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Guitar chord forum - chordie → Acoustic → "Knowing a song"
Hi all,
Just a thought I had....
When do you consider that you "know" how to play a song? Is it when you have memorized just the chord structure and can play it well. Or when you have the lyrics and chord structure down pat? Gimme your thoughts.
I say, when I can sing along. I usually learn the chords first, then if the song sticks with me, I'll learn the solo and try to sing along. If it all comes together I'll play it over and over untill I can play it with no mistakes. Then after I havent played it in a while if I can just pull it outta my hat... Then I'll say I can play that.
I have three ratings for knowing a song. Once I print out a song and can work my way through it in a manner that I consider sufficient (which is not the same as being able to cover it note for note), then I rate it red. Once I can get through it with just glancing at the lyrics or the chord sheet either at the beginning of each verse or just on a passage that troubles me, then I rate it yellow. When I can sit down and play it without the sheet at all, then I rate it green.
- Zurf
Red, yellow, and green. That seems familiar but I can't put my finger on it....:P
I didn't say what I do. I won't move it into my songbook until I can play it without the sheet at all. i don't use Zurf's cool stop light method, but the last requirement is the same. Although I do have a couple songs that I put into the mix even tho I can't play it without glancing at the sheet. Maybe I'll pull those back out and make them pass the test for real this time.
I struggle to completely remember a song (chords and lyrics), so when I can play through with the music in front of me, that's my green 
Furiouscrak, do we dare ask about the origins of that name?
haha - I actually keep forgetting that it's a rather 'unique' name.
It's a boring story really, I needed a unique name to sign into my xbox account, and it's the product of a suggested name from the xbox and a typo of my name (My real name is Craig, and it suggested furiousCraig). That was about 8 years ago, and I am too lazy to think of a new one.
With Chordie being such a great site, I've grown lazy. I play for my own enjoyment and when every song I like is right there in front of me on my computer, I don't need to memorise anything anymore. Of course, if the computer should ever crash...:(
If you can sing and play it without thinking, when someone says 'give us a song', then you know it.
If you can sing and play it without thinking, when someone says 'give us a song', then you know it.
I agree... but being able to think of the song that you know that you can sing and play without thinking... that's another story! LOL!
I agree... but being able to think of the song that you know that you can sing and play without thinking... that's another story! LOL!
Nothing flusters you like being put on the spot!!!
mekidsmom wrote:I agree... but being able to think of the song that you know that you can sing and play without thinking... that's another story! LOL!
Nothing flusters you like being put on the spot!!!
So true.
flester wrote:If you can sing and play it without thinking, when someone says 'give us a song', then you know it.
I agree... but being able to think of the song that you know that you can sing and play without thinking... that's another story! LOL!
Ain't that the truth. I know a few songs, but trying to think of one of them when it's my turn at the campfire always seems a chore. I think I'm going to put together some index cards with titles and maybe a couple of the chords and the first words of each verse. With that, I could probably get by for a little while without my blue folder/crutch.
- Zurf
I admire some of you for being able to remember more than a couple of songs by heart. This is something that I have never allowed myself to do for some reason. Once you are used to constantly look at the music, it makes it really tough to do from memory. I have a real hard time at it. I am content just to bring out the sheets.
I admire some of you for being able to remember more than a couple of songs by heart. This is something that I have never allowed myself to do for some reason. Once you are used to constantly look at the music, it makes it really tough to do from memory. I have a real hard time at it. I am content just to bring out the sheets.
I've got a headlight to use at campfires for that very reason. I keep clothespins in my kit to keep the sheets from blowing away too.
- Zurf
Learn to play the songs you already know the words to, also, write your own. Remembering them is then easy.
mekidsmom wrote:flester wrote:If you can sing and play it without thinking, when someone says 'give us a song', then you know it.
I agree... but being able to think of the song that you know that you can sing and play without thinking... that's another story! LOL!
Ain't that the truth. I know a few songs, but trying to think of one of them when it's my turn at the campfire always seems a chore. I think I'm going to put together some index cards with titles and maybe a couple of the chords and the first words of each verse. With that, I could probably get by for a little while without my blue folder/crutch.
- Zurf
You are allowed to have the Contents page of your Chordie songbook to hand. You may not 'know' (as defined above) all of them but you can hopefully pick ONE from that page. Stick it to the back of your guitar ( easier if you have one of those strange flat-backed non-Ovation guitars). I would grudgingly allow you to have the list on a phone/blackberry/electronic device of some kind.
Eh... I don't know about sticking anything else to my guitar. My poor little Spanish classical guitar's previous owner stuck a Rage Against the Machine sticker on it and I still can't get it clean. 
Haha, but that is a good trick, Flester, I might try it anyway.
Boy aint that the truth ..I know hundreds and someone asked for one and I went blank !!!
flester wrote:If you can sing and play it without thinking, when someone says 'give us a song', then you know it.
I agree... but being able to think of the song that you know that you can sing and play without thinking... that's another story! LOL!
A friend from Nashville says before you get up on a stage you should know the song well enough that if your head was cut off your body would carry on.
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Favorite saying---- An amateur is someone who will practice a song until he gets it right.... a professional is someone who will practice a song until he can't get it wrong.
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You know you have a song pretty well down when it starts to bore you.
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IMHO--- As helpful a tool that they are, you should never use your CHORDIE sheets outside of a practice situation. If you're still using your cheat sheet on Tuesday for song that you plan to play at Friday's open mic.... better find a different song.
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If you keep your attention focused on your sheet music, you are doing your audience a dis-service. If you think you want the sheet within your eyes reach just in case you run into trouble, you are already doomed.
I won't say how long I've been playing but I still struggle finding that certain spot on the sheet. I'm struggling to keep my chords going, my strumming going, and the current words going, and I expect to be able to pick out a specific spot on a sheet of paper filled with words and chords??? I don't think so.
So... that's my 2 cents.
Guitar chord forum - chordie → Acoustic → "Knowing a song"
