01-08-2013, 03:58 PM
|
#1 |
|
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2013
|
Spontaneous playing
I've been wondering a few things recently, I started playing guitar a little while ago, 10-12 weeks I'm not really sure. Basically my father was ill so while staying home from school and caring for him with mum ( I'm only 15 ) I didn't have much to do so I decided to pick up a half decent guitar and amp so I could learn/play for Dad. That's why I got into all this,and dads passed away recently so I have a lot of time to kill and to be honest playing guitars helping a lot at the moment
While playing for dad I quickly found that I had problems playing existing songs and chord progressions but I could learn chords, and put together some of my own with different rhythms. One that I put together has stuck into a piece I play , but the majority of my chord progressions I kinda just make up on the spot and forget. Some stick for a few days but that's all really. Is this normal and something to not worry about? Or should I be writing them down all the time? Also because I'm playing on an electric guitar mainly for chords or picking I often come up with pieces I like but don't write them down because there only 20, 30 seconds long. Do most people just come up with something then let it float around in your head until it develops more? I hope Im making sense and thank you in advance , Simon |
|
|
|
01-08-2013, 04:28 PM
|
#2 |
|
Slapping the bass.
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Finland
|
Yes, it's normal that when you have just started playing, you can't instantly play all the songs. It takes time.
And yes, write down everything you come up with if it sounds good. I have many short ideas that just need to be finished. If you come up with many short parts, you might try if they fit together. I suggest you to learn some theory, it helps your writing (coming up with chord progressions and remembering them is a lot easier when you understand them). And when you understand your instrument better, it's also easier to play the guitar. But I think it's great that you are making your own music. Not everybody who has been playing for such a short time can come up with anything of their own. Most people will just read tabs and play the most famous rock riffs and maybe learn the pentatonic scale to be able to improvise a half-decent solo over their favorite songs.
__________________
My motto: Play what the song needs you to play! Gear: Charvel So Cal (MIJ)  Digitech RP355  MXR Micro Chorus  Laney VC30  Tokai TB48 
Last edited by MaggaraMarine : 01-08-2013 at 04:30 PM. |
|
|
|
|
01-08-2013, 05:05 PM
|
#3 |
|
Contrapunctalist
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: The Netherlands
|
If you can, there's no reason why you shouldn't/record notate little ideas/riffs. Vocaroo is a great way to record something quick for future reference, in my experience.
|
|
|
|
|
01-08-2013, 07:41 PM
|
#4 |
|
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2013
|
Okay thank you , I've managed to turn the piece I kept playing over into a full four minute song now. Got the intro, verse , chorus, a little bridgey bit and a outro. I'm really happy with that and I'm gonna write that down soon once it's practiced and revised over and over. Recorded it and its for Dad anyway so I won't forget it.
I've got a tab book that I've wrote one or two existing songs into in a way I can read properly , if I get another tab book just to jot anything down as ideas would that be okay? Then like I did earlier on e I'm happy with everything for a new song ill just grab some paper jot it all down rough revise it whatever then it can go in the complete song book. So , just book for idea and a book for complete songs. Sorry if I ask stupid questions I don't mean to , I will definitely look into music theory thanks again |
|
|
|
|
01-08-2013, 10:48 PM
|
#5 |
|
Godin's Resident Groupie
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Canberra, Australia
|
Sorry to hear about you dad dude, keep up the good work.
__________________
And no, Guitar Hero will not help. Even on expert. Really. |
|
|
|
|
01-09-2013, 03:16 AM
|
#6 | |
|
Rocksmith
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: San Jose, CA
|
Quote:
Yeah, seconded. Also seconded is the idea of writing everything down. You've already admitted they don't "stick", so it's the only way you'll be able to hang on to the ones you like. I'm personally not very diligent about that, but I have a pretty good memory for such things so it's not terribly necessary.
__________________
Primary Gear: Epiphone Les Paul Standard & Valve Jr. half stack Epiphone Thunderbird IV Bass & Acoustic B10 |
|
|
|
|
|
01-09-2013, 11:23 AM
|
#7 | |
|
Slapping the bass.
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Finland
|
Quote:
Now you have chorus, verse, intro, bridge and outro. Great. But a chorus really isn't a chorus if you don't repeat it. I would try to make an arrangement of those parts (like the basic intro-verse-chorus-verse-chorus-brige-chorus-outro - of course you don't need to use that formula but that's the most basic). Experiment. But that way you can make a minute song last three minutes. It's always good to repeat some parts because that makes the song more catchy.
__________________
My motto: Play what the song needs you to play! Gear: Charvel So Cal (MIJ) Digitech RP355 MXR Micro Chorus Laney VC30 Tokai TB48
|
|
|
|
|
|
01-09-2013, 02:27 PM
|
#8 |
|
Rocksmith
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: San Jose, CA
|
In addition to writing everything in a tab book, you also might want to look into some notation software. Tux Guitar and Power Tab are both free. I personally find it easier to use than jotting stuff down longhand, but I do that also on occasion.
__________________
Primary Gear: Epiphone Les Paul Standard & Valve Jr. half stack Epiphone Thunderbird IV Bass & Acoustic B10 |
|
|
|
|
01-09-2013, 06:29 PM
|
#9 | |
|
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2013
|
Quote:
I've ordered it like this , Intro ( picked ) Verse Chorus Verse Bridge ( picked ) Chorus : played gentle Chorus : played harshly Outro ( picked ) Makes it all pretty much bang on four minutes  |
|
|
|
|
|
01-09-2013, 06:30 PM
|
#10 | |
|
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2013
|
Quote:
Thank you ill definitely be writing everything down |
|
|
|
|
|
01-16-2013, 12:17 PM
|
#11 |
|
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2011
|
I would definitely say that you should write down any riffs that sound cool, especially as a beginner. Nothing is more satisfying than looking back on the riffs of your early years of playing and seeing how you've progressed. And, you never know, you might write a really cool riff.
Condolences to your family, as well. |
|
|
|
|
01-16-2013, 02:13 PM
|
#12 |
|
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2008
|
When I was starting like you, I never wrote anything down. In my 3rd year I took a year off of everything and just played guitar - I played around 12 hours a day. Everyday I wrote something new, and sometimes wrote 3 pieces that day. Next day, brand new shit and the cycle repeated ad infinitum. Every week I experimented with a different tuning too. One hell of an ear training exercise and memory builder came from this experiment.
I attempted to write stuff down but would never be interested in trying it as I was always on to something new. If I did try it I would usually be like wtf? How the hell did I play this cos this sounds like shit. I couldn't notate rhythms because I didn't know how to. So learn this aspect. So I am from the other school of thought where I say you don't have to write it down. Your brain can compartmentalise and its stuck there anyway. Something I made in that 3rd year (close on 17 years ago) I still remember to this day and I give it a whirl every now aand again as I had never finished it. Its a classical piece and its not easy (also not difficult) but the brain kept it. I've never recorded it either - one day I will, just not today. As you are still in the entry level of your musical journey I'll say this: learn as much as you can. Experiment with everything. Never be satisfied with an authors words or explanations, always push yourself to know why it works but do it on your own terms. Once you have figured out it's structure and demystified it, do yourself a favour and listen to its magic again as a whole (something I neglected to do for many years). In a nutshell: write it down or memorise it but always expand the awareness |
|
|
|
 |
«
Previous Thread
|
Next Thread
»
| Thread Tools | Rate This Thread | |
|
|
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:55 AM.