Question
#26
I have been trying to learn a new song. I know what the chords
are, but I just can't hear the guitar part clear enough to pick
out the strum patterns. Do you have any suggestions?
Answer
When you are listening to a song, it is a matter of focusing
your attention on one instrument. Before you starting playing
guitar, you would most likely listen to a song like this. If there
was an intro, you would focus your attention on the instruments.
But once the vocals start, 99% of people focus their attention
on the singer. The music becomes secondary...in the background.
Now that you are playing guitar, you need to hear that background
more clearly. But your brain is used to thinking of it as secondary
to the vocal.
Here is a good way to think of it. You know how when you are
at a party, you may be standing with a group of people that is
having a conversation. There are also other groups of people in
the room carrying on conversations as well. With some concentration,
you can block out the different conversations and focus your attention
on one. It may not be the loudest one (the one you are standing
next to)...it may be the one all the way across the room that
you are trying to eves drop on.
The same applies to listening to music. The guitar part in a
song may be like the conversation all the way across the room,
you just need to try and focus your attention on it.
Here is an exercise. Listen to a song and only focus your attention
on the drums. Why the drums...I'm a guitar player? First, drums
can give you rhythmic cues that can help you figure out the strums
etc.. Sometimes you can hear part of the guitar part clearly,
but not all of it. You have to kind of fill in the missing pieces.
Just like you may miss a few words here and there in the conversation
across the room. But your brain can fill in the pieces to still
know what they are saying. The second reason for focusing your
attention on the drums is that you can usually always hear them.
They are never hiding like guitar parts sometimes do.
I guarantee that the first time you do this you will be listening
to the drums...then the next thing you know you are listening
to the vocals again, and you will not know why. Kind of the same
idea as meditation. Try to sit and just think "ooohhmm"....1
minute later you are thinking about what you want for lunch, and
forgot all about "ooohhmm". You just have to concentrate.
And it will become easier the more you work at it.
Of course after focusing your attention on the drums, focus on other instruments....including that guitar part you are trying to play.
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