be a trick, since I don’t think Mississippi John Hurt ever did songs note for note the same twice...)

Now, everybody seems to be obsessed with producing exact copies, and people don’t seem to like to use their ears anymore. I never saw so much tab around before, and I’m always surprised when somebody produces a YouTube video of a standard 12-bar blues song, with pretty standard blues licks over the chords, and a dozen people ask for tabs. (I personally never liked tab - I mostly learn by a 90/10 combination of listening/watching.)

Anyway, sorry for the rant. It was just funny to see that someone else uses the same exact system.
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 01-04-2019, 04:22 PM
Mandobart Mandobart is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Washington State
Posts: 5,424
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Riverwolf View Post
.....I recently started attending an acoustical jam.
Only then did I notice that I play most everything slower than the original.
But that is the way I like it. IT IS my cover.
Yep, if you want to hear note-for-note fidelity, better go get the studio album, 'cuz in most cases the original artist won't even repeat the song note-for-note. In my case, due mostly to my bluegrass background and not so great vocal delivery, I cover most tunes faster than the original.

A couple summers ago I was camping with some friends who are old folkies who can play and sing well. One of them wanted to play "Teach Your Children" which we did a passable version of. A non- musician in the bunch said "no, it didn't sound the same." I couldn't help my response to her "well let's see, none of us are David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash or Neil Young; Jerry Garcia is permanently unable to play steel with us, I'm picking mandolin instead of guitar, but yeah other than that I couldn't hear any difference."
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 01-04-2019, 05:16 PM
TBman's Avatar
TBman TBman is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 35,829
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mandobart View Post

A couple summers ago I was camping with some friends who are old folkies who can play and sing well. One of them wanted to play "Teach Your Children" which we did a passable version of. A non- musician in the bunch said "no, it didn't sound the same." I couldn't help my response to her "well let's see, none of us are David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash or Neil Young; Jerry Garcia is permanently unable to play steel with us, I'm picking mandolin instead of guitar, but yeah other than that I couldn't hear any difference."
Non-players expects that everyone that plays is a radio/cd and if they don't reproduce the original exactly they aren't any good. I have heard this comment from many non-players as we watched a cover band play. Oh, and if you don't play anything they know, you aren't any good then either.

2 reasons why I didn't bother playing out when I was younger.
__________________
Barry

Sad Moments {Marianne Vedral cover}:


My SoundCloud page

Some steel strings, some nylon.
Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old 01-04-2019, 05:44 PM
Dino Silone Dino Silone is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Northern New Jersey, NYC Metro Area
Posts: 203
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by TBman View Post
Non-players expects that everyone that plays is a radio/cd and if they don't reproduce the original exactly they aren't any good. I have heard this comment from many non-players as we watched a cover band play. Oh, and if you don't play anything they know, you aren't any good then either.

2 reasons why I didn't bother playing out when I was younger.
I played with one trumpet player who made the argument, “You can’t go wrong by playing a top-40 tune exactly note-for-note. You know people will like it, because they already did...”

We didn’t see eye-to-eye. I’ve also heard (and still hear) your last sentence a lot. I played out for a good 30 years, then stopped. It wasn’t because of this, though. But the worst comment I ever heard was while I was working as a bass player in a straight-ahead band that played standards and worked cocktail hours, dinners, parties, ... After one job, a guy came up to us and said, “You guys were great — Not too loud!”. Sigh.
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 01-04-2019, 06:18 PM
Silly Moustache Silly Moustache is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: The Isle of Albion
Posts: 22,067
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mandobart View Post
This is me exactly, except I'm still able to read Arial 11 point font and I just print one copy. I practice from the sheet until I've memorized the words - I never bring my binders of songs out for a performance.
You must be one of them younger fellahs! Still got both eyesight and memory!

I used to be able to memorise lyrics, but no longer.

Also, my trio and I have an pretty horrendously large repertoire.

My cheat sheets also have notes about arrangements so we know who does what and when.

I use a music stand but have it lower than my guitar so it doesn't come between me and the audience and I tend to just glance down at it as and when necessary, rather than reading everything.

Thankfully muscle memory still ensures he progressions.

Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
__________________
Silly Moustache,
Just an old Limey acoustic guitarist, Dobrolist, mandolier and singer.
I'm here to try to help and advise and I offer one to one lessons/meetings/mentoring via Zoom!
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 01-04-2019, 08:42 PM
The Growler The Growler is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 8,150
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by AndreF View Post
Ouch...
That's how I learned. It's not like we had too many options, but it was at least a good ear developer.
You young'ens, you don't know how good you have it, especially just starting off.
Just wait 30 years from now when you're reading posts in the AGF forum that say:
"Can't wait for the ole' geezers to chime in about back in the day when they were watching YouTube and listening to MP3's!"
Absolutely improves your ear if you have to figure it out and that was the only way for many.

And yes, some smart mouth kid will say "what's an MP3?". . Meanwhile people will still be cherishing vinyl.

All in jest, of course.
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 01-29-2019, 11:51 PM
Willitaylor Willitaylor is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: SW. Florida
Posts: 23
Default

Thanks for all your input. I’ve found that playing along with the tune your trying to learn really helps my playing. I’ve also been experimenting with backing tracks with some very good results and others not so much. I especially like the backing tracks for learning to sing a particular song. At sixty years old all of this provides me with excellent brain exercise. This is a great site with some fantastic fellowship in this wonderful way we have chosen to express ourselves!
Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 01-30-2019, 05:56 AM
dkstott dkstott is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Middletown, Connecticut
Posts: 1,368
Default

I only play along with the tune once I've gotten it to the point that I can play it fairly well..

Prior to that, when not working on playing it; I'll have the tune playing loudly in the house via speakers to embed the tempo and feel into my senses.

Dave
__________________
2003 Froggy Bottom H-12 Deluxe
2019 Cordoba C-12 Cedar
2016 Godin acoustic archtop
2011 Godin Jazz model archtop
Reply With Quote
  #26  
Old 01-30-2019, 06:35 AM
Bob Womack's Avatar
Bob Womack Bob Womack is offline
Guitar Gourmet
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Between Clever and Stupid
Posts: 26,989
Default

Q. How do you practice/play alone?
A. I shoo everyone else out of the room.

But seriously, at home I'll listen to the piece on my stereo in the living room and maybe ascertain the key and tuning and any really weird chord positions. I'll aurally commit the guitar part to memory then I go up to my little guitar studio and work it out with a guitar.

I got started in the early '70s dropping the needle on a record over and over and just developed the skill set that allows me to (mostly) work out pop, rock, and folk by ear. Oh, every once and again I'll pull it up on my iPhone in the guitar studio if necessary.

Bob
__________________
"It is said, 'Go not to the elves for counsel for they will say both no and yes.' "
Frodo Baggins to Gildor Inglorion, The Fellowship of the Ring

THE MUSICIAN'S ROOM (my website)
Reply With Quote
  #27  
Old 01-30-2019, 07:17 AM
Caddy Caddy is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: NW Indiana
Posts: 465
Default

I primarily do my own songs and when I did gig it was just me and an acoustic (miced) doing my own material. So I need nothing other than a guitar and my voice. I never have been one to sit down to actually practice, I just play music. In doing so you do improve (hopefully), but I never have thought of it as 'practice'.

I hate playing with any backing tracks, etc., for one thing they are someone else's songs, not your own, and they are also someone else's arrangement that never changes.
Reply With Quote
  #28  
Old 01-30-2019, 10:50 AM
Ghostpicker Ghostpicker is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 386
Default I like the way you think

Quote:
Originally Posted by brianmay View Post
Not for me. I have song in my head and generally have a go at working it out - interspersed with stuff I know. Eventually it's there and I've enjoyed the journey.

I never call it practice because it's a pleasure and I don't do it for any other reason than I want to . . .

It's been like this for the last 55 years I've played (at) guitar.

It's one of Life's pleasures and long may it continue . . .
Well said (brianmay)- sometimes I think we spend too much time obsessing on little things like strings, picks, bridge pins, and a host of other "enhancements" to our guitars and not nearly enough time just enjoying the music and the journey of learning. Picking up and playing a guitar (any guitar) makes the day better, relieves stress, strengthens the old brain and brings joy to the heart. For me, I've tried many learning techniques, some worked some didn't. The important thing is to keep playing and keep searching for the method that works best for you.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > PLAY and Write

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 09:38 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=