Learning songs teaches chord structure, develops your ear,let's you see how a song is put together and it's good for practice.Work on originals! Bring something new to the world. I never understood learning other peoples music. Once you've figured it out there is really no sense of accomplishment. Not from me at least.
You can't start out on originals. You need to learn the fundamentals first. Train your fingers and ears and build certain skill sets. Running through exercises can teach you certain techniques (string skipping, bending, hammer-ons and pull-offs, sliding, tapping, vibrato, etc) but they don't really come together until you spend a lot of time on them, and it's very tedious running through the exercises alone. I get a huge sense of accomplishment from playing along to a cd and being able to replicate the song note for note. Makes me feel like i'm the big shot on stage ripping out awesome riffs and mind blowing solos. Then when I go to write my own stuff my chops are that much better.Work on originals! Bring something new to the world. I never understood learning other peoples music. Sure it'll train the fingers, but I've also noticed it traps people into a certain way of playing/thinking. Cover artists are wary to step out on their own. Plus, once you've figured out said song, is there really a sense of accomplishment?
I had a huge response for this, but ultimately guitar is about fun. If it pleases you to bust out songs to impress people, then more power to you. Writing your own music is better for practice. Chord structure isn't taught by listening. The only thing you hit was that it can help develop the ear.Learning songs teaches chord structure, develops your ear,let's you see how a song is put together and it's good for practice.
I am self taught and play just for fun, it's fun when someone asks, do you know this song, and you can bust it out.
To me that's a bit like saying you want to be an author, but can't be bothered to sit around reading, you'd rather just start writing your own novels. How are you going to write a novel when you aren't familiar with at least some of the literary works out there?I had a huge response for this, but ultimately guitar is about fun. If it pleases you to bust out songs to impress people, then more power to you. Writing your own music is better for practice. Chord structure isn't taught by listening. The only thing you hit was that it can help develop the ear.
Learning songs is good for way more than developing your ear. Learning songs from a wide variety of different artists in different styles reinforces whatever technical ability has been learned in context. If all you're doing is learning Metallica songs to rock out in your room, you're not really accomplishing anything, but taking apart songs, figuring out the chord structures and progressions, and looking learning the techniques/scales/arpeggios/whatever that particular band/artist uses in the song only increases a person's "musical vocabulary." That way when you go to write songs, you've got a big bag 'o ticks to pull from.I had a huge response for this, but ultimately guitar is about fun. If it pleases you to bust out songs to impress people, then more power to you. Writing your own music is better for practice. Chord structure isn't taught by listening. The only thing you hit was that it can help develop the ear.
But he said he's been playing for 3 and a half years. By the time I was at 3 and 1/2 years, I was touring the country in support of our bands original cd. You can be pretty damn good in 3 and a half years. My friend showed me what a power chord looked like and I had a song within two days. I picked up pinch-harmonics, bending, tapping, etc. all along the way. I'm no virtuoso, just learned different than the way you're supposed to learn...?You can't start out on originals. You need to learn the fundamentals first. Train your fingers and ears and build certain skill sets. Running through exercises can teach you certain techniques (string skipping, bending, hammer-ons and pull-offs, sliding, tapping, vibrato, etc) but they don't really come together until you spend a lot of time on them, and it's very tedious running through the exercises alone. I get a huge sense of accomplishment from playing along to a cd and being able to replicate the song note for note. Makes me feel like i'm the big shot on stage ripping out awesome riffs and mind blowing solos. Then when I go to write my own stuff my chops are that much better.
Do you know anybody that is unfamiliar with music? I'd say it's more like reading a bunch of books on a subject you dislike and then writing your own book about something you do like, only making it the way YOU want it.To me that's a bit like saying you want to be an author, but can't be bothered to sit around reading, you'd rather just start writing your own novels. How are you going to write a novel when you aren't familiar with at least some of the literary works out there?
Believe it or not, some people are musically inclined and some people are mechanically inclined. Some people need more practice then others, we all aren't learning to go on tour, just have fun. I learned to read tabs, cause I can't read music, thru doing this, I learn how to make different chords and play them in a way that is comfortable to me.But he said he's been playing for 3 and a half years. By the time I was at 3 and 1/2 years, I was touring the country in support of our bands original cd. You can be pretty damn good in 3 and a half years. My friend showed me what a power chord looked like and I had a song within two days. I picked up pinch-harmonics, bending, tapping, etc. all along the way. I'm no virtuoso, just learned different than the way you're supposed to learn...?
Do you know anybody that is unfamiliar with music? I'd say it's more like reading a bunch of books on a subject you dislike and then writing your own book about something you do like, only making it the way YOU want it.
You know, you're absolutlely right. I was moody earlier but while I was smoking I thought, "We all play guitar for the fun of it. Period." Seeing that we all have that in common, I'd like to know what you all are playing through? I've downgraded considerably over the past couple years, but still have enough to gig with and mess around with whenever I'm bored.Believe it or not, some people are musically inclined and some people are mechanically inclined. Some people need more practice then others, we all aren't learning to go on tour, just have fun. I learned to read tabs, cause I can't read music, thru doing this, I learn how to make different chords and play them in a way that is comfortable to me.
And your song probably sounded like it was written by someone playing power chords for two days. Song writing ability =/= guitar ability. I'm not trying to be a jerk because applying what you've learned to original music at every stage is an important part of learning composition on guitar.But he said he's been playing for 3 and a half years. By the time I was at 3 and 1/2 years, I was touring the country in support of our bands original cd. You can be pretty damn good in 3 and a half years. My friend showed me what a power chord looked like and I had a song within two days. I picked up pinch-harmonics, bending, tapping, etc. all along the way. I'm no virtuoso, just learned different than the way you're supposed to learn...?
This sounds like an argument for learning songs. This is why I've been trying to learn country songs on guitar. I don't regularly listen to country music or plan on playing it out, but I like the style of playing and want to incorporate some of those techniques into my style of music. Practicing them in the context of songs will only further my understanding of how they can be applied.Do you know anybody that is unfamiliar with music? I'd say it's more like reading a bunch of books on a subject you dislike and then writing your own book about something you do like, only making it the way YOU want it.
nice collection, I have an epiphone acoustic/electric, and old fender power chorus amp and a couple cheap electrics.You know, you're absolutlely right. I was moody earlier but while I was smoking I thought, "We all play guitar for the fun of it. Period." Seeing that we all have that in common, I'd like to know what you all are playing through? I've downgraded considerably over the past couple years, but still have enough to gig with and mess around with whenever I'm bored.
Fender Bassman 1976
Emperor custom cab w/ Celestion G12 Greenbacks
Rickenbacker Dakota
and a couple of pedalboards full of pedals. haha
Ignore my tirade. Nice rig. I love a Bassman with a nice OD in front of it.You know, you're absolutlely right. I was moody earlier but while I was smoking I thought, "We all play guitar for the fun of it. Period." Seeing that we all have that in common, I'd like to know what you all are playing through? I've downgraded considerably over the past couple years, but still have enough to gig with and mess around with whenever I'm bored.
Fender Bassman 1976
Emperor custom cab w/ Celestion G12 Greenbacks
Rickenbacker Dakota
and a couple of pedalboards full of pedals. haha
aren't most good songs only 3 power chords anyways?,lolAnd your song probably sounded like it was written by someone playing power chords for two days.