Telecaster Guitar Forum - View Single Post - Memory, Ear...Maybe both...How do you play songs?

bingy · December 26th, 2008, 10:35 AM

What has helped me more than anything is studying Jazz harmony.

Understanding harmonic motion gives you the key to all of popular music.

I started playing folk songs when was about 13...moved to rock...got into bands at about 17...played semi-pro till about 22 when I figured it was about time that I studied.

Began reading every book I could find about modern harmony (mostly jazz guitar books).

Now when learning tunes I can recognize standard chord sequences as I am hearing them. ll V l ... III VI II V... I IV V ...etc.

This makes learning particular tunes very much easier.

December 26th, 2008, 10:35 AM	#3 (permalink)
bingy Tele-Holic Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Champlain Valley,Vermont, USA Posts: 737	Memory, Ear and Knowledge What has helped me more than anything is studying Jazz harmony. Understanding harmonic motion gives you the key to all of popular music. I started playing folk songs when was about 13...moved to rock...got into bands at about 17...played semi-pro till about 22 when I figured it was about time that I studied. Began reading every book I could find about modern harmony (mostly jazz guitar books). Now when learning tunes I can recognize standard chord sequences as I am hearing them. ll V l ... III VI II V... I IV V ...etc. This makes learning particular tunes very much easier.