learning tecniques

cavi
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Thu Oct 28, 2010 1:29 pm

I figured I would start up a thread. How do you aproach learning a song? I personally get into more fights over this with my instructor. I feel I need to first start learning the fingering and note/chord changes before I concentrate on the timing. I find that if I cannot do the note changes semi-fluidly then I cannot concentrate on the timing. So I typically learn the flow, then when I can make consistent changes I then move on to timing issues. This irritates my professor to no end!!!


cavi
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Thu Oct 28, 2010 1:30 pm

I should also note that I tackle a couple of measures to half a page, depending on difficulty at a time..


Chasplaya
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Thu Oct 28, 2010 1:38 pm

I'm like you learn the flow and changes first then timing. All slowly


tovo
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Thu Oct 28, 2010 1:40 pm

cavi wrote:
So I typically learn the flow, then when I can make consistent changes I then move on to timing issues. This irritates my professor to no end!!!
Why does he get irritated? What's wrong with that method? What does he want you to do?


cavi
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Thu Oct 28, 2010 1:46 pm

according to him, "it just works better learning the timing from the get go" , apart from this difference in opinions he is a great instructor. I live up in Northern CA, way north so finding a teacher that actually knows classical music and teaches is tough, most teachers here just want to teach open chords......and country songs.....
My teacher does great with Classical, fingerpicking and is decent with theory and scales. Add TG to that mix and off we go!!


AndyT
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Thu Oct 28, 2010 2:35 pm

Timing should be first.
Do some timing drills to get your timing down solid. Once you have that, you can learn any song and your timing should be fine. You may need a touch of metronome work on each song, but thats a minor thing.
Do the work to get great timing before you tackle songs. It saves soooooo much time and effort.


wammer
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Thu Oct 28, 2010 3:38 pm

Hmmmm....well of course I understand what you mean, if you can't do a chord-change, you have to back up and do it again and again till it's done, but stíll the chord-change hás to be with the right timing, it's short though, maybe two or three beats, cause you're just switching between one chord/fingering and another, but again wíth the right timing! Timing is everything, you better play the wrong note at the right moment than the right note at the wrong moment! :)


schm040
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Thu Oct 28, 2010 6:17 pm


I agree with AndyT. It is the timing that makes the difference for me. I used to marvel at guitar players who could "just make it sound right" without much effort. After taking my time with Neil's instruction, I find myself concentrating on how the song "feels" more than just the notes. And in doing so, I have learned many songs much faster.

I guess for me its the music, not the fingers, that must come first, the fingers will eventually get into place.

Just my observation.

Matt


millponddave
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Thu Oct 28, 2010 7:10 pm

I'm with you cavi. If I don't know where my fingers are supposed to go I can't even think about timing. I first try to get the notes or chords in my head, (then my fingers) then I work on getting the phrasing and timing down, starting out really slow and then trying to get it up to the proper speed.

Dave


Lavallee
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Thu Oct 28, 2010 7:41 pm

I agree with you Cavi as well. I cannot see how a song can be learn any other way than learn the fingering or chord sequence before the rhythm. What kind of rhythm can you have if you cannot remember where to put the fingers. There is a difference in not knowing any fingering (at the beginning of learning a song) and not knowing perfectly but having the rhythm taking over as Vanessa mentioned. There has to be an interpretation misunderstanding in what you teacher means.

Marc


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