What Is Your Method For Learning Songs?

[jakeyboy1216]

Just curious how everyone approaches learning a new song. I have my method, but I'm wondering if there are other techniques/methods that you find helpful. Here's how I do it:

Step 1: When I'm learning a new song, I typically start by learning the basic song structure - simple chords and melody. I get the chords under my fingers and then learn how to play the melody. If the song has words, I like to learn them too and sing along in my head as I'm playing. (The songs I'm talking about here are American Songbook stuff). I'll also look for a version of the song that I really like and use that as my guide.

Step 2: Once I have all of that down, I look for other chord voicings and different positions on the fretboard to play both the chords and melody. I also work on chord embellishments and substitutions that make the song more interesting to play.

Step 3: Then I try to combine all of it so that I can play each section differently - i.e. if a song has a basic AABA structure, I'll play each A section using different chord voicings and positions. I'll also look for some interesting turnarounds, intros and endings that I can add to what I already have.

All of this, however, can take a while - sometimes a month or more, depending on how much time I have to practice. That's why I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions on how to improve this method. Ideally, I'd like to be able to learn one new song each week, assuming I can practice 1 hour each day.

On the positive side, although it may take me a while to learn a song, once I learn it, it stays with me and allows me to discover all kinds of "hidden gems" within each song.

[mr. beaumont]

I listen to the song first. A lot. Sometimes for a whole day, on and off, before I even pick up my guitar. I really try and get the melody and phrasing in my head. If I can "sing" it, all the better.

Then I learn the melody, then the chords, then I look for how the melody connects to the chords (the dreaded "chord melody")-- even if I won't be playing the song that way (some stuff is just not possible, either), I like to see the relationships.

[pingu]

yeah i listen to the song a few
versions etc

then try to work it out by ear
alone , chords and melody ...
(and chord-melody , i've no problem
with that term myself)

if i can't do it , I'll go to a lead sheet
but i regard that as a bit of a fail

I find the above locks the tune in quite
well ....I believe its the ear work that does
the good work for me

just done 'it could happen to you' like that

[jakeyboy1216]

Thanks guys. When listening to a tune, do you find it helps if the version has a distinct guitar part in it?

For example, say I want to learn "Fly Me To The Moon". There is, of course, the great Frank Sinatra version. The melody I can get but I find it difficult to pick out the chords when there is heavy orchestration.

On the other hand, the version by, say, Diana Krall is a bit easier because even though she has an orchestra in the background, the basic quartet of piano, guitar, bass and drums is still prominent (plus the fact that with Diana Krall you also get to listen to Russ Malone or Anthony Wilson). And Diana typically doesn't stray too far from the basic song.

Do you have a preference?

[christianm77]

@Mark Rhodes - I posted a very similar thread a few weeks back - could we merge them?

[NoReply]

Learning to sing the melody first helps me a lot. Doing that helps with getting away from the paper and working on other aspects of the song.

[jakeyboy1216]

Sorry, I searched for this topic before I posted but got so many links I couldn't figure out what exactly had been posted. Of course, we can merge the 2 conversations.

[targuit]

I like to create home made backing tracks over which I rehearse. I accomplish this by recording them as overdubs in my Korg D1200 digital recorder (now ten years or more old) or by using my Sibelius notation software. With the latter I can print out my transcription of a tune, transpose the key, and use the printed notation lead sheet for recording as a 'safety' backup on the lyrics, verses and chorus structure, etc.

I transpose by ear these days, although I would use a program like Transcribe for uptempo songs if I had one. If sheet music is not in my Hal Leonard Fake book or available somewhere online, I print up a lyric sheet and just analyze the song progression. I enter notes fro the melody and harmony via my Yamaha keyboard synth.

I really don't think about theory or modes or scales much at all. I listen to my "inner jukebox" or my recorded or notated transcriptions. At this point it is mostly about the ears, though I can analyze a song if it were necessary. As regards voicing, I don't memorize them. I play what I intend or would like to hear. The voicings emerge for me at this point relatively freely. Not to say that I don't refine my approach based upon repeated playing. And I don't stick to an ironclad arrangement. In fact I think one of the most interesting way to vary a performance is to change the style, tempo, and other modifications. Like playing a ballad as a bossa nova or the blues degree.

[Binyomin]

Analyze, analyze, analyze. What common mini-progressions are in the overall chord sequence? Is the melody built on repeated phrases? I didn't try to learn the whole Cork/Elliott/Lego system, but it is a very good thing to get some exposure to. Wish there was something equivalent for melodies.

[yaclaus]

I have really started digging doing melody/bass arrangements which helps you learn the melody and you hear the root while doing it and it helps you remember the chord progression as well. This resembles the chord/melody but bass/melody helps me more atm for some odd reason.

[christianm77]

It takes a long time to learn a tune properly.

[destinytot]

My 2 cents. Sing the melody in chromatic solfège (all notes referenced to Do tonic of home key); sing roots in sequence; alternate singing melody and roots, then play same while adding inner voices. Above all, enjoy it.

[wizard3739]

For a song that I that I don't already know, I usually listen to the song a couple of times to get a feel for what the song is trying to represent as a story. After that I look at the progression(s) in the song for my own type of harmonic analysis. Then I play the song using a backing track I put together based on the harmonic analysis. After that, my ear takes over and I can almost always come up with something that will work with my backing track. I don't normally need to use this process for most of the old standards because I am usually familiar with the melody line and the chords fall into place by ear. Since I started trusting my ear a few years ago, the process works pretty well for me now. For chord melodies, I almost always use a fingerstyle and really have to pay close attention the chord voicings I want to use to imply as much of the melody as I need.

wiz (Howie)

P.S. I always hum or sing the lines of the song while I am working on the changes.

[destinytot]

Since I started trusting my ear a few years ago, the process works pretty well for me now.

+1
For me, that and curiosity are what drives experimentation.

[targuit]

I have really started digging doing melody/bass arrangements which helps you learn the melody and you hear the root while doing it and it helps you remember the chord progression as well. This resembles the chord/melody but bass/melody helps me more atm for some odd reason.

I agree with you, Yaclaus. Simply put, the melody has no reference without the root bass note. Putting the two together creates the referential field of harmony for you to add as needed. A melody by itself is naked.

[fasstrack]

I listen to a singer's version first---not a jazz singer, but a 'straight' singer who will render the correct melody, like Doris Day or Jo Stafford. I learn the melody, original composer's changes, and lyric---then sing it to myself. Then I write a lead sheet, not reharmonizing too much. Then I practice it as is. Arrangements/interpretations spring from this later, once I know every nuance of how the song is supposed to go.

I think it's a mistake to learn a tune from Joe jazz player, no matter how good it may be or how much you admire the player. You can end up aping what is that person's version. Lots of misinformation may get passed along that way IMO. Go the extra mile and at least research the composer's intent. Then build on that foundation...