Picking up a song by ear

[GreeneKing]

I'm totally pants at listening to a song and working out the notes being played. I'm a little better at sorting the rhythm but that still leaves room for improvement.

The internet is to blame as I always end up searching for tab or chord charts and working it out from there.

Can anyone who teaches give me some ever so simple song recommendations to practice on. A range from easy to moderate would be good.

I need to resist the temptation to go to 'Bassmasta' and develop some skills.

[rslaing]

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='530893' date='Jul 2 2009, 06:20 PM']I'm totally pants at listening to a song and working out the notes being played. I'm a little better at sorting the rhythm but that still leaves room for improvement.

The internet is to blame as I always end up searching for tab or chord charts and working it out from there.

Can anyone who teaches give me some ever so simple song recommendations to practice on. A range from easy to moderate would be good.

I need to resist the temptation to go to 'Bassmasta' and develop some skills.[/quote]

Pick songs that you really like and have probably heard a zillion times but never played.

Start with playing just the root notes on each chord change.

Once you have that nailed, start to add a few notes "in between" the root notes. Then just develop your own bass line every time you play along to it.

I can't give you any song recommendations unless I know your preferences.

Who/what are our favourite bands/tunes?

[hubrad]

+1 to the above by rslaing..
Soak yourself in the type of music, or band, that you need to learn. If it's blues, listen [u]hard[/u] to blues and nothing else until it's coming out of your pores! Get so that you can recognise the main formats and variations, than all you have to actually learn 'on the hoof' is the bits inbetween. Sounds complicated but really it's about familiarity both with the style(s) and your instrument. The more relaxed you are with both of those bits, the easier it gets.
I usually learn new stuff while I'm driving so rather than worrying about the exact key and fingering I'll get the format of the song into my head. That way, when it comes to the gig, it doesn't matter if the key has changed as I have an idea of where the music goes.
Thereby hangs the theory, at least!

[GreeneKing]

[quote name='rslaing' post='530901' date='Jul 2 2009, 06:26 PM']Who/what are our favourite bands/tunes?[/quote]

Sadly you are talking to the man with possibly the widest taste in music this side of M6 I'm not very keen on some folk or some C&W and don't much care for 'shouting' metal but other than that.....

Maybe some blues, I've an early Fleetwood Mac triple album that I'll work on methinks.

Edited July 2, 2009 by GreeneKing

[beerdragon]

If you have spotify try some Chris Rea, not everyone's cup of tea. but most of his stuff is easy. Stainsby girls for instance.

[dannybuoy]

The song I've had the most fun playing after learning by ear is Dimension by Wolfmother! Give it a go...

[jakenewmanbass]

Sing the bassline.

[jakenewmanbass]

It really is that simple, but here's an elaboration:

I can play songs that I have only heard (never played before) because my ear-finger relationship has over the years become very quick.
I will listen to a song be able to sing the bass line, once it's firm in my head which [i]can[/i] be as few as 2 or 3 listens but usually more, and then I will be able to play it through with maybe one or two adjustments or close listens for the odd awkward note.

And it really boils down to being able to sing the bassline

[4000]

[quote name='jakesbass' post='530951' date='Jul 2 2009, 07:11 PM']Sing the bassline.[/quote]

+1.

For what it's worth, I've never looked at tab or chord charts in my life. Everything by ear for nearly 30 years; I sometimes think if I didn't have such a good ear I might actually knuckle down and work on my theory and reading.

[Faithless]

Use a programme, that lets you to 'hook up' the bassline one or even two octaves - it will be nuts to hear bass then, actually, all, you'll hear, will be the bass, practically..

And, yup, sing it, when you hear it..

[GreeneKing]

Actually thinking back, that's how Richard Bona writes music

Thanks for the advice I'll get stuck in.

[4000]

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='530969' date='Jul 2 2009, 07:23 PM']Actually thinking back, that's how Richard Bona writes music

Thanks for the advice I'll get stuck in.[/quote]

That's how I've always written music too. I hear it all in my head, more or less complete, and then it's just a matter of getting it all out, most of which involves a good deal of singing, although not necessarily a deal of good singing.

[lowdown]

[quote name='jakesbass' post='530951' date='Jul 2 2009, 07:11 PM']Sing the bassline.[/quote]

A massive +1.
I have always thought that this the best approach.
I was given this advice when i was 16, and i took it on board.
I wished i had listened to a lot more advice when i was ' Only Sixteen'

Garry

[Jobiebass]

not sure this is the best method but it mostly works for me,
I play the whole song on the A string, listen for the first note and play each note on the A string till you hit it, I just keep skipping the song back. then the next note you can hear if its higher or lower, so skip down or up till you hit the next note. then when ive got a bit together, I change it from 1 string and move it over all 4 dependent on the pitch. I learnt love with tear us apart by doing it, learnt it on the E+A string couldnt figure out what was wrong, turns uot its played on the D+G string, was correct when I looked at the tabs tho. quite satisfying doing it by ear, but unless its a very simple song, I get on ultimate-guitar.com

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='4000' post='530965' date='Jul 2 2009, 07:20 PM']+1.

For what it's worth, I've never looked at tab or chord charts in my life. Everything by ear for nearly 30 years;[/quote]

+1.

[BigBeefChief]

[quote name='jakesbass' post='530951' date='Jul 2 2009, 07:11 PM']Sing the bassline.[/quote]


Trouble is, I can't sing for sh*t! I'm totally tone deaf. If I tried to play the line I was singing, I'd be so far off it would be unreal! All my learning is totally mechanical.

[JD1]

I spent nearly 25 years using my lugs - and I've not been short of work. Its only during the last 5 or so years of mid life crisis I decided to try and improve my reading and theory. I could have quite easily carried on in that vein and been quite happy, but its nice to have another string to my bow - albeit one thats not as taut yet!

[OldGit]

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='530921' date='Jul 2 2009, 06:40 PM']Sadly you are talking to the man with possibly the widest taste in music this side of M6 I'm not very keen on some folk or some C&W and don't much care for 'shouting' metal but other than that.....

Maybe some blues, I've an early Fleetwood Mac triple album that I'll work on methinks.[/quote]


Need your love so bad ..er the tune, That's not a statement of intent Try that one. And Albert Ross too Should be able to get that one.

Oddly I used to be really good at this and it's getting harder. I think my ears are loosing some subtle discernment between octaves and fiths in busy mixes.

[Balcro]

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='530893' date='Jul 2 2009, 06:20 PM']I'm totally pants at listening to a song and working out the notes being played. I'm a little better at sorting the rhythm but that still leaves room for improvement.

The internet is to blame as I always end up searching for tab or chord charts and working it out from there.

Can anyone who teaches give me some ever so simple song recommendations to practice on. A range from easy to moderate would be good.

I need to resist the temptation to go to 'Bassmasta' and develop some skills.[/quote]


Try Black Limousine by the Stones. When you've done with that, try Sweet Home Alabama. They're both bluesy and not much variation in notes either.

Balcro.

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='jakesbass' post='530964' date='Jul 2 2009, 07:18 PM']I can play songs that I have only heard (never played before) because my ear-finger relationship has over the years become very quick.[/quote]

I got the theme from The Munsters the other day on my first attempt. In front of the band too so I was all "Yeah, y'all know I can play The Munsters".

But stick dots infront of me and I'll pretend I forgot my glasses...

[thunderbird13]

I have the same problem as I hate working out songs by ear, I get board with having to constantly stop and rewind sections ! I was told to work on stuff where the bassline is prominent in the song - anything by Duck Dunn should do the trick. I also tried slowing down the songs in Windows Media Player but TBH this just confuses me

[phil_the_bassist]

I definately agree that the more you do it, the easier it becomes.

I've had to quickfast learn sets for gigs that come with no notation and I'm not allowed music onstage and I find these tips help:

IMMERSE yourself in the songs you need. Have them on in the car, around the house, at work (if you're able) and even so far as to goto sleep listening to them! I find that even if I'm not [i]listening[/i] to the songs, they still worm their way into my brain.

Start making a mental note of when the parts change, so just click your finger, say 'change' or 'now' at the beat where the new part comes in, so you get used to getting to that lyric/drum fill/guitar riff and something [i]happens[/i]

Then sit down with your bass, and one songs at a time just work thru it, as said above, with getting the root notes, then adding the inbetweeny bits. I now like to work songs out in blocks of 5's, so I can kinda half learn some bits of one song, then another, then another etc till I'm back to track one. It makes me remember them more intensely cos I'm having to mentally file away riffs and lyrics together with each other rather than a 3min solid block. It's good for when you stumble, you can restart any song from any point in the song and still be in track.

I also find that if you're learning a shedload of tracks from one songwriter, you start to learn their style and what chords they like to use, so you can start to second guess where they're gonna go next. For my new band, I'm having to learn 32 songs from The Jam: the first 5 took a week, second 5 took 5 days, third 5 took 5 days, the last 10 I managed to do in a straight week, and yesterday I got thru 6 tracks...purely from recognising where Paul Weller 'likes to go next'.

It'll come in time, but it's just like using 4 fingers on your left hand...awkward and painful at first, then getting easier the more your do it, till you don't even have to thing about it

[phil_the_bassist]

[quote name='dannybuoy' post='530943' date='Jul 2 2009, 06:59 PM']The song I've had the most fun playing after learning by ear is Dimension by Wolfmother! Give it a go...[/quote]

Epic Track, BTW...immensly fin to play if only I could find a band to play it with

[bassicinstinct]

Someone on here put me onto the BestPractice software package which is truly superb for learning material.

Slow the track down without affecting the pitch, change the key without affecting the speed, create loops of sections you are struggling with and play them on repeat until you've nailed them - the list goes on.

And it's totally [b]FREE[/b]!!

Get it here:

[url="http://www.softpedia.com/get/Multimedia/Audio/Other-AUDIO-Tools/BestPractice.shtml"]BestPracticeRehearsalTool[/url]

[CHRISDABASS]

Ive always played by ear! i will only find some tab online if i really get stuck on a tricky section of a song!

i dont know how anyone else feels about this but being able to learn music "by ear" makes it easier for you to jam/improvise as you can react to whatever the band is playing around you! you dont have to have someone tell you what chords are being played etc you just "feel it"