What song are you trying to play/learn at the moment

[paulgraham007]

What is your discipline when you practice, do you run through two or three songs you know as a starter and then go onto something you are trying to learn well.
Do you practice scales regularly, do you have lessons, do you think you improve faster with a regular lesson, or do these training DVDs on You tube make a good substitute.

What about books or these DVDs you can buy in the guitar shop

[Roop]

Well, since you ask...
Currently putting the "finishing touches" to "Cocaine Blues". I learn songs from Stefan Grossman DVDs as I consider he is THE MAN, and a direct line to the great blues pickers that he learnt from! Sometimes takes a long time (weeks... possibly months) to learn some of these. I tend to do a bit each day, then let it sink in for a few weeks, then go back and make sure it's all polished up (according to my definition of polished, anyway). I try to follow Julie Ellison's advice and learn the complete tune... including the twiddly bit at the end
In any practice session I warm up on some tunes I already know.
I'm also fiddling around with DADGAD at the moment... I'd like to say it's light relief, but it isn't... it's like trying to learn a completely new instrument... old dogs, new tricks and all that!
I don't have lessons, but I agree that they're probably a very good idea if you find the right teacher. I had sax lessons many years ago and found them unbelievably stressful!
I don't practice scales... did all that to death on other instruments... the idea with the guitar is to play a few tunes and have fun!

Steve J

[RZero]

I tend to split my week up, As Im not a natural guitar player I tend to spend most of my time doing the basics, Cords, Scales, Strumming patterns and picking patterns. So Tuesdays Firdays and when I can get few hours over the weekend I practice all the basics, Thursdays are my song days this where I try to learn a song or practice a song, I can play Everylong and My Hero (thanks to a tip from these forums Barre Cords are no longer an issue) by the foo fighters. I have nearly got Black by Pearl Jam and Im on fire but there is a few versions for this one so not sure which one I want to work on the most but at the moment the Finger picking version is coming out on top.

I have loads of song books covering scales, Blues Playing etc and one DVD which I got from a news agents (acoustics rock) this has really helped alot because it shows some different picking patterns that I was not even aware of. I will be taken lessons once I've paid off every thing (kids b'days etc )

One my wish list of songs to learn is Going to California ( which has DADGBD tuning) I've learnt the intro so far. Also Bron y aur stomp (I have dabbled with this but think its a while off yet.) The Blowers Daughter and Dun Ringill ( cant beat a bit of tull )
But reading the forums and the magazine (issue 22 is my first edition) I am being exposed to a whole lot more, with names of artist that I've never listen or heard of, so in few months time my wish list will no doubt be a lot different and whole lot longer.

[ianLP59]

I'm always working on 2-3 tunes/songs at a time. Its really important to always be working on something new to avoid the dreaded rut that most guitar players fall into from time to time.

I'm currently working on a medley by Tony McManus, What a Wonderful World, Charlie Hunter's Jig and Humours of Tulla. Humours of Tulla is very hard to play up to speed but great fun.

Then, at the weekend I caught this : http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00cp2gx

Martin Simpson is the second act - a simply awesome set. So...I've got my slide out and am determined to nail Come Down Jehovah, a Chris Wood song which really does it for me.

Keep on pickin...

Cheers,

Ian

[Scanbran]

I've got a few DVD's that I look at from time to time, and my latest one (which looks the business) is the Acoustic Fingerstyle one by Rick Ruskin, who is a VERY good player.

I also like Stefan Grossman, although I only know a couple of his tunes (well, one really, and the other is a John Hurt one), but he is immense, and my old guitar teacher worships both him and Martin Simpson.

I'm trying desperately to learn 5 or 6 new tunes in time for the next singers night at the music club I go to, so I'm keeping them very simple.

"Hurt" by Johnny Cash (Reznor cover) - dead easy, sounds nice
"Streets of London" by Ralph McTell - cheesy, not too hard (okay, it's hard for me )
"Galway Girl" by Steve Earle - pretty easy without the mandolin

Might attempt some others if I manage to nail these in the next week or two.

[Rodders]

Originally Posted by Roop

I learn songs from Stefan Grossman DVDs as I consider he is THE MAN, and a direct line to the great blues pickers that he learnt from!

You are not wrong there my friend. I really do think his DVDs and other training materials are excellent. I find the instructional stuff on CD is even better. I had the pleasure of going to one of his workshops, and he was such a nice bloke. I was slightly starstruck when I first met him, but he's so laid back he set us all at ease very quickly (although the first thing he did was get us all to play him something, which was very nerve wracking).

It can take weeks to learn some songs, sometimes not so long - but to make it sound really good requires practice, practice, and more practice. You should get to the point where you can play the song with your eyes closed. The way I do it is that I learn it, then if I can play it well I record it. If I'm at the point where I can get a good recording, I move on. The problem is then that I forget alot of the old stuff I 'learnt'. The main thing is to enjoy it. Playing the guitar is so much fun, don't let it become a chore.

[paulgraham007]

very interesting to look at the way different people practice. Scanbran Don Mclean does a great slow version of Everyday, worth listening to