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Thread: Getting to Know Your Own Song

  1. #1
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Getting to Know Your Own Song

    I started writing a song a few weeks ago--don't worry, I won't pressure anyone into listening to it, ha ha.

    I tried to do it with finger picking, but that's one of my weaknesses. I admit that I have to play it with a pick. It's not a difficult song to play, but some of the chords were not in my muscle memory. So I played those licks over and over until it feels natural now to go to those chords.

    And while playing it over and over, I started exploring other chords and melodies so that the song is starting to develop.

    My real point is: I love how muscle memory or whatever it is takes over and makes a song so easy to play. There's always a voice in the back of my head that tells me it's impossible, and each time, muscle memory works.

    It's like a prize you get for practicing.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  2. #2
    Forum Member dirtdog's Avatar
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    Re: Getting to Know Your Own Song

    Quote Originally Posted by ch willie View Post
    I started writing a song a few weeks ago--don't worry, I won't pressure anyone into listening to it, ha ha.

    I tried to do it with finger picking, but that's one of my weaknesses. I admit that I have to play it with a pick. It's not a difficult song to play, but some of the chords were not in my muscle memory. So I played those licks over and over until it feels natural now to go to those chords.

    And while playing it over and over, I started exploring other chords and melodies so that the song is starting to develop.

    My real point is: I love how muscle memory or whatever it is takes over and makes a song so easy to play. There's always a voice in the back of my head that tells me it's impossible, and each time, muscle memory works.

    It's like a prize you get for practicing.
    yeah, it’s a cool feeling! I sometimes say: “That song just plays itself” when I’m performing with others. It’s like there’s no thinking required, it just flows.

  3. #3
    Forum Member DanTheBluesMan's Avatar
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    Re: Getting to Know Your Own Song

    I've just finished the first week of playing guitar every day. I started the Sunday before Memorial Day. It wasn't my song but I needed to get fingers to strings again and I wanted to develop my sight reading. Lawdy I felt like such a noob. It didn't help that my tele needs a truss rod adjustment I was beginning to question my fretting until I switched to another guitar and bing, must better.

    The better part of 4 months had passed since I last regularly played. I took lots of breaks but I would pick up the guitar several times a day. yesterday I was surprised to find that I had played for at least an hour without even realizing it. I was mixing up some sight reading practice, some fingering exercises and some freeform noodling. I stopped because I was suddenly aware of how hungry I was.
    "Live and learn and flip the burns"

  4. #4
    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
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    Re: Getting to Know Your Own Song

    The cool thing with having a parlor guitar within arm's reach coupled with the COVID-19 lockdown, means I've been picking up a guitar multiple times a day. Every day.

    My calluses are so hard now I think I could pick up a burning coal with my bare fingers.

  5. #5
    Forum Member DanTheBluesMan's Avatar
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    Re: Getting to Know Your Own Song

    My setup at this apartment is actually conducive to playing more. Since I'm going to be spending most of my time in my room anyway, having my guitar right there means I pick it up more often. At the risk of sounding lazy, there were days when I simply didn't venture down the hall to the music room. Yet my old bedroom was awkward in shape and prone to feeling cramped when i was fully loaded with guitar stuff. Part of the increased sense of space is the lack of dormer section of ceiling and the extra 7 or 8 inches of ceiling height.
    "Live and learn and flip the burns"

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