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What Method Do You Use to Learn a Song?
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Author:  Cantstopsinging [ Wed Sep 24, 2008 1:16 pm ]
Post subject:  What Method Do You Use to Learn a Song?
I am interested in knowing how members learn songs that are new to them, especially the more modern songs ( those that have been released from the mid-90's to present, cause to me they seem more complicated.) For me, I first grab at the chorus or the hook and record those parts first. Then I learn the verses. Bridges, especially in modern songs, take the longest for me to learn.. Also, what has been your easiest song and/or most difficult to learrn.. My most difficult was Good Enough by Evanescene. I think I put about 5-6 hours time total, learning, recording and mixing, not counting when I need to redo, a few months later-lolol... The one that was the easiest for me was by Offspring, the title, I've forgotten... :angel:
Author:  MorganLeFey [ Wed Sep 24, 2008 4:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What Method Do You Use to Learn a Song?
if I am learning a song, generally I have to want to sing it...which is I guess why I am still lost in the 60s & 70s cos there is very little contemporary stuff I enjoy. Lets take for instance the last song you suggested for me. I liked it therefore I found it easy to listen to. The nuances in NM's voice were probably the toughest part...because I dont necessarily want to sound exactly like the artist, yet if I had totally disregarded the nuances in her voice, chances are the song wouldnt have been worth doing.
As to what is difficult and what is easy ummm I guess cos I am not a natural musician most stuff is difficult. There are some however that are easier than others. the easiest that springs to mind of recent times is Leader of the Band. Heard it played on the radio and recorded it that night.
Author:  Connie [ Wed Sep 24, 2008 4:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What Method Do You Use to Learn a Song?
Hi Joyce. Great topic!

I used to learn songs by getting the CD from the library. Now that I've discovered YouTube, I find many songs there that I'm trying to learn. Search in "Google" ...You Tube and name of song.

I also sometimes print out the lyrics, even if I have the CDG. I write notes on the words, kind of my own shorthand giving me clues on where to take breaths or write arrows above words for notes that go up or down. Listening to the original over and over again and singing along works the best for me. It can take me up to two weeks to get the song completely in my head and out of my mouth correctly. It depends on how complicated the songs are and how often I sing it.

Once I record it, I play back a section at a time and compare it to the original. Sometimes there's small difference, when I may have changed a note but if the note sounds okay, I leave it.

There are some songs that were very hard for me to learn, but there are other songs that are just plain too hard for me to sing and I've given them up. Some songs I've been trying to sing for as long as 10 years.

My easiest songs have been the 60's girl group songs, probably "One Fine Day" being the easiest, cause I've heard it nearly all my life. My hardest song have been: "Barracuda" by Heart (which I gave up on ), Gloria - Laura Branigan, that doesn't seem to fit my voice right, "Heartless" by Heart- love it and keep trying, "All Through The Night" - Cyndi Lauper, love this song but takes a lot of effort and "Stand Back" -Stevie Nicks -I remember this being very difficult to learn. Also, how could I forget "Sex As A Weapon" Pat Benatar. Very hard for me. As far as the 90's songs to current, most have been reasonable to learn though The Cranberries have been challenging. The newest song I'm working on now is "Love Song" by Sara Bareilles. I think it's very difficult especialy the 2nd half of the song. It should take me about two weeks.
Author:  Cantstopsinging [ Wed Sep 24, 2008 6:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What Method Do You Use to Learn a Song?
That's some really good input Vicki & Connie.. You may find that songs you've given up on, suddenly become easier a few months down the line because somehow they've lodged in your subsconcious. Connie, I also do that shorthand on the most difficult songs. Sara Bareilles's Love Song is tricky but imo, one of the best of the modern songs.. It appears to me that the modern tunes are written more for the guitar, horn, piano etc more than for the human voice..I thought it was just my advanced aging but I have chatted with many a person in their teens, 20's, early 30's that prefer the material from the 80's and before reason given the melodies are easier to follow along.
Author:  TheTravman [ Thu Sep 25, 2008 4:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What Method Do You Use to Learn a Song?
Hello All.

Usually when I record a song it's one I've heard or sang along with for a long time. If I don't have that method going for me I just find the song and listen to firstly the tune and get it in my head then the phrasing is next, which is picking out the parts that make it recognizable to people and making sure I get those down. I guess that's about it for me. I don't really have any kind of particular trick or anything, besides, if I told you I'd have to..... Oh you know. LOL
Author:  Tex [ Fri Sep 26, 2008 7:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What Method Do You Use to Learn a Song?
Repitition is about the only thing that works for me. I have to really like the song because by the time I get done with it I'm pretty sick of it. If it is a song that I know but have never tried to sing its usually a pretty quick process. If its a new song to me I listen to the original over and over until it sticks. Most times I print a copy of the lyrics and make notes that make sense to nobody but me. I make a cd of the song and listen to it on the way to work and on the way home. I pay close attention to the phrasing and the pronunciation of words especially on country tunes. Us country folk pronounce our words funny in case you didnt notice. When I need to learn the lyrics for a live gig where I cannot use lyrics thats a lot tougher cause my memory is not as good as it used to be for some reason. I usually end up writing the lyrics over and over one verse at a time until its embedded in my subconscious. Once Ive got it it will stick for the rest of my life and will usually remember the lyrics no matter what the distraction. There arent many newer songs that I care to learn but there are so many great older songs that are worth putting in the time for me to learn.
Author:  mikec2006 [ Fri Sep 26, 2008 10:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What Method Do You Use to Learn a Song?
I would have to cast my vote for repetition...listen to it as many times as you can stand!
The internet is a great place to find lyrics for just about any song. Sometimes all it takes for me is following along with the lyrics as the song is playing (not the karaoke version). Then I can catch the nuances that some singers bring to the vocal.
Author:  WillowsHeart [ Fri Sep 26, 2008 12:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What Method Do You Use to Learn a Song?
Hi all :D

I can usually learn a new song and sing a rough rendition of it within the third or sometimes second hearing. This totally baffles my daughter lol We were driving to work one morning when a new song came on the radio, I can usually tell if I'm going to like a song within the first few bars, and by the end of the song I was singing along to the last chorus. She asked me how I do it and all I could say was that she 'hears' the song but I 'listen' to it (hope that make sense lol). I don't know if it's a form of something like a photographic memory but I do seem to have this knack of learning a song really quickly although in saying that it may take me a few practice runs before I get all the nuances.
Author:  Charmin_Gibson [ Fri Sep 26, 2008 5:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What Method Do You Use to Learn a Song?
Oh geez, I'm probably the world's worst at NOT taking the time to learn a song properly... if it's a song I really, really like when I first hear it, I'm way too anxious to sing it myself. Now granted, 6 months down the road I'll hear my original recording and say to myself "what the f@$# was I thinking?.. that's not how the song goes!!" LMAO Lots of songs I've done this.

If I take the time to learn it right, something that works for me on a tough song that I'm just not getting right in places.... I'll look up the tabs and practice it on guitar. (granted, you have to watch for tab uploads that are all wrong.. as they sometimes are) But you can usually find a tab that's right on. The memory of the song usually sticks in my head pretty well, it's getting my voice to behave and sing it right that's the issue for me. So, with only my guitar, and all other instruments blessedly absent from the track... I can make sure I get the notes down better. Two examples are "Byotch" by Meredith Brooks and "Almost Doesn't Count" by Mark Wills. Parts of them I was totally taking in the wrong direction- it took learning the chord progression on guitar to make me hear it right and know where my voice should go.

Repetition is always good, especially on newer songs (what happened to the good ol' days when all songs were 3 chords?.. :D ) ....listening to the singer until you can't stand the dang song any more. But.. once I have the tune part down pat, and know I'm gonna be hitting the notes (more or less) correctly, I sing it myself over and over until I can get the sound of the original's voice out of my head. I don't like to mimic the vocal inflections of the original singer... doesn't leave me much room to "be me". (not that that's always the best way to go, but hell, it's me, Lmao)

Some songs click faster than others.. some $#@%# seem to elude me forever.

Lyrics, I never have a problem with, I have a good memory for lyrics, always have.

Interesting topic Joyce:)

You all have a good weekend. :wave:
Author:  Cantstopsinging [ Fri Sep 26, 2008 8:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What Method Do You Use to Learn a Song?
Hi Charmin and company...

It seems like we have alot in common in the ways we learn songs. I can identify with each one of you on certain statements ya'll have made... Just today I learned a song I discovered on youtube that was a hit in 1968 in the UK, never even made a dent in the States.. The song has some major and minor notes and could be very tricky but guess what? It had MELODY.. It turned out to be a much easier experience than when I learn a modern song.. I 'cheat' a bit when learning modern songs.. I concetrate on the straight notes, not the runs, bells and whistles they add that sound like they belong more in the string section than a vocal and just try to sing it straight through as if it was a song made before 1992!! LOLOL

One quirky thing that happens when I am learning a modern song singing along to the original, I get the harmony before the melody- bah!! :mrgreen:
Author:  Steven Kaplan [ Sat Sep 27, 2008 6:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What Method Do You Use to Learn a Song?
Melodic, harmony or lyrical content ? I never do learn the lyrics, but melodic flow sort've just comes naturally to me, familiarity with Western styles and the pop genre of course helps in SOME cases.. In complex cases of course it doesn't always come easily and songs that are extremely abstract to me might not embed themselves at all in my brain.. I have to chart melodic direction somehow and that helps.. I see the song melody as a horizontal flow and visualize when the melody raises or lowers, usually patterns are predictable, and those of us that have musical experience have the edge in that regard. Harmony I just see as movement that runs parallel to the melody line and of course raises or lowers to suit melodic content, music knowledge gives us an edge in the tougher cases regarding dissonance and resolution... All singers should take BASIC theory to understand this, it makes it easier to visualize when you understand basics of composition.

What makes this easy vs difficult to be quite honest quite bluntly at this point, is whether I LIKE a song or not. I have a good ear, however a VERY stubborn ear, If I like a song it embeds itself structurally somewhat photographically after hearing it a few times... If I don't like a song, I have to force myself to learn it..
Author:  Steven Kaplan [ Sat Sep 27, 2008 6:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What Method Do You Use to Learn a Song?
The above is to learn THE WHOLE composition and it's details.. I still haven't established a perspective from a "singers" view yet... I just sing what the original singer sings... LOL.. New songs, I have to listen often 4-5 times... so the song becomes familiar.. Best method is familiarity...
Author:  Murray C [ Tue Sep 30, 2008 12:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What Method Do You Use to Learn a Song?
I usually do not record a song until after I know all the lyrics without having to refer to a lyric sheet. So, in order to learn the lyrics, it is more a case of repetition. Starting from the first verse, I learn it line by line until I can sing the whole verse right the way through. Then I move onto the chorus. Once I know the verse and chorus and can sing them right through, then I continue on with the next verse and so on. Probably one of the toughest songs I have learnt recently is Neil Diamond's "Pretty Amazing Grace", mainly because, unlike many songs, there is no repeating chorus (ie. each chorus has different words).

Connie, can you please change the colour of your text so that I can read it without giving my eyes a hernia? :)
Author:  Connie [ Tue Sep 30, 2008 1:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What Method Do You Use to Learn a Song?
Is the light blue better? If not, I can change it again.

I wish I could remember lyrics. Lately I can't remember five minues ago. :)
Author:  Cantstopsinging [ Tue Sep 30, 2008 3:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What Method Do You Use to Learn a Song?
Connie @ Tue Sep 30, 2008 wrote:
Is the light blue better? If not, I can change it again.

I wish I could remember lyrics. Lately I can't remember five minues ago. :)


Blue is my favorite color ( especially turquoise)

Anyway, Connie, some of our mega-talents use a lyric prompter on stage: Barbra Streisand, Linda Ronstadt to name a few.. I wonder if they realize they are on the way to Karaokeville..:)

Songs are like people; They have varied 'personalities, quirks'... So depending on the song, I take them apart and work on them differently.. Some have more congenial personalities than others I find...:)
Author:  Connie [ Tue Sep 30, 2008 5:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What Method Do You Use to Learn a Song?
Tha'ts funny how the professional singers use lyrics, too. I suppose it has to do with growing older, cause I can't memorize anything anymore.

You know what drive me crazy? I'm working on "Love Song" right now, so I sang along with the YouTube version with printed lyrics and got it all down very well, then I played the karaoke version and the whole friggin' bridge isn't there. lol So, I had to sing it the way it was made and it threw me off. Back to working on it some more.

This is a Chartbusters version, I wonder if there are other versions out there that include the bridge.
Author:  Cantstopsinging [ Wed Oct 01, 2008 7:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What Method Do You Use to Learn a Song?
Connie @ Tue Sep 30, 2008 wrote:
Tha'ts funny how the professional singers use lyrics, too. I suppose it has to do with growing older, cause I can't memorize anything anymore.

You know what drive me crazy? I'm working on "Love Song" right now, so I sang along with the YouTube version with printed lyrics and got it all down very well, then I played the karaoke version and the whole friggin' bridge isn't there. lol So, I had to sing it the way it was made and it threw me off. Back to working on it some more.

This is a Chartbusters version, I wonder if there are other versions out there that include the bridge.


Youtube has various versions of lots of songs..:)
Author:  WillowsHeart [ Wed Oct 01, 2008 8:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What Method Do You Use to Learn a Song?
Connie :D

I've found another version of 'Love Song'. It's by Easy Karaoke, I've only just got it so not listened to it yet to know if it includes the bridge! If you want more info please pm me
Author:  Murray C [ Wed Oct 01, 2008 10:43 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What Method Do You Use to Learn a Song?
Cantstopsinging @ Tue Sep 30, 2008 6:05 pm wrote:

Anyway, Connie, some of our mega-talents use a lyric prompter on stage: Barbra Streisand, Linda Ronstadt to name a few.. I wonder if they realize they are on the way to Karaokeville..:)



The prompters are not always used to show the lyrics? Neil Diamond had a prompter at the front of the stage during his recent concert... it was only used to display the next songs in the set-list.

Yes, Connie, the light blue is far more readable, thankyou.
Author:  Cantstopsinging [ Thu Oct 02, 2008 2:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What Method Do You Use to Learn a Song?
Murrlyn @ Wed Oct 01, 2008 wrote:
Cantstopsinging @ Tue Sep 30, 2008 6:05 pm wrote:

Anyway, Connie, some of our mega-talents use a lyric prompter on stage: Barbra Streisand, Linda Ronstadt to name a few.. I wonder if they realize they are on the way to Karaokeville..:)



The prompters are not always used to show the lyrics? Neil Diamond had a prompter at the front of the stage during his recent concert... it was only used to display the next songs in the set-list.

Yes, Connie, the light blue is far more readable, thankyou.


I didn't say that 'everyone' uses them.. I said 'some' and I can understand why after all the vast catalog of songs some of them have
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