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Learning songs by ear

Youri
Posts: 125
Hey guys, it's probably been a couple of years since I've been on this forum, it's quite nice to be back and find out that the website is still standing strong
Anyway, I figured it's time for me to start learning songs by ear.
I was wondering if anyone had some advice on how to approach this way of learning songs (ear training, tips… Should I start with tabbed songs, figure out the bassline for myself and check afterwards on a good tab to see if I'm correct ? Should I get the chords of the song from a website and start from that ?
Thanks !
I'll post my tabs here if I get good at it
LoudLon [moderator]
Posts: 1938
I learned by ear, just by sitting down, closing my eyes, putting my focus on the song filtering out everything but the bass line. Some songs, the bass is nice and clear, easy to lock onto; others it's a real effort to pick it out. You just gotta put the time in and train your ear.

Certainly tabs could help. Following a tab while listening to the song gets you better at correlating specific notes with specific strings and frets, that kind of thing.
I always learn songs by ear. Certainly tabs can help you, if you want to check your bassline. If it's hard to hear the bassline, I use headphones and manipulate the eq to emphasize the bass. as soon as possible I grab a bass and start playing along, mixing the signal with the original, so I can hear what I'm doing. I really like this way of working. It also allows me to try alternative basslines (like I often do with ZZ Top songs).
IamMark
Posts: 1103
My ear sucks.

I have a hard time zero'ing in on particular notes. So I try to focus more on the key of the song to know what notes work and which ones don't. I probably spend as much time finding the right key as it takes Lon to completely transcribe a song.
LoudLon [moderator]
Posts: 1938
Don't give me too much credit, man. I've spent about an hour on But Anyway by Blues Traveler and am only halfway through the first chorus so far lol At this rate it'll take me a month to finish that damn tab!
IamMark
Posts: 1103
That song's no walk in the park.
Marko1960
Posts: 3143
I'm gonna have to do it for ‘Lady Eleanor’ by Lindisfarne, not one Lindisfarne song on BBT! shame on you!! (Lon, it's based on Poe's, The Fall of the House of Usher), it's an absolute Jem and it's been rolling round my head for weeks
Youri
Posts: 125
Well thanks for the advice guys
LoudLon [moderator]
Posts: 1938
Quote:
I'm gonna have to do it for ‘Lady Eleanor’ by Lindisfarne, not one Lindisfarne song on BBT! shame on you!! (Lon, it's based on Poe's, The Fall of the House of Usher), it's an absolute Jem and it's been rolling round my head for weeks

Sorry I missed this post. I'd never heard of that band but just looked up that song and a couple others of theirs. I dig their pleasant folk sound. Thanks for bringing them to my attention.
Marko1960
Posts: 3143


Sorry I missed this post. I'd never heard of that band but just looked up that song and a couple others of theirs. I dig their pleasant folk sound. Thanks for bringing them to my attention.

No problem
Marko1960
Posts: 3143

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