Category: Jam Session
I was just wondering how you guys learn new songs on the guitar. Can you read tabs or do you try to learn it by ear? I can sort of read tabs if the songs is easy such as Capitil Lights's "the night of your life is when you'll die". That one I did learn by tabs, but Capitil Lights's "Let the little Lady Talk" I tried by ear, then checked myself with tabs. If you took a look at those tabs, I'm only playing the support guitar part. Also, if you use tabs, what site do you use? I use
Mike.
I used to learn by ear. I could listen to a song, and if the guitarist were using a capo, I could tell where the capo was by the voicing of the chords. With more people using alternate tunigs, I'm not so sure I could do that these days. How do you read guitar tab with a screenreader? I used to use an old reading machine called an Optacon, and I could actually read the tablature.
Lou
I usually try to learn songs by ear. I kind of use tabs as a last resort, especially the ones online, because I've found that they're not necessarily accurate. Otherwise, they can be helpful.
so, for reading tabs with a screen reader, you have to memorize the placement of the numbers, letters, and dashes, as the relate to the lines above and below. Then, as you read each line, you can see where each finger would go. kinda clunky, but it works. Feel free to contact me if you want examples or more clarification.
yeah since i started relying on a screen reader more i haven't learned as much songs since it is truely clunkly to read tabs with a screen reader. And i cant play by ear at all .. I'm Screwed lol
I"ve always played by ear, I can usually hear something right off and know what key it's being played in. If i'm trying to master the rythm part I'll maybe paly along once, if i'm just laying down a lead part, I just do it my way!
If I hear something I can't really tell in what tuning, but if it sounds like something I could do, I'll give it a try. For example, Its not my time by 3 doors down is played in standard but I'm not the best with power chords so I tuned down to drop D and can play it like that.
Yeah i know waht you mean I have my guitars in my own "custom" tunings that let me play power chords and full chords with one or two fingers lol
O good, I'm not the only one who does it.
Yeah it seems i might have been the only one. people pick up my guitar and try to play something and just get so confused at the tuning lol
speaking as someone who has hearing issues, i can't play buy ear, because i'm slightly def in my right ear and can't pick up really high and low frequencies. so i have to learn buy tabs, or get someone to teach me what i'm playing. but tabs are a pain in the ass to read with jaws. too much effort remembering things. lol.
preaching to the choir post 10 lol
I was thinking of putting some sutff I know pretty well up on youtube, see what you guys think of it. I almost have the guitar 2 paart of the crimson by Atreyu down except for the part after the part where he says "Get the spurrs from under my fingernails". I'll probably have to play it at a slower rate in WMP to get it as its a bit fast.
Yeah i need to work on some of my metal stuff again.. get my speed back up to where it used to be.
I've been told I've got my hand in the wrong place when I pick making it so that I pick only in one direction. Wheres the correct place to have you wrist? ON that piece of metal where the strings curve downwards?
hmmm i'm not exactly sure how to answer that question, since i usually play acoustic its easier to explain it that way because there's a big hole where the sound comes from, and your hand should be positioned like right at the center of that. its a little trickier with an electric guitar though because you don't have that point of reference.
well with an eletric guitar you don't have that point of reference but you don't really need it .. the tone of what you are playing changes bassed on where you are picking it so its a matter of what works for that song. I personally do find it more comfortable to rest my hand on the (what i am assuming should be the bridge of the guitar) that metal thing where the strings start to head downwards. but once again it depends on what i am playing but that does work at times for the fast alternate picking stuff. Also you may want to experiment with picks .. I found dunlop sharps (they have a more pointed point hence the name sharp) work better for alternate picking. I have also started usin V-Picks as well. They make a model called the screamer thats probably a good place to start. i think the site is www.v-picks.com and you can also call them for a recommendation.
I use thick picks. The thin ones I do have a few of those, but I really don't use them I find the thick ones work better.
yeah the dunlop sharps and the v-picks are pretty thick .. especially the v-picks.