What is the best way to learn to play songs by ear using code patterns?

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Is there a simple technique to construct or memorize chord pattern of a song If I know the main chord of a song? Also, how to guess the next chord while playing a song. Specially with a guitar.



I know with practice you can get expertise on playing song by ear accurately. For a beginner, please share your experience or guidance how to learn play by ear without notations.










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  • You get good at playing by ear by practicing playing by ear. You will be bad at it at first; keep at it, and you might improve. It can be helpful to focus on one thing at a time, e.g., focus on the melody, or focus on the bass, or focus on the chords. And it is often helpful to try to figure out melody and bass before attacking the chords of a piece.
    – David Bowling
    3 hours ago














up vote
1
down vote

favorite












Is there a simple technique to construct or memorize chord pattern of a song If I know the main chord of a song? Also, how to guess the next chord while playing a song. Specially with a guitar.



I know with practice you can get expertise on playing song by ear accurately. For a beginner, please share your experience or guidance how to learn play by ear without notations.










share|improve this question







New contributor




pasanbsb is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.



















  • You get good at playing by ear by practicing playing by ear. You will be bad at it at first; keep at it, and you might improve. It can be helpful to focus on one thing at a time, e.g., focus on the melody, or focus on the bass, or focus on the chords. And it is often helpful to try to figure out melody and bass before attacking the chords of a piece.
    – David Bowling
    3 hours ago












up vote
1
down vote

favorite









up vote
1
down vote

favorite











Is there a simple technique to construct or memorize chord pattern of a song If I know the main chord of a song? Also, how to guess the next chord while playing a song. Specially with a guitar.



I know with practice you can get expertise on playing song by ear accurately. For a beginner, please share your experience or guidance how to learn play by ear without notations.










share|improve this question







New contributor




pasanbsb is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











Is there a simple technique to construct or memorize chord pattern of a song If I know the main chord of a song? Also, how to guess the next chord while playing a song. Specially with a guitar.



I know with practice you can get expertise on playing song by ear accurately. For a beginner, please share your experience or guidance how to learn play by ear without notations.







guitar chords learning chord-progressions ear-training






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  • You get good at playing by ear by practicing playing by ear. You will be bad at it at first; keep at it, and you might improve. It can be helpful to focus on one thing at a time, e.g., focus on the melody, or focus on the bass, or focus on the chords. And it is often helpful to try to figure out melody and bass before attacking the chords of a piece.
    – David Bowling
    3 hours ago
















  • You get good at playing by ear by practicing playing by ear. You will be bad at it at first; keep at it, and you might improve. It can be helpful to focus on one thing at a time, e.g., focus on the melody, or focus on the bass, or focus on the chords. And it is often helpful to try to figure out melody and bass before attacking the chords of a piece.
    – David Bowling
    3 hours ago















You get good at playing by ear by practicing playing by ear. You will be bad at it at first; keep at it, and you might improve. It can be helpful to focus on one thing at a time, e.g., focus on the melody, or focus on the bass, or focus on the chords. And it is often helpful to try to figure out melody and bass before attacking the chords of a piece.
– David Bowling
3 hours ago




You get good at playing by ear by practicing playing by ear. You will be bad at it at first; keep at it, and you might improve. It can be helpful to focus on one thing at a time, e.g., focus on the melody, or focus on the bass, or focus on the chords. And it is often helpful to try to figure out melody and bass before attacking the chords of a piece.
– David Bowling
3 hours ago










3 Answers
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2
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A lot of the simpler songs will have 3 chords - generally I, IV and V. In key C, C F and G



When the song is on one of these, and the player feels a change coming - which can happen naturally, otherwise comes with experience ( often called practice), there is a 50:50 chance of getting the next chord right by accident. As in, you're playing C, and you feel a change, there's only F or G that could fit (in a 3 chord song, obviously). After that change, there's still a 50:50 option for the next.



Let's face it, if the wrong choice is made, it's pretty easy to play the correct chord, albeit a little late! But how to get it right first time?



It's usually down to having played hundreds of songs, and there's a feeling that comes as to when the changes occur, and what they'll be.



Throw other chords into the pot, and the first that will be there are minors. Three of them, and there's often a feeling that one is coming in a song. So, 33% chance on this. Still pretty good odds.



By listening to many songs, and writing down what you think the chords might be, you'll improve. Also, take songs you already know - Happy B'day, children's songs, national anthem, and play slowly, in whatever key, knowing what choices of chords will most likely be available in that song.






share|improve this answer



























    up vote
    2
    down vote













    Studying music theory is exactly what you are looking for.



    People tend to think of music theory as the rules of music but it is not. It is just the study of what has happened in the past, and a good way to learn what is common, and what is common in a certain style of music.



    If you understand this it will give your ears a crutch to help you guess what the other chords might be.



    A very high level example is if I know the main chord as you put it is C and assume that the chord's root is the key I am in (C) I know there is a good chance that the other chords are diatonic to that key. So if my main chord is a C maj triad I can assume that the chords being used would be G Maj, F maj, d min, e min and a min. So those are good to start with. Not all music will always use only diatonic chords, or be in a major key, but you have to start somewhere.



    Along with music theory learning other songs in the style that you want to play is very helpful because without real world examples, and knowing what the theory sounds like, it is not very useful. So learn a little theory, try to apply that theory to song you like. You will quickly find you don't understand why something doesn't fit in with the theory you know, so learn why what you don't know. (Why am i getting a Bb (b flat) chord that is not in the key...well, it is not but it is common, in rock and pop, to borrow this chord from mixolydian. How do i know this...well I studied music theory)



    Rinse and repeat for the rest of your life. As you do this, your ear will get better, you music theory knowledge will get better, and you will become a better player, musician and composer.






    share|improve this answer



























      up vote
      0
      down vote













      Different styles/genres of music have different common chord progressions. To be able to guess and memorise chords for all styles, you really have to spend a lot of time studying. However, you can start understanding the 'vocabulary' of one style much faster.



      • Learn enough music theory that you can identify the key of a piece of music, and that you can translate the particular chord progression into a form such as Roman numeral notation.

      • Using existing transcriptions, learn some songs in the styles you're interested in, and convert them yourself to roman numeral notation. This will help you get familiar with the common chord patterns in the styles you're interested in.

      • Start trying to work out songs yourself by ear, writing down both the particular chords, and the roman numeral notation for the chord progression.





      share|improve this answer




















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        3 Answers
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        3 Answers
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        up vote
        2
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        A lot of the simpler songs will have 3 chords - generally I, IV and V. In key C, C F and G



        When the song is on one of these, and the player feels a change coming - which can happen naturally, otherwise comes with experience ( often called practice), there is a 50:50 chance of getting the next chord right by accident. As in, you're playing C, and you feel a change, there's only F or G that could fit (in a 3 chord song, obviously). After that change, there's still a 50:50 option for the next.



        Let's face it, if the wrong choice is made, it's pretty easy to play the correct chord, albeit a little late! But how to get it right first time?



        It's usually down to having played hundreds of songs, and there's a feeling that comes as to when the changes occur, and what they'll be.



        Throw other chords into the pot, and the first that will be there are minors. Three of them, and there's often a feeling that one is coming in a song. So, 33% chance on this. Still pretty good odds.



        By listening to many songs, and writing down what you think the chords might be, you'll improve. Also, take songs you already know - Happy B'day, children's songs, national anthem, and play slowly, in whatever key, knowing what choices of chords will most likely be available in that song.






        share|improve this answer
























          up vote
          2
          down vote













          A lot of the simpler songs will have 3 chords - generally I, IV and V. In key C, C F and G



          When the song is on one of these, and the player feels a change coming - which can happen naturally, otherwise comes with experience ( often called practice), there is a 50:50 chance of getting the next chord right by accident. As in, you're playing C, and you feel a change, there's only F or G that could fit (in a 3 chord song, obviously). After that change, there's still a 50:50 option for the next.



          Let's face it, if the wrong choice is made, it's pretty easy to play the correct chord, albeit a little late! But how to get it right first time?



          It's usually down to having played hundreds of songs, and there's a feeling that comes as to when the changes occur, and what they'll be.



          Throw other chords into the pot, and the first that will be there are minors. Three of them, and there's often a feeling that one is coming in a song. So, 33% chance on this. Still pretty good odds.



          By listening to many songs, and writing down what you think the chords might be, you'll improve. Also, take songs you already know - Happy B'day, children's songs, national anthem, and play slowly, in whatever key, knowing what choices of chords will most likely be available in that song.






          share|improve this answer






















            up vote
            2
            down vote










            up vote
            2
            down vote









            A lot of the simpler songs will have 3 chords - generally I, IV and V. In key C, C F and G



            When the song is on one of these, and the player feels a change coming - which can happen naturally, otherwise comes with experience ( often called practice), there is a 50:50 chance of getting the next chord right by accident. As in, you're playing C, and you feel a change, there's only F or G that could fit (in a 3 chord song, obviously). After that change, there's still a 50:50 option for the next.



            Let's face it, if the wrong choice is made, it's pretty easy to play the correct chord, albeit a little late! But how to get it right first time?



            It's usually down to having played hundreds of songs, and there's a feeling that comes as to when the changes occur, and what they'll be.



            Throw other chords into the pot, and the first that will be there are minors. Three of them, and there's often a feeling that one is coming in a song. So, 33% chance on this. Still pretty good odds.



            By listening to many songs, and writing down what you think the chords might be, you'll improve. Also, take songs you already know - Happy B'day, children's songs, national anthem, and play slowly, in whatever key, knowing what choices of chords will most likely be available in that song.






            share|improve this answer












            A lot of the simpler songs will have 3 chords - generally I, IV and V. In key C, C F and G



            When the song is on one of these, and the player feels a change coming - which can happen naturally, otherwise comes with experience ( often called practice), there is a 50:50 chance of getting the next chord right by accident. As in, you're playing C, and you feel a change, there's only F or G that could fit (in a 3 chord song, obviously). After that change, there's still a 50:50 option for the next.



            Let's face it, if the wrong choice is made, it's pretty easy to play the correct chord, albeit a little late! But how to get it right first time?



            It's usually down to having played hundreds of songs, and there's a feeling that comes as to when the changes occur, and what they'll be.



            Throw other chords into the pot, and the first that will be there are minors. Three of them, and there's often a feeling that one is coming in a song. So, 33% chance on this. Still pretty good odds.



            By listening to many songs, and writing down what you think the chords might be, you'll improve. Also, take songs you already know - Happy B'day, children's songs, national anthem, and play slowly, in whatever key, knowing what choices of chords will most likely be available in that song.







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered 3 hours ago









            Tim

            90k1091227




            90k1091227




















                up vote
                2
                down vote













                Studying music theory is exactly what you are looking for.



                People tend to think of music theory as the rules of music but it is not. It is just the study of what has happened in the past, and a good way to learn what is common, and what is common in a certain style of music.



                If you understand this it will give your ears a crutch to help you guess what the other chords might be.



                A very high level example is if I know the main chord as you put it is C and assume that the chord's root is the key I am in (C) I know there is a good chance that the other chords are diatonic to that key. So if my main chord is a C maj triad I can assume that the chords being used would be G Maj, F maj, d min, e min and a min. So those are good to start with. Not all music will always use only diatonic chords, or be in a major key, but you have to start somewhere.



                Along with music theory learning other songs in the style that you want to play is very helpful because without real world examples, and knowing what the theory sounds like, it is not very useful. So learn a little theory, try to apply that theory to song you like. You will quickly find you don't understand why something doesn't fit in with the theory you know, so learn why what you don't know. (Why am i getting a Bb (b flat) chord that is not in the key...well, it is not but it is common, in rock and pop, to borrow this chord from mixolydian. How do i know this...well I studied music theory)



                Rinse and repeat for the rest of your life. As you do this, your ear will get better, you music theory knowledge will get better, and you will become a better player, musician and composer.






                share|improve this answer
























                  up vote
                  2
                  down vote













                  Studying music theory is exactly what you are looking for.



                  People tend to think of music theory as the rules of music but it is not. It is just the study of what has happened in the past, and a good way to learn what is common, and what is common in a certain style of music.



                  If you understand this it will give your ears a crutch to help you guess what the other chords might be.



                  A very high level example is if I know the main chord as you put it is C and assume that the chord's root is the key I am in (C) I know there is a good chance that the other chords are diatonic to that key. So if my main chord is a C maj triad I can assume that the chords being used would be G Maj, F maj, d min, e min and a min. So those are good to start with. Not all music will always use only diatonic chords, or be in a major key, but you have to start somewhere.



                  Along with music theory learning other songs in the style that you want to play is very helpful because without real world examples, and knowing what the theory sounds like, it is not very useful. So learn a little theory, try to apply that theory to song you like. You will quickly find you don't understand why something doesn't fit in with the theory you know, so learn why what you don't know. (Why am i getting a Bb (b flat) chord that is not in the key...well, it is not but it is common, in rock and pop, to borrow this chord from mixolydian. How do i know this...well I studied music theory)



                  Rinse and repeat for the rest of your life. As you do this, your ear will get better, you music theory knowledge will get better, and you will become a better player, musician and composer.






                  share|improve this answer






















                    up vote
                    2
                    down vote










                    up vote
                    2
                    down vote









                    Studying music theory is exactly what you are looking for.



                    People tend to think of music theory as the rules of music but it is not. It is just the study of what has happened in the past, and a good way to learn what is common, and what is common in a certain style of music.



                    If you understand this it will give your ears a crutch to help you guess what the other chords might be.



                    A very high level example is if I know the main chord as you put it is C and assume that the chord's root is the key I am in (C) I know there is a good chance that the other chords are diatonic to that key. So if my main chord is a C maj triad I can assume that the chords being used would be G Maj, F maj, d min, e min and a min. So those are good to start with. Not all music will always use only diatonic chords, or be in a major key, but you have to start somewhere.



                    Along with music theory learning other songs in the style that you want to play is very helpful because without real world examples, and knowing what the theory sounds like, it is not very useful. So learn a little theory, try to apply that theory to song you like. You will quickly find you don't understand why something doesn't fit in with the theory you know, so learn why what you don't know. (Why am i getting a Bb (b flat) chord that is not in the key...well, it is not but it is common, in rock and pop, to borrow this chord from mixolydian. How do i know this...well I studied music theory)



                    Rinse and repeat for the rest of your life. As you do this, your ear will get better, you music theory knowledge will get better, and you will become a better player, musician and composer.






                    share|improve this answer












                    Studying music theory is exactly what you are looking for.



                    People tend to think of music theory as the rules of music but it is not. It is just the study of what has happened in the past, and a good way to learn what is common, and what is common in a certain style of music.



                    If you understand this it will give your ears a crutch to help you guess what the other chords might be.



                    A very high level example is if I know the main chord as you put it is C and assume that the chord's root is the key I am in (C) I know there is a good chance that the other chords are diatonic to that key. So if my main chord is a C maj triad I can assume that the chords being used would be G Maj, F maj, d min, e min and a min. So those are good to start with. Not all music will always use only diatonic chords, or be in a major key, but you have to start somewhere.



                    Along with music theory learning other songs in the style that you want to play is very helpful because without real world examples, and knowing what the theory sounds like, it is not very useful. So learn a little theory, try to apply that theory to song you like. You will quickly find you don't understand why something doesn't fit in with the theory you know, so learn why what you don't know. (Why am i getting a Bb (b flat) chord that is not in the key...well, it is not but it is common, in rock and pop, to borrow this chord from mixolydian. How do i know this...well I studied music theory)



                    Rinse and repeat for the rest of your life. As you do this, your ear will get better, you music theory knowledge will get better, and you will become a better player, musician and composer.







                    share|improve this answer












                    share|improve this answer



                    share|improve this answer










                    answered 1 hour ago









                    b3ko

                    3,130917




                    3,130917




















                        up vote
                        0
                        down vote













                        Different styles/genres of music have different common chord progressions. To be able to guess and memorise chords for all styles, you really have to spend a lot of time studying. However, you can start understanding the 'vocabulary' of one style much faster.



                        • Learn enough music theory that you can identify the key of a piece of music, and that you can translate the particular chord progression into a form such as Roman numeral notation.

                        • Using existing transcriptions, learn some songs in the styles you're interested in, and convert them yourself to roman numeral notation. This will help you get familiar with the common chord patterns in the styles you're interested in.

                        • Start trying to work out songs yourself by ear, writing down both the particular chords, and the roman numeral notation for the chord progression.





                        share|improve this answer
























                          up vote
                          0
                          down vote













                          Different styles/genres of music have different common chord progressions. To be able to guess and memorise chords for all styles, you really have to spend a lot of time studying. However, you can start understanding the 'vocabulary' of one style much faster.



                          • Learn enough music theory that you can identify the key of a piece of music, and that you can translate the particular chord progression into a form such as Roman numeral notation.

                          • Using existing transcriptions, learn some songs in the styles you're interested in, and convert them yourself to roman numeral notation. This will help you get familiar with the common chord patterns in the styles you're interested in.

                          • Start trying to work out songs yourself by ear, writing down both the particular chords, and the roman numeral notation for the chord progression.





                          share|improve this answer






















                            up vote
                            0
                            down vote










                            up vote
                            0
                            down vote









                            Different styles/genres of music have different common chord progressions. To be able to guess and memorise chords for all styles, you really have to spend a lot of time studying. However, you can start understanding the 'vocabulary' of one style much faster.



                            • Learn enough music theory that you can identify the key of a piece of music, and that you can translate the particular chord progression into a form such as Roman numeral notation.

                            • Using existing transcriptions, learn some songs in the styles you're interested in, and convert them yourself to roman numeral notation. This will help you get familiar with the common chord patterns in the styles you're interested in.

                            • Start trying to work out songs yourself by ear, writing down both the particular chords, and the roman numeral notation for the chord progression.





                            share|improve this answer












                            Different styles/genres of music have different common chord progressions. To be able to guess and memorise chords for all styles, you really have to spend a lot of time studying. However, you can start understanding the 'vocabulary' of one style much faster.



                            • Learn enough music theory that you can identify the key of a piece of music, and that you can translate the particular chord progression into a form such as Roman numeral notation.

                            • Using existing transcriptions, learn some songs in the styles you're interested in, and convert them yourself to roman numeral notation. This will help you get familiar with the common chord patterns in the styles you're interested in.

                            • Start trying to work out songs yourself by ear, writing down both the particular chords, and the roman numeral notation for the chord progression.






                            share|improve this answer












                            share|improve this answer



                            share|improve this answer










                            answered 54 mins ago









                            topo morto

                            21.4k23691




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