someotherbruce
Joined: Nov 23, 2017
Posts: 37
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Posted on Feb 17 2019 09:06 AM
Say a guy knows absolutely no surf songs, but has a rudimentary understanding of guitar. Can strum a few chords. Has a guitar and amp and a lazy, rainy day (and willing to practice long term). Where would a guy start? What are the first few songs that are relatively simple to learn, yet give a feel for surf music? And what website or youtube channel is a good place to start?
My son gifted me with a Gretsch Junior Jet with Bigsby and let me borrow his Vox and reverb/delay pedal. I'm thinking - time to try to learn a few classics, but am just not getting it.
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someotherbruce
Joined: Nov 23, 2017
Posts: 37
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Posted on Feb 17 2019 10:00 AM
Hmmm. The search feature for this forum gave me plenty of posts and suggestions. I guess I should search first, then ask questions.
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Samurai
Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2141
Kiev, Ukraine
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Posted on Feb 17 2019 10:10 AM
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PolloGuitar
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 5080
San Francisco
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Posted on Feb 17 2019 11:38 AM
Pipeline
Penetration
Baja
Walk Don't Run
Mr. Moto
Apache
— Buy Speed of Dark @ Bandcamp
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ldk
Joined: Nov 08, 2017
Posts: 356
San Francisco Bay Area
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Posted on Feb 17 2019 11:43 AM
Check the downloads section here for backing tracks. Also, be sure you have a music player that let's you slow a tune down and loop through the tough parts. I like Audacity.
— If I'd stop buying old guitars to fix, I might actually learn to play.
Bringing instruments back to life since 2013.
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Ariel
Joined: Aug 29, 2009
Posts: 1555
Israel
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Posted on Feb 17 2019 12:00 PM
ldk wrote:
I like Audacity.
No need for a full DAW for this. Get VLC, + and - keys control speed without losing pitch. Done.
May I add, all of Jon & The Nightriders' "Surf Beat '80" album. I always get back to it when feeling the need to hit base.
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ArabSpringReverb
Joined: Jul 13, 2012
Posts: 490
San Diego CA
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Posted on Feb 17 2019 12:03 PM
Id take it slow , learn ONE at a time . Since you are starting from scratch pretty much , it will all be new to you and can be confounding . Little pieces at a time , like the rhythm to PIPELINE played on the 6th and 5th strings . See if you can find a 'Play Along With The Ventures' album .
Bruce Lindquist has some great 'Learn Surf Guitar' videos on youtube
good luck
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synchro
Joined: Feb 02, 2008
Posts: 4127
Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.
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Posted on Feb 17 2019 02:02 PM
PolloGuitar wrote:
Pipeline
Penetration
Baja
Walk Don't Run
Mr. Moto
Apache
I like how you think. These are a good core. I’ve never done Baja, however. Since hearing The Lonely Surfer, I only want to play it on a Fender VI and even though I happen to own one, I don’t want to lug it or the amp it requires to a gig.
— The artist formerly known as: Synchro
When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.
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ldk
Joined: Nov 08, 2017
Posts: 356
San Francisco Bay Area
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Posted on Feb 17 2019 02:50 PM
Ariel wrote:
No need for a full DAW for this. Get VLC, + and - keys control speed without losing pitch. Done.
VLC doesn't seem to easily let you loop through a section of a tune.
Audacity is so easy to learn.
Anyway, good to give the OP options.
— If I'd stop buying old guitars to fix, I might actually learn to play.
Bringing instruments back to life since 2013.
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edwardsand
Joined: Jun 29, 2018
Posts: 660
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Posted on Feb 17 2019 07:01 PM
Most of my suggestions have already been posted but I would add "Let's Go" as an easy one to get going.
I taught my daughter Wipe Out as one of the first things to play on guitar beyond chords, and she still will play it occasionally.
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Squid
Joined: Aug 22, 2010
Posts: 1013
Portland, Oregon with Insanitizers
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Posted on Feb 17 2019 09:27 PM
These three songs are simple, high fun, and not yet mentioned:
Rumble
The Cruel Sea
Out of Limits
— Insanitizers! http://www.insanitizers.com
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synchro
Joined: Feb 02, 2008
Posts: 4127
Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.
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Posted on Feb 17 2019 10:55 PM
Squid wrote:
These three songs are simple, high fun, and not yet mentioned:
Rumble
The Cruel Sea
Out of Limits
Mmmmm, Out of Limits! Great tune.
— The artist formerly known as: Synchro
When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.
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Surfing_Sam_61
Joined: Jan 15, 2019
Posts: 1515
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Posted on Feb 18 2019 10:35 AM
Yeah... Walk Don't Run 64 is more surf oriented in style
along with other A minor scale type songs like - Lullaby of The Leaves - Shockwave and Surfrider type songs with the same exact chords and scale (Am). Many people start on C major on keyboard because its all white keys etc. . .but on guitar because of the standard tuning (EADGBE)and being only a 6 string instrument, its better to start on the A minor scale first being so many songs in surf are based use that scale. Some bands made a career out of the A minor scale like The Shadows.
https://jguitar.com/scale?root=A&scale=Aeolian&fret=0&labels=none¬es=sharps
As far as videos - it depends - some are not that good - watch the live Ventures videos first an notice how the lead is played and then firgure it out from the records or CD with a scale print out above - Get a DJ CD player that can slow down CD or USB Flash drive etc - Practice with headphones till your good or people will want to kill you - nothing kills a budding musican faster than have others having to listen to it.
It took me a long while to learn Walk Don't Run 64 the right way - after about 4 years you start to get pretty good - you go through phases with it all - takes about 10 years with regular practice of a few hours a day to be a good guitarist (and even then)You still learn new stuff everyday. It becomes a way of life after a while.
Last edited: Feb 18, 2019 10:38:43
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Samurai
Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2141
Kiev, Ukraine
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Posted on Feb 18 2019 10:40 AM
Squid wrote:
These three songs are simple, high fun, and not yet mentioned:
Rumble
The Cruel Sea
Out of Limits
The Cruel Sea is pretty demanding in chorus part. I am still not sure make it properly)
— Waikiki Makaki surf-rock band from Ukraine
New Single is out!
https://waikikimakaki.bandcamp.com/album/rhino-blues-full-contact-surf-single
Waikiki Makaki
https://linktr.ee/waikikimakaki
Lost Diver
https://lostdiver.bandcamp.com
https://soundcloud.com/vitaly-yakushin
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DannySnyder
Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 11010
Berkeley, CA
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Posted on Feb 18 2019 10:46 AM
Pintor is a great starter that I often suggest to my students. The melody just follows the chord shapes, very simple.
— Danny Snyder
Latest project - Now That's What I Call SURF
_
"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo
I'm back playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta
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Squid
Joined: Aug 22, 2010
Posts: 1013
Portland, Oregon with Insanitizers
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Posted on Feb 18 2019 12:35 PM
Samurai wrote:
The Cruel Sea is pretty demanding in chorus part. I am still not sure make it properly)
It can be as easy (with arpeggios) or as challenging (new improvisation every time) as you desire. A beginner can start easy and grow with it.
"Emma" as recorded by The Sounds (of Finland) is another simple fun song. "Emma" may be the first Rautalanka hit to originate from Finland. It was very popular in Finland but is little known in USA. Oddly, the flip side of "Emma" is the unusually complex "Manchurian Beat."
— Insanitizers! http://www.insanitizers.com
Last edited: Feb 18, 2019 12:43:14
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Samurai
Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2141
Kiev, Ukraine
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Posted on Feb 18 2019 01:30 PM
Squid wrote:
Samurai wrote:
The Cruel Sea is pretty demanding in chorus part. I am still not sure make it properly)
It can be as easy (with arpeggios) or as challenging (new improvisation every time) as you desire. A beginner can start easy and grow with it.
"Emma" as recorded by The Sounds (of Finland) is another simple fun song. "Emma" may be the first Rautalanka hit to originate from Finland. It was very popular in Finland but is little known in USA. Oddly, the flip side of "Emma" is the unusually complex "Manchurian Beat."
I cannot copie Nokie here in many parts, but I am not a really technical guy...
— Waikiki Makaki surf-rock band from Ukraine
New Single is out!
https://waikikimakaki.bandcamp.com/album/rhino-blues-full-contact-surf-single
Waikiki Makaki
https://linktr.ee/waikikimakaki
Lost Diver
https://lostdiver.bandcamp.com
https://soundcloud.com/vitaly-yakushin
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Squid
Joined: Aug 22, 2010
Posts: 1013
Portland, Oregon with Insanitizers
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Posted on Feb 18 2019 09:07 PM
For The Cruel Sea I like the energetic version by The Beat Tornados (of Norway). The chorus has releatively few notes, but it works well.
— Insanitizers! http://www.insanitizers.com
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wavestorm
Joined: Aug 16, 2018
Posts: 16
Maui
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Posted on Feb 18 2019 11:02 PM
My 4 i startered with
Rumble
Surf rider
Surf beat
Apache/peace pipe
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shake_n_stomp
Joined: Jan 09, 2014
Posts: 600
Vancouver BC
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Posted on Feb 19 2019 08:32 AM
Sources: Bruce Lindquist's youtube channel, the SG101 Downloads section, and the couple of tab books out there available online. For me to learn a new song, I need to be inspired. If I am going to tab out a song note for note, I need motivation and the free cycles to do it. For someone diving into surf music, I recommend something with the uber-rhythmic alternate picking such as a Dick Dale tune, and some more melody-based slower tunes such as Surf Rider, Pipeline, Our Favorite Martian, Movin', and Baja.
— Lorne
The Surf Shakers: https://www.facebook.com/TheSurfShakers
Vancouver BC Canada
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