The Best way for learning new tunes.

philjudd

Joined: Dec 05, 2016
Posts: 151
Queensland
Australia

Posted on Jan 16 2017 06:07 AM

Any suggestions on the best way to learn new tunes? How do you do it?

Top

Brian

Joined: Feb 25, 2006
Posts: 19292
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
United States

Posted on Jan 16 2017 10:19 AM

Get song in digital format.
Load song into audio software editor that allows looping and slowing down parts without changing the pitch.
Find a small section of song.
Slow it down to 1/2 speed without changing pitch
Put it on a loop.
Try to figure it out over and over and over again.
Try different fretboard positions
Write this part down once you've got it (tab it out)
Move on to next bit

Do this with headphones or you will drive other people in your house crazy.

This really builds up your ear training. After doing this for a month or two you won't need to rely on tab as much. It does take a lot of time and work though.

—

Site dude - S3 Agent #202
Need help with the site? SG101 FAQ - Send me a private message - Email me

"It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea

Top

Richard

Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 1683
Georgia
United States

Posted on Jan 16 2017 11:55 AM

I've only ever tried learning songs at full speed, which isn't always feasible for some stuff. Brian, what do you use to slow tunes down?

—

The Mystery Men?
El Capitan and The Reluctant Sadists
SSS Agent #31

Top

Number9

Joined: Jul 18, 2009
Posts: 499
5 Download Pins

Posted on Jan 16 2017 12:26 PM

.

Last edited: Mar 01, 2020 11:40:40

Top

Ariel

Joined: Aug 29, 2009
Posts: 1556
Israel
Israel

Posted on Jan 16 2017 12:47 PM

Riffstation is incredible. Demo available.
It includes extensive chord detection and useful band-mute/isolation tools.

I download videos, those solo ones from Madeira's Ivan and Slacktone's Dave are especially useful, and play them at 1/4 speed with VLC. When I stop crying I grab a guitar.

I often do as I did when I was 14yo - play the same damm thing over and over for weeks. Get to know something so intimately, that it is as if you wrote it yourself. Then forget about it, then re-discover it, this time gettin even deeper. And repeat.

Top

SilverFlash

Joined: Jul 14, 2015
Posts: 478
Near Atlanta, GA
United States

Posted on Jan 16 2017 01:02 PM

+1 for Riffstation. You can get a lot of mileage out of the demo version, but I liked it well enough to buy it. The chord detection really helps me to figure out a tune.

—

-Tim
MyYouTubeChannel
My Classic Instrumental Surf Music Timeline
SSS Agent #777

Top

revmike

Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 3805
North Atlantic
Canada

Posted on Jan 16 2017 01:16 PM

Listen to the song many, many times to internalize it before you even pick up an instrument. Be able to sing the melody (out loud or in your head), listen for when the chords/harmony changes, know how many different sections there are, and determine what scale it is similar sounding to (blues, pentatonic, major, minor, byzantine, etc). Listening is a big step than many seem to rush through to get to the tab. Eventually you can even get to the point where you can figure out a song without even touching an instrument.

Rev

—

Canadian Surf

http://www.urbansurfkings.com/

Last edited: Jan 16, 2017 13:17:52

Top

philjudd

Joined: Dec 05, 2016
Posts: 151
Queensland
Australia

Posted on Jan 16 2017 01:44 PM

DreadInBabylon wrote:

Riffstation is incredible. Demo available.
It includes extensive chord detection and useful band-mute/isolation tools.

I download videos, those solo ones from Madeira's Ivan and Slacktone's Dave are especially useful, and play them at 1/4 speed with VLC. When I stop crying I grab a guitar.

I often do as I did when I was 14yo - play the same damm thing over and over for weeks. Get to know something so intimately, that it is as if you wrote it yourself. Then forget about it, then re-discover it, this time gettin even deeper. And repeat.

Hi Dread
Thanks for that info. What is VLC?
Cheers Phil

Top

philjudd

Joined: Dec 05, 2016
Posts: 151
Queensland
Australia

Posted on Jan 16 2017 01:46 PM

Thanks. Great tips and ways of doing it. I have slways worked on up to speed by ear but want to try some new ways. So these are helpful.

Top

Ariel

Joined: Aug 29, 2009
Posts: 1556
Israel
Israel

Posted on Jan 16 2017 01:57 PM

I wrote play, but meant listen (press play)
VLC media player. +- and ↑↓ on your keyboard scale the playrate very accessibly.

Last edited: Jan 16, 2017 14:00:13

Top

philjudd

Joined: Dec 05, 2016
Posts: 151
Queensland
Australia

Posted on Jan 16 2017 02:11 PM

DreadInBabylon wrote:

I wrote play, but meant listen (press play)
VLC media player. +- and ↑↓ on your keyboard scale the playrate very accessibly.

I haven't used anything to slow it down. But must try it. I know jazz friends who learnt by slowing records. But the music slways ended up not in pitch. Not sure how they did it.

Top

el_camello

Joined: Jul 04, 2010
Posts: 369
Ottawa
Canada

Posted on Jan 16 2017 02:14 PM

I use Transcribe! and really like it. Learning the chords first is essential for me.

—

-Pierre
The Obsidians! (Ottawa surf)
The Obsidians debut EP

Top

ArtS

Joined: May 09, 2008
Posts: 1348
Isle of Kent, MD
United States

Posted on Jan 16 2017 02:18 PM

Get one of these. You still have to put the music on a CD, but hey I'm a little tech savvy and a little bit Old School...

—

Surfcat

WAKE UP JIMMY! IT'S CHRISTMASTIME! - NEW SINGLE 2024
CHRISTMAS ON THE BEACH - SINGLE
CHRISTMAS ON THE PIER - EP

NEW - MARCH OF THE DEAD SURFERS (Released Oct 17, 2024) - Agent Octopus
YOUTUBE Video - March of the Dead Surfers NEW

Top

Rondo1

Joined: Apr 01, 2016
Posts: 89
1 Download Pin

Posted on Feb 25 2017 09:02 PM

Old school fellas, play along with the record(or CD)!!! Sheesh!!!----

Top

Badger

Joined: Nov 16, 2013
Posts: 4536
Wisconsin
United States

Posted on Feb 26 2017 05:49 AM

What Brian said above, exactly. That way you're all set when you learn it and rip your new-found knowledge to a backing track in the same software, mix it & be justly proud of the effort.

After the next one, go back & run through the first one again (sometimes this stuff is perishable). Rinse, repeat.

—

Wes
SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel

DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices.

Top

philjudd Joined: Dec 05, 2016 Posts: 151 Queensland	Posted on Jan 16 2017 06:07 AM Any suggestions on the best way to learn new tunes? How do you do it? Top
Brian Joined: Feb 25, 2006 Posts: 19292 Des Moines, Iowa, USA	Posted on Jan 16 2017 10:19 AM Get song in digital format. Load song into audio software editor that allows looping and slowing down parts without changing the pitch. Find a small section of song. Slow it down to 1/2 speed without changing pitch Put it on a loop. Try to figure it out over and over and over again. Try different fretboard positions Write this part down once you've got it (tab it out) Move on to next bit Do this with headphones or you will drive other people in your house crazy. This really builds up your ear training. After doing this for a month or two you won't need to rely on tab as much. It does take a lot of time and work though. — Site dude - S3 Agent #202 Need help with the site? SG101 FAQ - Send me a private message - Email me "It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea Top
Richard Joined: Mar 02, 2006 Posts: 1683 Georgia	Posted on Jan 16 2017 11:55 AM I've only ever tried learning songs at full speed, which isn't always feasible for some stuff. Brian, what do you use to slow tunes down? — The Mystery Men? El Capitan and The Reluctant Sadists SSS Agent #31 Top
Number9 Joined: Jul 18, 2009 Posts: 499	Posted on Jan 16 2017 12:26 PM . Last edited: Mar 01, 2020 11:40:40 Top
Ariel Joined: Aug 29, 2009 Posts: 1556 Israel	Posted on Jan 16 2017 12:47 PM Riffstation is incredible. Demo available. It includes extensive chord detection and useful band-mute/isolation tools. I download videos, those solo ones from Madeira's Ivan and Slacktone's Dave are especially useful, and play them at 1/4 speed with VLC. When I stop crying I grab a guitar. I often do as I did when I was 14yo - play the same damm thing over and over for weeks. Get to know something so intimately, that it is as if you wrote it yourself. Then forget about it, then re-discover it, this time gettin even deeper. And repeat. Top
SilverFlash Joined: Jul 14, 2015 Posts: 478 Near Atlanta, GA	Posted on Jan 16 2017 01:02 PM +1 for Riffstation. You can get a lot of mileage out of the demo version, but I liked it well enough to buy it. The chord detection really helps me to figure out a tune. — -Tim MyYouTubeChannel My Classic Instrumental Surf Music Timeline SSS Agent #777 Top
revmike Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 3805 North Atlantic	Posted on Jan 16 2017 01:16 PM Listen to the song many, many times to internalize it before you even pick up an instrument. Be able to sing the melody (out loud or in your head), listen for when the chords/harmony changes, know how many different sections there are, and determine what scale it is similar sounding to (blues, pentatonic, major, minor, byzantine, etc). Listening is a big step than many seem to rush through to get to the tab. Eventually you can even get to the point where you can figure out a song without even touching an instrument. Rev — Canadian Surf http://www.urbansurfkings.com/ Last edited: Jan 16, 2017 13:17:52 Top
philjudd Joined: Dec 05, 2016 Posts: 151 Queensland	Posted on Jan 16 2017 01:44 PM DreadInBabylon wrote: Riffstation is incredible. Demo available. It includes extensive chord detection and useful band-mute/isolation tools. I download videos, those solo ones from Madeira's Ivan and Slacktone's Dave are especially useful, and play them at 1/4 speed with VLC. When I stop crying I grab a guitar. I often do as I did when I was 14yo - play the same damm thing over and over for weeks. Get to know something so intimately, that it is as if you wrote it yourself. Then forget about it, then re-discover it, this time gettin even deeper. And repeat. Hi Dread Thanks for that info. What is VLC? Cheers Phil Top
philjudd Joined: Dec 05, 2016 Posts: 151 Queensland	Posted on Jan 16 2017 01:46 PM Thanks. Great tips and ways of doing it. I have slways worked on up to speed by ear but want to try some new ways. So these are helpful. Top
Ariel Joined: Aug 29, 2009 Posts: 1556 Israel	Posted on Jan 16 2017 01:57 PM I wrote play, but meant listen (press play) VLC media player. +- and ↑↓ on your keyboard scale the playrate very accessibly. Last edited: Jan 16, 2017 14:00:13 Top
philjudd Joined: Dec 05, 2016 Posts: 151 Queensland	Posted on Jan 16 2017 02:11 PM DreadInBabylon wrote: I wrote play, but meant listen (press play) VLC media player. +- and ↑↓ on your keyboard scale the playrate very accessibly. I haven't used anything to slow it down. But must try it. I know jazz friends who learnt by slowing records. But the music slways ended up not in pitch. Not sure how they did it. Top
el_camello Joined: Jul 04, 2010 Posts: 369 Ottawa	Posted on Jan 16 2017 02:14 PM I use Transcribe! and really like it. Learning the chords first is essential for me. — -Pierre The Obsidians! (Ottawa surf) The Obsidians debut EP Top
ArtS Joined: May 09, 2008 Posts: 1348 Isle of Kent, MD	Posted on Jan 16 2017 02:18 PM Get one of these. You still have to put the music on a CD, but hey I'm a little tech savvy and a little bit Old School... — Surfcat WAKE UP JIMMY! IT'S CHRISTMASTIME! - NEW SINGLE 2024 CHRISTMAS ON THE BEACH - SINGLE CHRISTMAS ON THE PIER - EP NEW - MARCH OF THE DEAD SURFERS (Released Oct 17, 2024) - Agent Octopus YOUTUBE Video - March of the Dead Surfers NEW Top
Rondo1 Joined: Apr 01, 2016 Posts: 89	Posted on Feb 25 2017 09:02 PM Old school fellas, play along with the record(or CD)!!! Sheesh!!!---- Top
Badger Joined: Nov 16, 2013 Posts: 4536 Wisconsin	Posted on Feb 26 2017 05:49 AM What Brian said above, exactly. That way you're all set when you learn it and rip your new-found knowledge to a backing track in the same software, mix it & be justly proud of the effort. After the next one, go back & run through the first one again (sometimes this stuff is perishable). Rinse, repeat. — Wes SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices. Top

SurfGuitar101 Forums » Surf Musician »

The Best way for learning new tunes.