1 Topic by Strummerboy Bill (edited by Strummerboy Bill 2017-06-12 23:47:06)

  • From: West Georgia
  • Registered: 2006-10-14
  • Posts: 2,557

Topic: When You Look Up The Chords To A Song...

........ and they give you the chords and chorus to just the first couple of verses and then nothing?

I know they expect me to remember what I played in the first verse and chorus, because (as in "Stand By Me") it's the same thing over and over, but I just can't do that - I really am that forgetful. smile

So what I did many years ago was print the whole song out, leaving plenty of spaces to fit the chord names right on top of the word where they change. All the way down the page.

Do any of you have to do that?

I try to help myself by saying the chord names as I change to them: 

"When the G has come, And the Em land is dark.

And the C is the D light we'll G/D."

But  when the verses change, it still leaves me behind. Also, one can't really sing it that way, can one? wink

Bass? No problem! One of the easiest songs on bass I have ever played. And it really gets the crowd up off the chairs, as does the bass run to (Your Love Has Lifted Me) "Higher and Higher", by Jackie Wilson. Take a look, novice bassists.

Any opinions?

Thanks

Bill

Epiphone Les Paul Studio
Fender GDO300 Orchestral - a gift from Amy & Jim
Rogue Beatle Bass
Journal: www.wheretobud.blogspot. com
  • From: Probably Somewhere
  • Registered: 2010-12-09
  • Posts: 2,446

Re: When You Look Up The Chords To A Song...

I generally delete all the in line chords.  I put the changes at the top of the chart by themselves in roman numbers and then put the lyrics together below them.  This allows me to transpose on the fly for nights my voice sucks, which is almost always.

  • From: West Georgia
  • Registered: 2006-10-14
  • Posts: 2,557

Re: When You Look Up The Chords To A Song...

I have bad dreams sometimes that I come out from behind the drums to play bass on "Stand By Me", and the lead guitar says "Stand By Me in C".

Huh? Did he just say "in C"? But I'm just a drummer and only know it in A Major!!!"

Besides learning the Pentatonic scale, is there another way to  fool-proofly figure out the key to a song and  then transfer it to the fretboard?

Epiphone Les Paul Studio
Fender GDO300 Orchestral - a gift from Amy & Jim
Rogue Beatle Bass
Journal: www.wheretobud.blogspot. com
  • From: SC Pa
  • Registered: 2014-03-26
  • Posts: 1,348

Re: When You Look Up The Chords To A Song...

I don't have a problem with the chords being printed for just the first verse and chorus. It forces me to learn the progression. I'll play the first verse and chorus over and over until I don't have to think about it anymore. Then I apply it to the rest of the song.

I know not everyone feels the same way but when I go to learn a song, I want to learn it. I don't want a book (or the electronic equivalent) in front of me all the time.

But hey, that's just my own personal pet peeve and it only applies to me.

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  • From: Scott County, Virginia, U.S.A.
  • Registered: 2008-03-19
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Re: When You Look Up The Chords To A Song...

When a song isn't completly written out with the chords above the words, I'm lost. To learn and remember a song, I'll write it out by hand and place the chords above the words.  My memory isn't the best (thanks to several concussions) and I prefer to have the song on a stand in front of me to play it from begining to end.  I don't play/perform for other people very often, I have but don't particulaly enjoy that. I play for my own pleasure and if someone stops to listen while I'm playing thats OK (I live pretty for away from people so that doesn't happen often).

Live in the "now" - a contentment of the moment - the past is gone - the future doesn't exist - all we ever really have is now and it's always "now".
  • From: The Land Of Song
  • Registered: 2007-12-10
  • Posts: 5,649

Re: When You Look Up The Chords To A Song...

I've always played Stand by me in D major so you'd best stay on the drums when we get together Bill!

Roger Guppy once said he hates it when songs are written out with the chords on first verse and chorus so I've always written them out all the way through! Jim and Amy can get songs chopro'd properly maybe they can help us?

Ask not what Chordie can do for you, but what you can do for Chordie.

Phill Williams's Website

  • From: Probably Somewhere
  • Registered: 2010-12-09
  • Posts: 2,446

Re: When You Look Up The Chords To A Song...

Strummerboy Bill wrote:

I have bad dreams sometimes that I come out from behind the drums to play bass on "Stand By Me", and the lead guitar says "Stand By Me in C".

Huh? Did he just say "in C"? But I'm just a drummer and only know it in A Major!!!"

Besides learning the Pentatonic scale, is there another way to  fool-proofly figure out the key to a song and  then transfer it to the fretboard?

Lots of the time you can look at the very last chord at the end of a song and that's the tonic. (Doesn't always work but a good start!)

If you want to move songs to a new key, consider a capo. I use them a ton.  Actually have an extra. If you want, email me your address and I'll mail it out.

  • From: West Georgia
  • Registered: 2006-10-14
  • Posts: 2,557

Re: When You Look Up The Chords To A Song...

Thanks, BGD, but a capo is one of the few accoutrements I still have. Incidentally, I have returned the pickup for Amy's guitar (Dean Markley), because it was too wide for the soundhole. The model guitar is in my sig line if anyone might have a minute to recommend a better fit.

Thanks as always!

"Opie"

Epiphone Les Paul Studio
Fender GDO300 Orchestral - a gift from Amy & Jim
Rogue Beatle Bass
Journal: www.wheretobud.blogspot. com
  • jgreen
  • jgreen
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  • From: Northern BC (Canada)
  • Registered: 2007-03-05
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Re: When You Look Up The Chords To A Song...

Me too Bill,
One verse of chords ain't half enough for my memory either.

I don't do much on paper so I'll use the Chordie edit function and fill in the rest of the song's chords. 
I often find that some of the original chord changes aren't quite right for me so I "correct" them too while I have the file open. I do this in my song book so I'm pretty sure it doesn't mess things up for other users.

Cheers!
Jim

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Re: When You Look Up The Chords To A Song...

Strummerboy Bill wrote:

I have bad dreams sometimes that I come out from behind the drums to play bass on "Stand By Me", and the lead guitar says "Stand By Me in C".

Huh? Did he just say "in C"? But I'm just a drummer and only know it in A Major!!!"

Besides learning the Pentatonic scale, is there another way to  fool-proofly figure out the key to a song and  then transfer it to the fretboard?

Everything I do on bass is pattern based, and I rarely ever play open notes.  This allows me to transpose immediately and easily.  If you know a song in A and you need to play it in G, with patterns you'd just play exactly the same things you always do except two frets closer to the headstock. If you need it in D, just slide over a string.

As for guitar, yeah. I write in the additional chords, usually in colored ink.  I'm no good at remembering chords and patterns unless I practice, practice, practice and learn, learn, learn.  Even then I still forget sometimes.  Lyrics and chords at the same time is a big cognitive challenge.  When Southpaw adds in harmonica and tambourine with his foot, he does it with seeming ease but it's awful impressive to me.

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
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  • beamer
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Re: When You Look Up The Chords To A Song...

Dont worry bill you are not alone!  I am the same way.  So I take the song, copy it to a word document (any word processing you use is fine) double space it, then I just play it a line at a time and write the changes above the correct space or word in the song.  time consuming ? yes, but I get lost easy! LOL even with my own songs!

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Re: When You Look Up The Chords To A Song...

Ditto to what beamer said smile

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  • From: Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Registered: 2013-01-20
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Re: When You Look Up The Chords To A Song...

It seems I can remember all the chords to a song, or all of the lyrics ... but not at the same time. Unless it's something I've been playing for years, it's very helpful to have lyrics with chord markers over top, just so the aged memory banks don't blow a transistor or something. big_smile

  • From: NY
  • Registered: 2009-08-26
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Re: When You Look Up The Chords To A Song...

I know I'm late to this thread, but I'm with ya Bill!  I print them out and then write all over my page!

Have you considered a K&K pickup?  They require no battery, glue to the inside of the guitar and the plug goes where the endpin is.  It's what I've got on my Martin.  wink

Art and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder.
What constitutes excellent music is in the ears of the listener.

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