You Can Learn how to Play the Guitar by Ear

All professional musicians, regardless of the genre they play—be it jazz, rock, bluegrass, or country—have spent their early years practicing while hunched over a half-speed record player. You might be wondering, what does this have to do with learning how to play the guitar How exactly to Learn to have fun with the Guitar - If you're wondering how to learn to have fun with the guitar, let me assure you there are several ways for you to master this skill. You can opt for the traditional method – private guitar lessons. You can enroll in guitar summer classes or workshops in your area. Reading instructional music books and chord… by ear? As you’ll discover from this article, it actually has a lot to do with it.

Slowing Things Down

In order to learn how to play the guitar by ear, you need to start by understanding the melodies, chords, and leads from a recording. And to do this, you need to slow them down a bit. Some exceptionally talented individuals with great ears can learn how to play a few slow songs by listening to them at their regular speed. However, even those people struggle when it comes to understanding faster melodies and need to slow things down.

Most of us can’t even figure out slow songs just by listening to them at a regular speed. While we may match a note with our guitar or voice if it’s the only thing we are hearing, we tend to get confused when lots of notes are played together. By slowing the music down, we can separate the notes and play them part by part until we learn the entire song.

Slowdown Technology

In the past, the process of slowing down music was done using half-speed tape recorders. However, as you slowed the music down, the pitch would also drop. By the time you reached half speed, the pitch had already dropped significantly. Nevertheless, for most people, half speed is still too fast. You would probably need a 1/10 speed in order to figure out certain parts.

Fortunately, today everything has been made easier with the help of digital slowdown technology. You can now slow the melody down as much as you want, without the pitch dropping.

Do You Really Want to Put in That Much Effort?

You might be thinking that spending so much time figuring out each note yourself would be incredibly difficult. Why not just buy a book and conquer this part?

Of course, you can buy a book, but as is often the case with music theory books, it will likely end up gathering dust on your bookshelf forever. If you truly want to learn how to play the guitar by ear, you need to get involved in the process and figure out the notes from a song yourself.

Although figuring out note by note on your own is the best approach, occasionally referring to a transcription book while you’re struggling to figure out the music can also be helpful. Some beginner guitar players who want to learn how to play the guitar by ear learn from a transcription book first and then play along with the original recording at a slower pace to get the rhythm.

You need to learn how to play the guitar by ear because this way you have the most fun. Playing the guitar Strumming Practicing The Guitar - Practicing the guitar takes time and dedication. Learning to play the instrument requires consistent practice, but it doesn't guarantee that you'll become a rock star. Nonetheless, with regular practice and skill development, you can still achieve proficiency. There are two methods to start strumming a guitar: using your fingers or using a pick. Find a… should be enjoyable, and that’s why you started learning it in the first place. However, the more time you invest in the learning process by engaging in practical activities, the faster your progress will be.

Manuel Marino

Manuel Marino is a seasoned Senior Producer, Music Composer, and Artist with over a decade of experience. He specializes in branded entertainment across various mediums, including video games, films, and advertising campaigns. With 20+ years as a game music composer, Manuel has worked on numerous platforms, creating diverse orchestral soundtracks. HIRE ME