Fakebook Chords

[markerhodes]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Oh, and just for clarity, when I'm "researching" a tune, I'm definitely not just listening to guitar.

Got it.

[Dad3353]

Originally Posted by mrbean

The best advice I ever got from any guitar player fits in with this, learn the plain vanilla changes, then get as fancy as you please...

Good evening, mrbean...
Here, here. Well said, sir. At least for amateur players, that's been (sorry, should that be 'bean'..?) my approach for over 40 years. Not the same if you're animating with a big band, or contracted on a cruise ship, I'm sure, but that's not been (oops, at it again...) my reason for playing. I have a healthy 'garage' approach, and, as a hobby, am not constrained by anything other than my own (admittedly poor...) taste. I quite often start playing in G, with Mickey Baker chords, only to finish up 30 minutes later in D with Joni Mitchell, or Fairport Convention. Mix'n'match, so to speak.
I have tons of Fake Books, but rarely try to learn a whole piece. It takes me ages to sort out the first few bars even. I try, but it's darned slow. Vanilla is fine for me (or vanilla fudge..?)

[hurricanebob]

Originally Posted by Stackabones

Ya know, I kinda miss the old garage band days where we'd sweat it out learning Rush or Led Zep or Grateful Dead -- sometimes note-for-note in Rush tunes, but oftentimes with a looser approach in GD or Allman Bros type tunes. It'd be great to get that vibe again, that garage band vibe, where you work up tunes instead of just reading charts in a restaurant pick-up gig. Ok, maybe not in the hot August garage ...

.

Well. The obvious thing to do is to get another garage band! I am totally serious about this. I'm in one now. We've done some small-scale performing, but mostly, so far, we get together on the weekends and work on stuff, have some wine, and enjoy the joy of making music. It's just about the best thing I do that doesn't involve anything illegal, immoral, or expensive.