Recommend me some songs to learn
Discussion
I have been playing the guitar for quite a few years now (at least 7, I think) and I have reached the point where I find myself not pushing my boundaries as a player - not stepping out my comfort zone.
I have been this way for quite a few years, and I think it is time that I learned some more challenging stuff. The problem is, most of the music I listen to is fairly straightforward on the guitar, so I would appreciate some recommendations from other PHers to hopefully point me in the right direction.
Now, I would like to think of myself as a fairly decent player, but in reality I am probably pretty mediocre. I can knock out Freebird from start to finish (electric), and I can play most of the live version of Hotel California (acoustic) so hopefully that will give you an idea what sort of ballpark I am in.
I play both the electric and the acoustic, and would like to improve on both. I can follow most songs by ear or with a chord sheet and my improv isn't too bad (well, not straying too far from the known and loved pentatonic scale).
Anyway, I would love a nudge in the right direction! I like most genres of music so fire away.
Cheers
I have been this way for quite a few years, and I think it is time that I learned some more challenging stuff. The problem is, most of the music I listen to is fairly straightforward on the guitar, so I would appreciate some recommendations from other PHers to hopefully point me in the right direction.
Now, I would like to think of myself as a fairly decent player, but in reality I am probably pretty mediocre. I can knock out Freebird from start to finish (electric), and I can play most of the live version of Hotel California (acoustic) so hopefully that will give you an idea what sort of ballpark I am in.
I play both the electric and the acoustic, and would like to improve on both. I can follow most songs by ear or with a chord sheet and my improv isn't too bad (well, not straying too far from the known and loved pentatonic scale).
Anyway, I would love a nudge in the right direction! I like most genres of music so fire away.
Cheers
Start learning the solos of the songs you already know. Then start making up your own solos.
Or alternatively. Find an artist you may not have listened to before who are quite guitar heavy and without looking up any chords or minimal use, learn an album of theirs. Learn some songs with drop tuning. Learn some funky acoustic finger style music.
Or alternatively. Find an artist you may not have listened to before who are quite guitar heavy and without looking up any chords or minimal use, learn an album of theirs. Learn some songs with drop tuning. Learn some funky acoustic finger style music.
Sounds like you are a fair way along; truth be told you are probably a better guitarist than most of the ones in popular bands.
As has been said, get out of your comfort zone. I have friends who do Gypsy Jazz, which is pretty cool, and also classical. Both styles are really rather different from Rock/Folk/Country and will have a pretty steep learning curve.
As has been said, get out of your comfort zone. I have friends who do Gypsy Jazz, which is pretty cool, and also classical. Both styles are really rather different from Rock/Folk/Country and will have a pretty steep learning curve.
Usually recommended in these threads:
Classical Gas - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSOUJbg6TAE
Cavatina - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_8d0DJpbBI
Classical Gas - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSOUJbg6TAE
Cavatina - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_8d0DJpbBI
Yeah, I'd recommend trying out some classical stuff. This was the first piece I learned:
Romanza
Of course, as in all guitar genres, it gets a lot more difficult than that. Even so, I still get lots of pleasure playing the easier sections of stuff like Asturias and it gets your fingers in shape for moving on to other finger-picked stuff like Zep's Bron-Yr-Aur.
Romanza
Of course, as in all guitar genres, it gets a lot more difficult than that. Even so, I still get lots of pleasure playing the easier sections of stuff like Asturias and it gets your fingers in shape for moving on to other finger-picked stuff like Zep's Bron-Yr-Aur.
Jimmy Page for speedy licks. John Squire likes to shift between major & blues scales within a single solo. Mark Knopfler is beautifully melodic. John Frusciante updates Jimi Hendrix licks for the rocky minded. Then there's Jimi Hendrix...
You can pick different players to bolster different aspects of your own style. I never thought you could wring so much out of a chord until I got into John Squire's stuff & lately I've been playing a fair bit of Traveling Wilbury's stuff. Pretty simple but a real masterclass in smoothly done classic rock & roll licks. On that note, Tom Petty's band are no slouches either.
You can pick different players to bolster different aspects of your own style. I never thought you could wring so much out of a chord until I got into John Squire's stuff & lately I've been playing a fair bit of Traveling Wilbury's stuff. Pretty simple but a real masterclass in smoothly done classic rock & roll licks. On that note, Tom Petty's band are no slouches either.
Small update - I have been working on Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits and I think I have most of it covered now. It is a very good song to learn because you use a clean tone, therefore can't do the usual trick of covering mistakes with a little overdrive!
Some great techniques in there, and a bit of a challenge too.
Not quite mustered up the courage to try the classical / jazz stuff yet!
I was thinking of tackling the Thin Lizzy Live and Dangerous album - I know a couple of songs already but the rest of them should provide a bit of a challenge.
My main problem just now is making everything a lot smoother. I can play these fast licks fairly well, but I need to make them "flow" a bit more. Any tips?
Some great techniques in there, and a bit of a challenge too.
Gaspode said:
One neat exercise is to pick a song you already know reasonably well, and re-arrange it by playing the various inversions of all the chords. You can then build your solos by running from one inversion to the next using pentatonics.
I have been trying this on the acoustic on very easy songs, and it works surprisingly well. I am not normally one for learning theory, but with a little patience you can get some really nice stuff out. Not quite mustered up the courage to try the classical / jazz stuff yet!
I was thinking of tackling the Thin Lizzy Live and Dangerous album - I know a couple of songs already but the rest of them should provide a bit of a challenge.
My main problem just now is making everything a lot smoother. I can play these fast licks fairly well, but I need to make them "flow" a bit more. Any tips?
For improving your playing at a grade 3-5 level (electric)
Crazy train Ozzy Rhandy roads, good rythmic sections other, will lots of various lead sections.
The solo isnt too tricky, some tapping and lagato might catch you out if youre a classic rock player mainly.
You might find your better of not learning a full song though, try picking sections of solos youd like to learn, for example taking a Sabbath solo, something not too tricky thats not going to push you 'too' much, then build up to more complex techniques from people you like.
If you know what techniques you want to learn, rather than just widening you ability in general you might be better off just foccussing on that, if your not a metal/hard rock fan for example.
If you really want to push your self (7 years is normally about grade 6,7 or 8 depending on commitment)
Try some tricky 'shred', paul gilbert for alt picking, Jason Becker for sweeps, Vai for some more interesting solos with various etc.
Just play the stuff you like, if youre not into the more technical music then get some rock school grade books and learn some of the set pieces and exercises, also guitar techniques is awsome for this as they do studies on technique style and players style which range in difficulty.
Crazy train Ozzy Rhandy roads, good rythmic sections other, will lots of various lead sections.
The solo isnt too tricky, some tapping and lagato might catch you out if youre a classic rock player mainly.
You might find your better of not learning a full song though, try picking sections of solos youd like to learn, for example taking a Sabbath solo, something not too tricky thats not going to push you 'too' much, then build up to more complex techniques from people you like.
If you know what techniques you want to learn, rather than just widening you ability in general you might be better off just foccussing on that, if your not a metal/hard rock fan for example.
If you really want to push your self (7 years is normally about grade 6,7 or 8 depending on commitment)
Try some tricky 'shred', paul gilbert for alt picking, Jason Becker for sweeps, Vai for some more interesting solos with various etc.
Just play the stuff you like, if youre not into the more technical music then get some rock school grade books and learn some of the set pieces and exercises, also guitar techniques is awsome for this as they do studies on technique style and players style which range in difficulty.
Depends on what you like, surely, if you like it try and play it. (obviosly assuming No Stairway or Pink Floyd.)
If you want something that will stay with you for life and grow with your ability try the old blues, specifically Robert Johnson, there are so many layers to his music you could spend the next 25 years attempting to play one song as he does.
If you want something that will stay with you for life and grow with your ability try the old blues, specifically Robert Johnson, there are so many layers to his music you could spend the next 25 years attempting to play one song as he does.
mattnunn said:
Depends on what you like, surely, if you like it try and play it. (obviosly assuming No Stairway or Pink Floyd.)
If you want something that will stay with you for life and grow with your ability try the old blues, specifically Robert Johnson, there are so many layers to his music you could spend the next 25 years attempting to play one song as he does.
snigger all you like, but I reckon Stairway to Heaven is a really good piece to get your teeth into. Not the trivial little intro that is the bane of guitar shops worldwide, but the main body of the song. It's very amenable to dicking around with/extemporising using the various inversions, try the Am / E6 / C / D sequence starting with the A root up at the 10th fret on the B String. You can build in all sorts of nice little twiddly bits linking up the various sequences.If you want something that will stay with you for life and grow with your ability try the old blues, specifically Robert Johnson, there are so many layers to his music you could spend the next 25 years attempting to play one song as he does.
Gaspode said:
mattnunn said:
Depends on what you like, surely, if you like it try and play it. (obviosly assuming No Stairway or Pink Floyd.)
If you want something that will stay with you for life and grow with your ability try the old blues, specifically Robert Johnson, there are so many layers to his music you could spend the next 25 years attempting to play one song as he does.
snigger all you like, but I reckon Stairway to Heaven is a really good piece to get your teeth into. Not the trivial little intro that is the bane of guitar shops worldwide, but the main body of the song. It's very amenable to dicking around with/extemporising using the various inversions, try the Am / E6 / C / D sequence starting with the A root up at the 10th fret on the B String. You can build in all sorts of nice little twiddly bits linking up the various sequences.If you want something that will stay with you for life and grow with your ability try the old blues, specifically Robert Johnson, there are so many layers to his music you could spend the next 25 years attempting to play one song as he does.
Agreed, it's just a bit cliched, and I genuinly despise Pink Floyd, ironically I used to busk and gig for a year or so when I was at college and "Wish you were here" was probably my best bet of getting a quid in the case.
We used to do don't look back in anger purely on the basis of our busking revenue curve projections per quarter etc.
God that is a tedious song to play.
Edit to add: I've put down the electrics & started going through Classical Gas. Now there's a rewarding song to learn in reach of anyone with a basic knowledge of chords & scales & a bit of patience.
God that is a tedious song to play.
Edit to add: I've put down the electrics & started going through Classical Gas. Now there's a rewarding song to learn in reach of anyone with a basic knowledge of chords & scales & a bit of patience.
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