Lyr/Chords Req: How do I learn to play music by ea

Subject: How do I learn to play music by ear?
From: GUEST,Aubrie
Date: 25 Mar 02 - 01:46 PM

I have been playing the guitar for about 2 years now. I have taken lessons and i know what the chords are. What i want to know is how do i learn to hear the differences in the chords since i did not learn to play that way?

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: How do I learn to play music by ea
From: GUEST,jonesey
Date: 25 Mar 02 - 02:03 PM

Hi Aubrie...there's a wealth of books, video/audio tapes, cd's, etc. that can help. They will be available at your local book/music store. The easiest way I've found to learn to play by ear is to take a song with which you're already familiar and transfer the melody/chords to your guitar. Also, find other musicians to play with as they well be helpful. It's not hard once you're in the habit of playing on a consistent basis. Others responding to this thread will help alot with their suggestions as well. Good luck!

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: How do I learn to play music by ea
From: Bobert
Date: 25 Mar 02 - 02:18 PM

And just to take what Jonsy has advised, you can also play along with recorded stuff. Since you allready have your basic chords, just put on a CD of folk or country, and start playing. You will know if you have thew wrong chord as well as knowing when you have the right one. You may amaze yourself on how much you know by ear. Just be sure that you are in tune or the entire process won't work at all. And you'll also find that not everyone records in tune and in those cases you can either tune up or down or go to someone else who does play in tune. Good luck, and keep away from folk like Leo Kottke, Michael Hedges and the like.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: How do I learn to play music b
From: GUEST,Rich_and_Dee
Date: 25 Mar 02 - 03:47 PM

Hi,

Once you know all the basic open position and barre chords, as well as a few inversions, then you can start "noodling".

Just strum the guitar as often as possible. Strum while you're watching tv. Don't even try to work out any given song yet. Just strum and get used to the feel of some chord progressions. For example, just play G - Em - C - D a few times and you'll start hearing songs like "Stand by Me" in it and a host of others. Many times over the years in the course of trying to figure out a song, I'll find myself playing something that sounds familar.

I would steer away from trying to figure out Richard Thompson or Dougie MacLean songs right out of the starting gate. They tune their guitars differently, so the record won't sound like a standard tuning. Start with basic stuff. See if you can work out the intro to "Lola" by the Kinks.

Happy hunting!

Rich

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: How do I learn to play music by ea
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 25 Mar 02 - 04:31 PM

Find some people who are OK to let you to play along with them on tunes, and do it quietly as you're picking it up. It comes remarkably quickly really. You play just a little bit, then when it comes round again you add on a bit more, and so forth.

You could try it with records, but I never could do that till I was a lot better than I had been.