Chris-Mason
So my question is I am trying to learn some new stuff, mainly finger style as well as some Jazz, using power-tab editor.
What is the best approach, learning section by section or working through the entire piece. I know we are all different, just trying to see what works best for most. Another issue is trying to commit the dam stuff to memory, at 47 the memory banks are not as effective as the were 20 years ago. Another point where can one download pawer tab songs etc. I know that the average person takes 50000 repeats to commit it to the point whereby it is so automatic that you don't even have to think about it (like driving a car with gear changes)
your suggestions on this would be appreciated.
Thanks saddle and nut
Lethe
I tend to work through songs section by section and memorize the chord progressions mainly. I think if you know the song well enough and know the chord progressions its a lot easier to learn than learning a song note per note.
I'm not saying i don't learn the notes, but I rather think of it as whats chords and what style im at and take it from there... And this way I guess you can always make it a bit more 'yours' than if you learn every note the way someone else played it.
evolucian
Perhaps break it into sections like verses and chorus'. Another way is to learn it in sections of chord sequences (like I-IV-V or a series of ii-V-I/i ). Another way is learning the melody - once the melody is down, adding bass movement with either the root/3rd/5th of the chord.
There is always a pattern to these things that just somehow makes it easier. Recognising the chord sequences basically helps you across all the keys so its easier in the end.
Lethe
What he said, but I guess it the type of song also makes a difference.
I guess what also makes a difference is whether the technique applied in the song is already known to you.
Bob-Dubery
47!?!?!?!? You're a young whippersnapper.
Now listen here, laaitie, there is no one approach and you may find different things work at different times. I think if the piece is challenging and you have the tab, then it may be appropriate to split it up into passages INITIALLY and learn them. Or learn the first passage, then play TWO consecutive passages, then three and so on, bringing in a new element each time. You have to move towards playing whole pieces at some point (well that's what us old-timers say).
Sometimes I just figure the piece out in general and then concentrate on the problem areas, the bits that I can't quite nail at first (like the whole song hahahaha!)
And something you & I have talked about before: When you've got 2 or 3 pieces down, or you think you have, bring them to an open mic night. That's a good stress test, and you may find that it helps to sharpen your playing.
Don't get too hung up on the age thing, Kiddo. If that really does seem an issue to you and not just a joke, take a look around and you'll find plenty of old (much older than 47) players who are still writing and learning and performing new material and are generally musical vital. Van Halen just got a new album together and DLR is older than me! ?
Chris-Mason
Thanks for the input everyone and Bob 47 is old. Hands don't work as well as they used to, brain is fried, knees just operated on again (5th time) just joking. Van who???? bloody guitar heros just wont give up will they. Suppose they are having fun.
Saddle and Nut
Keira-WitherKay
Start by just listening ,know the song very well before you even try play a note , i find when it comes to more complex styles like finger style jazz , which is usually incorporating multi part playing on one instrument - bass lines , chords and melody or improv and once you know how the individual pieces theoretically work in general in jazz for example understanding walking bass lines or jazz chord structure or improv over jazz chords , then learning songs become easy , as you will see similarity's . Also try just use the tab for chord structure and melody and try not to learn jazz in a parrot fashion way . And i'm 48 and play finger style solo instrumental jazz for a living and i'm learning new songs often in one day from scratch ? so 47 is definitely not past it , but i still say listen a lot to what you learning and with jazz there's always multiple arrangements by different artists of same song , which helps you get different perspectives of how different the same song can be approached . So forget learning one persons version note for note so take the song learn basic chords and melody then throw the tab away and make it your own.
strataxe
Depending on difficulty of the song or section, from bar by bar, otherwise two to 4 bars. Practice makes perfect.
