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Every once in a while...

sabre79

sabre79

Jul 21, 2010
650
1,030
Apple Valley, California
#1
I believe I have ADHD. I have the symptoms for it. I have read maybe 8 books in my entire life, 1984 and several books by Kurt Vonnegut (only because I could not for the life of me, put them down). I have no practice routine. Every time I try, I stop within 5 minutes. I play along to YouTube videos or MP3's on my computers and that's it. Every once in a while I'll stumble upon a song that I can't put down and only then do I grow musically. Today, I stumbled upon Train - Calling All Angels.

What's strange is that I have no idea what song is going to sing to me. I guess what I'm asking is, what songs do you find so fun to play you can't put them down? I know it's a crap shoot but maybe I'll find one song that will do it for me.

Thanks
 
#2
I think classic R&B hits (Motown, Stax, etc.) are good for this. There are a ton of repeated bass figures there that are fun to jam on but have the key benefit of being immediately recognizable. While some of them can get a little advanced, there is plenty of stuff there that is accessible to all levels but still rewarding.

You can find lists of this stuff anywhere, but I'm thinking about things like "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," "My Girl," "I'll Take You There," Ain't No Mountain High Enough," etc. etc. etc.
 
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#3
Ditto recognizable songs, or progressions. For me it's classic ole time Country, basic I-IV-V7 then back to I will work for thousands of Country songs. Four-line verse with one I-IV-V7 for the first two lines and then repeated for the third and fourth lyric line. Following the chords with root, and or root five seem to do it. Sing the lyrics under your breath with the lead vocalist -- to keep up with where in the song the melody or lyrics are now active. Fake chord sheet music helps. Google can find most songs if you ask for; chords, "name of the song". For example:
Johnny Cash - A Boy Named Sue (Chords). OK now armed with fake chord sheet music see what you can do.

I-IV-V7 and hang on... or lay down a 12-bar blues chord progression for the chords being used as they progress in the lyric story.

I///|IV///|I///|I///|
IV///|IV///|I///|I///|
V7///|I///|IV///V7///| repeat or end on I to close. Then follow the chords as they come up with root on the first beat and then a five on the third beat. Want to swing it? Swing the beat to the 2 and 4 instead of the 1 and 3. Yes jazz will often use this swing beat.

The above structure will play thousands of songs. Good luck and happy trails.
 
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#4
MCS4 said:
I think classic R&B hits (Motown, Stax, etc.) are good for this. There are a ton of repeated bass figures there that are fun to jam on but have the key benefit of being immediately recognizable. While some of them can get a little advanced, there is plenty of stuff there that is accessible to all levels but still rewarding.

You can find lists of this stuff anywhere, but I'm thinking about things like "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," "My Girl," "I'll Take You There," Ain't No Mountain High Enough," etc. etc. etc.
Click to expand...

In YouTube, I've gone through lists of songs like 70's hits or R&B hits. Recently I discovered Baby, I love you by Aretha Franklin. Great song.
 
#5
Malcolm35 said:
Ditto recognizable songs, or progressions. For me it's classic ole time Country, basic I-IV-V7 then back to I will work for thousands of Country songs. Four-line verse with one I-IV-V7 for the first two lines and then repeated for the third and fourth lyric line. Following the chords with root, and or root five seem to do it. Sing the lyrics under your breath with the lead vocalist -- to keep up with where in the song the melody or lyrics are now active. Fake chord sheet music helps. Google can find most songs if you ask for; chords, "name of the song". For example:
Johnny Cash - A Boy Named Sue (Chords). OK now armed with fake chord sheet music see what you can do.

I-IV-V7 and hang on... or lay down a 12-bar blues chord progression for the chords being used as they progress in the lyric story.

I///|IV///|I///|I///|
IV///|IV///|I///|I///|
V7///|I///|IV///V7///| repeat or end on I to close. Then follow the chords as they come up with root on the first beat and then a five on the third beat. Want to swing it? Swing the beat to the 2 and 4 instead of the 1 and 3. Yes jazz will often use this swing beat.



The above structure will play thousands of songs. Good luck and happy trails.
Click to expand...

My music theory knowledge is extremely limited. I know a few notes on the fretboard. I find the roots of a song and go off it from there. I don't really know what the structure is. I don't even really know what key a song is in. I'm not saying I'm terrible. I'm saying I wing the whole thing and play by ear. Just looking for some songs. I have a few I kick around but need some more.
 
#6
sabre79 said:
My music theory knowledge is extremely limited. I know a few notes on the fretboard. I find the roots of a song and go off it from there. I don't really know what the structure is. I don't even really know what key a song is in. I'm not saying I'm terrible. I'm saying I wing the whole thing and play by ear. Just looking for some songs. I have a few I kick around but need some more.
Click to expand...

Armed with fake chord sheet music you will be able to play thousands of songs in no time -- if you have the chord structure. Fake chord gives you this structure. And you know, all the other guys I played with had sheet music on stage to play from. When you turn pro you leave the sheet music at home, till then use fake chord. Now a little theory...

Put the name of the key (yes that is the first thing you will have to master). I asked the keyboard player what key she was going to use and I used that.) Lets assume she said this song is in the key of C major.

fretboard-for-bass-guitar.jpg


Assume an old I-IV-V chord progression. C being the keynote, F being the 4th of C and G being the 5th of C for a progression of C-F-G or I-IV-V (sometime written 1-4-5). You kind of need to think in numbers and letters.

Put the keynote on the A string and if you do that the 4 is up a string and the 5 is down a string - same fret. Take C, now where is the F and G? Like that all over the fretboard. Take G, where is the C and D? That little gem of theory will get you started. Highly recommend fake chord sheet music. Google can find it if you use these search words; chords, name of the song.

I know the guys have told you that fake chord is always wrong. If you get fish eyes from the guys change, there probably is something not right. No fish eyes keep going with what is on the fake chord sheet music. I found it to be "good enough" like with horseshoes and grenades". If it sounds good, it is good. Yes sometime you have to change something to get it to sound good - to you. Take what is on the fake chord, it is probably a lot closer than you would do on your own. If you need to change a chord, change a chord.

HOME ON THE RANGE CHORDS by Misc Traditional @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com

Good luck and happy trails.
 
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#7
I can kind of relate to where you are. You hear a song and can feel where it’s going (the chord progression) but don’t know why or what’s going on. At least that’s the way I’ve experienced it. Everything changed for me when I signed up for $20 a month blues harmonica course with David Barrett. I got better at harp but more importantly learned about song structure.
Now that I’m learning bass that little bit of music theory has helped immensely.
To get started look up Nashville number system - that’s what really started to explain music to me.
And have fun!
 

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