Ed’s Learn a Song a month challenge

EdB999

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Well I’m currently emerging out of a bit of a guitar hiatus. Something I've come to realise is that after the first couple years of learning my playing has become very stagnant - mainly because I have a terrible habit of just learning intros, riffs and just noodling around rather than making any meaningful progression in technique, knowledge or repertoire. Obviously this is a little disappointing, if I’d been a bit more structured and focused I could be really quite good by now - but hey, I’ve only got myself to blame.

So going forward, on top of setting myself up a proper practice routine for technique/scales/improvisation etc. I’ve decided to concentrate on learning one song a month, well, that I can play completely from start to finish. Even if I only get 12 tracks down to a reasonable level this year that’ll be an improvement over last year!

I’m going to be recording myself at the end of each month so I can look out for any mistakes and areas that need improvement, as well as giving me a record to look back on.

Since I’ll be recording my attempts anyway I thought I’d start a thread here for any who would like to join in, whether it’s a simplified/note-for-note or an embellished/improvised version. I appreciate that everyone has a different taste in music and won’t necessarily want to put the effort into learning a song they don’t like (probably why the last real song died out quickly), but feel free to join in if and when there’s a track you like …. or you just have a good laugh at my feeble attempts.

So other than getting my apologies in a month in advance for inflicting my playing on everyone, I’ll be kicking off with:

August 2017 : Red Hot Chilli Peppers – Under the Bridge
 
Great idea. I know exactly where you're coming from as I have all the same issues.

Will try and find some time to give this a go, no promises, but I'll see what i can do, although learning a song all the way through in just a month might be beyond me :)
 
Great idea. I know exactly where you're coming from as I have all the same issues.

Will try and find some time to give this a go, no promises, but I'll see what i can do, although learning a song all the way through in just a month might be beyond me :)

I've learnt 30 in 2 years!
 
I've learnt 30 in 2 years!
Similar for me too...however I've also already forgotten most of them. :blush:

Good luck to Ed though; I'll try to join in another month when I have more free time, but best of luck with this one. :smashin:
 
Nice one keep it up Ed! :thumbsup:

Sure I'll have a go, but wishing you had chosen an easy one. Barre chords and finger picking are not my strong point...:D

Marty has a good lesson on the intro. Justin also but wow he looks so young (2008) and hand written tab in the comments.
Wayback Machine

Must have been before the Justin did the song books and the vid is in super low quality, makes you realise how much Youtube has come on.
 
I'm the same can play lots of bits and intros, but not much all way through, nearly there on some.

But I'd be lucky to finish a song in several months never mind a month.
Think I'm starting to learn songs a little faster now that my technical abilities are coming on.

Still on with Pink Floyd shine on.
This is full of bends, pull offs, tone and a half bends, unison bends. So is helping me cover alot of techniques.

Really enjoying it, got the 1st 2 parts down, ( well I know where the notes are ).

Under the bridge is definitely on my to learn wish, but not sure I'll get the time atm.
 
It's actually one song that I have learned to a fashion. Although it's supposed to be cappo'd IIRC but I start it open. Not sure what key that puts it in.
Verse D,A,Bm,F#m,G, - A7 IIRC.
 
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Frusciante plays the intro using a c shape Barre chord with route note on the 5th string 5th fret so it is a d chord I believe
 
Well despite even the lack of passing tumbleweeds I haven’t forgotten about this :D but a promotion (and still covering my old job), 2 weeks touring Spain on the motorbike and a short break with the misses meant the guitar got pushed to the back burner again. Still managed to pick it up for a few minutes here and there though.


Once I’d learnt most of the tab I start trying playing along with the original using a slowdown app, but was having difficulty keeping in time as it was difficult hearing the guitar clearly on the original track over the vocals and the rest of the band. So I signed up to ultimate guitar tab pro (like an online version of guitarpro). The tracks do sound very digital, not that it really matters when your just learning a song but at least it’s easy to isolate the bits you want.

Anyway I will endeavour to get something recorded over the weekend, if I remember correctly that might be a mission in itself with the software that came bundled with my THR :eek:
 
Are you finding it any good as it struck me as a bit of a waste of money as you can download the tabs for free anyway and use Tuxguitar which is freeware?

I bought Guitar pro on version 5 and I've updated to 6 and 7 as it's only 20 quid or something. The full price has gone up to €75 now but it's a great app and you can download a 65k tabs easy enough. The sound banks are much improved in version 7 so it sounds less digital although the underlying software hasn't much changed since version 4. They also do official tabs but I've never tried, guess they would be less hit and miss.

Finding ultimate guitar very pushy now wanting you to subscribe. Have a feeling they want to go to a subscribe only model which would be a shame.
 
I bought a lifetime sub to Ultimate Guitar Pro when it was on offer, only cost me about a fiver or something.

Actually, it cost me a tenner as I bought it on my iPhone but that doesn’t cover the iPad version as well, cheeky gits :)
 
So far so good, but only really used it for the rhcp song so far. Had a play with tux and a trail version of guitar pro a couple years ago, pretty similar experience. Maybe tab pro has a little nicer interface if I remember correctly.
easy to use through the web browser and is the multi device compatible, don’t know if it’s changed since goooner subscribed but my subscription covers the browser, as well as iPad and android apps......
I know what you mean, basically paying a subscription to access user submitted tabs - but it’s still cheaper than Guitar pro and with out the hassle of install/ update, midi drivers etc
 
I like it because I’ve always got access to tab either on my phone or iPad, I don’t have to be near my computer. They’ve got the Tonebridge thing now too, that’s supposed to give you some sort of authentic tone for the song. Not really tried that though.
 
UGP is certainly handy. The app updates often but I wish it would do so without being notified each time.
 

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