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Guitar chord forum - chordie → Chordie's Chat Corner → I feel like I'm not practicing songs enough.
Every time I learn a song it's like I'm only learning the skeleton of it, if you will. I never fully learn the details and then I get bored with it and move on to another song. 
What should I do? How can I keep myself on one song and actually play it without leaving stuff out?
Any tips or advise?
Maybe if you were to record what you play would give you more inspiration.
Well, I think you're on the right track. I, too, am guilty of the same thing.
If you really love a song though you will learn it in it's entirety.
Two songs that I love that I have learned all of them are:
Slowdive - Alison
Mansun - Legacy
Mansun - Six (Love it)
It's all about the love.
=]
Dm
I do the same. I often learn the first portion and never get to the middle or end of the song. We have to do something about that. I usually go back much later and learn the whole song if I really like it.
Decide what you want to do for yourself, then do it. If you want to learn songs well enough to strum them and sing them without all the frills and riffs, and that satisfies you. Then do that. Or perhaps do that while at the same time learning new and different "tricks" (hammer-ons, pull-offs, power chords, neato arpeggios and inversions in recognizable riffs, etc.). If you do that, then you'll be able to pepper those "tricks" into your songs while you play them. And while it may not be the way the recording artist you know did the song, you'll make it your version and that's all right by me.
- Zurf
Every time I learn a song it's like I'm only learning the skeleton of it, if you will. I never fully learn the details and then I get bored with it and move on to another song.
Any tips or advise?
I think it all depends on the sort of person you are. Getting the bare bones of a song and moving on to anothet is ok. I've done it enough myself. Personally it has never interested me to get a song sounding like the original. I've never seen the point unless you perform to audience that expects to hear what they know.
I've only completely learn't songs that I really love so I guess it's down to determination and love of what doing..
ark
I don't see anything wrong with moving on to a different song before you learn another song completely... I struggled with a song that had a lot of barre chords in it... After playing other songs that had a few barre chords I eventually came back to the song and was able to play it much better than I had before... So just to whatever keeps it fun for ya..
I agree with riddler, but if you really want to learn songs in their entirety then have a goal in mind, such as performing them to friends, family or at an open-mic. It's a great feeling performing a whole song, or songs to an audience. If you need to have the words & chords written out in front of you, that's OK too. I never bothered learning complete songs until I started doing open-mics, now I can do at least 30 songs, though usually with a crib sheet! If you do a regular open-mic, it makes you learn new stuff too!
Has anyone ever heard you play? Do you have a friend who also plays or who can sing or play some other instrument?
The post above is right. You will get bored with songs if you don't have a goal or reason for learning them.
Ask yourself the question "why am I actually learning/playing this song?". Honestly. Why? Is it just to amuse yourself? Is it just because it's fun messing about on the guitar?
If you have a problem sticking with a song, the best way to get motivated is to set yourself the task of singing it for someone. Anyone. Anywhere. It doesn't matter.
You can do this by collaborating with some other musician(s) or by singing for a friend or family - or in public.
I must admit that I have always considered music a social thing that is best enjoyed with like minded people. They will act as a catalyst and get you motivated. Unless you are strong willed and/or self motivated, making music on your own can be unproductive
Good luck.
Personally, I'd second the record yourself idea. That's what I do. Once I have it down fairly well I record it via webcam like I'm going to upload to youtube. After about 20-30 takes I have it perfect but usually never upload them... The process really embeds the song in your memory though. Record it, then listen to it, and then record it again until you have it how you want it. After a few hours recording one song I pretty much have it knocked 
I've got probably 200 vids saved on my pc that never got uploaded.
Another thing I do is keep a printed out songbook handy. During the day I practice new stuff that has caught my interest but I keep my binder full of songs beside the bed and every night I spend 2-3 hrs playing all the songs that I have learned in the past to keep them fresh. The ones that I'm currently working out are in the front of the book and they get practice every night! Once I know them really well I'll add them to their proper section in the book (it's arranged alphabetically). It takes me 2-3 days to cycle through the book and then I start it all over again working in more new songs. -Pix
Has anyone ever heard you play? Do you have a friend who also plays or who can sing or play some other instrument?
The post above is right. You will get bored with songs if you don't have a goal or reason for learning them.
Ask yourself the question "why am I actually learning/playing this song?". Honestly. Why? Is it just to amuse yourself? Is it just because it's fun messing about on the guitar?
If you have a problem sticking with a song, the best way to get motivated is to set yourself the task of singing it for someone. Anyone. Anywhere. It doesn't matter.
You can do this by collaborating with some other musician(s) or by singing for a friend or family - or in public.
I must admit that I have always considered music a social thing that is best enjoyed with like minded people. They will act as a catalyst and get you motivated. Unless you are strong willed and/or self motivated, making music on your own can be unproductive
Good luck.
That's why I wanted a band, so I would have a real reason to play something and practice more. I'm going into the high school this September so I'm hoping I'll meet some people interested in starting a one.
Another thing I tend to do is change the song up in places I can't play, but I feel like I'm cheating in a way when I do that. Like I'm preventing myself from learning something new.
Syd1994 - I don't think you're preventing yourself from learning if you change up a difficult part. The pros do it. But I would suggest if you change up a part of a song you like so that you can play it now, that you also practice the part that you changed up so that you can continue to improve. While I believe it's important to play songs the way you enjoy them, that it's also important to have stretch goals. By picking a song you know you can't play, and working at the little parts until you can get it, you'll learn quite a lot. There's nothing wrong with doing a simplified arrangement in the meanwhile. And if you never get it "right", that's OK too. Listen to some covers. The best ones take a song and bring the new artists own style and approach to it. Jose Feliciano's "Light My Fire" is such an example, as is Hendrick's cover of "All Along the Watchtower." Neither of those songs sound anything like the original artist's version, but they are both absolute classics alongside the original versions.
- Zurf
Hi Syd1994,
Changing it because you can't play it the way it was written is not a sign of weakness, it is more of a sign that you show the imagination to work around the problem and can hear something different that works. Your not preventing yourself from learning something new when you are doing something new.
That is a sign of a good songwriter. Use it to your strengths. Practice your strengths.
Hope that helps you out some.
Kenny
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