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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Surf Music General Discussion »

Permalink From whistling to guitar.

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Let's say if i remember an old song, and are able to whistle it accurately. It's harder to play it as accurate on the guitar. Is there any way or technique on improving this? I find this much harder then improvising using scales.

It's a mental thing. When I do what you describe on guitar often times I think too much about it, but if I kind of give up and mindlessly try to pick it out then the melody comes to me.

Now I usually hum the beginning notes in the song and take it step by step. After that i glue it together. I would like to go "directly" with out the small steps.

Perhaps i do like Jake says, i think too much about it. Smile

There are apps and computer programs that will actually chart the notes you're whistling/humming/singing.

Failing that, the best way to figure it out is determine the key, then play around with notes within that key until you get it right.

One method is to try and figure out the melody on a single string, so your hand is moving in either large or small increments in sympathy with your whistling, almost like a theramin movement.

surfaholic wrote:

One method is to try and figure out the melody on a single string, so your hand is moving in either large or small increments in sympathy with your whistling, almost like a theramin movement.

That's a really good advice!
I started playing like that too, it's almost like a piano. Much easier when you take the other 5 stings out of the equation, you have only the linear progression to deal with. You become fluent with recognizing the intervals.
Then I added E-shaped barre chords to that, and called it Punk Big Grin Then I added A-shaped barre chords to that, and called it Rock'n'Roll.

Another thing - play everything, just put on music, and try to match the tune, on one string. Doesn't have to be note for note, first just discover the root (usually the bass line), and listen closely. Ear training can take a long time, it's just music practice, more than guitar practice. When you have your ear honed, you can play any instrument, it's then just a matter of technique.

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