Play by Ear the Easy Way in 2 Weeks without Boring Theory mark-z-guitar-... Get my FREE Triad Map here: tinyurl.com/FR... #guitartricks #guitarlesson #easyguitartutorial #easyguitarlesson
Hey Mark. When I was a kid and learning guitar in the 50’s, I used to sit for hours and hours in front of my radiogram with my Hofner Senator acoustic guitar, a pile of tomato sandwiches, and listen to and play along with Duane Eddy, Elvis, The Shadows, Eddie Cochran and all the rest, until the music and the licks sank into my mind and fingers! I never knew the names of the notes or chords. ( nobody did!) I just made them up. I am 80 now, and I still have that old Hofner, and still perform live gigs. On old Kramers these days! In fact, I still play a bunch of those old songs. I was pro for 20 years in the 80’s and 90’s. It just goes to prove that you do not need the bloody internet to learn everything! Your videos are great Mark. Keep them coming! Greetings from la Belle France! 🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷
Wow, thanks for sharing that. Sounds like you and I had a similar experience of learning. I honestly feel a bit sorry for people who learn only through tab/sheet music or "now press your finger here" sorts of things. For me, figuring out how Jimmy Page or Peter Frampton got the sounds they got helped me figure out how the guitar works for myself. And you know, as a professional, that being able to play like yourself in your own way (despite knowing licks and songs of the greats) is what it takes. Plus, it's just so much more fun!
I'm currently trying to learn Ramblin Man and Blue Sky using my ear as much as possible. I'm trying to stay away from the Tab. It's going well so far. It really helps watching the actual group play the song. Then you know if you're in the correct position. Isolated guitar tracks on YT help a lot too. I have a Gold Top Deluxe too. It's routed for full size humbuckers and just got out of the Guitar Hospital for a minor decapitation. I love that guitar!
Good on you! Even better is to avoid watching instead of worrying about "the correct position". You'll find the position that's right for you and that's what will really make the difference. Either way, it's good what you're doing, so congrats!
I’ve always done the opposite, using the low E and A strings to find the bass root note. But can’t wait to try this, thinking it might be a game changer. Thanks Mark!
Cuts through the mix in a different way. Using the low strings is, for me, a different strategy. When I do that, I'm trying to get the chord progression and the key through that. At least that seems to be the usual thing that I do.
Perhaps easy to play a specific song, but learning by ear helps your playing much, much more than looking up tab or a specific video or whatnot. Plus, in a band situation where you're on stage and they call out a number you don't know ... you've just got to play by listening and watching the keyboard or bass. If you need tab or something like that, well, you're sunk. May as well just sit it out. If you had to learn from the record or radio, consider yourself lucky.
Fantastic tip!! Far better than my usual method of going up and down the 6th string and hoping to hit the right key by chance, MZ!! That's been my method for decades!!
Hey Mark....Long ago, you posted a requested song by me for you to play..."You Keep Me Hanging On" by the Supremes....How about some more Motown tunes?
Thanks for the suggestion. I don't really do song lessons on RU-vid long-content video anymore. I do that sort of thing on Instagram and on the member site though. On the other hand, if there's a specific angle you're interested in - playing R&B fills for example, then by all means let me know and also let me know specific songs in which it occurs (or in which a particular sound occurs). It always helps to be as specific as possible. For example, "I really want to know what Reggie Young is doing in Drift Away and how he does it." I can do that video. What I don't do anymore (for various reasons) is "here's how to play exactly what's in Drift Away." Thanks again for the suggestion!
