Guitar playing by ear

Well lucky you Gibby...

Lookee what I found 

Play Guitar by Ear - Start Here

Good luck

Sundog

Before you learn the licks, match the tone. It is much easier to find the song if you're using a similar tone. If you want to play "pipeline" by the Ventures, don't learn it using a Hendrix super distortion sound. It might sound cool but you'll miss the mark. then break the song down into individual phrases, whenever posible play along with the original recording. there is software availablethat can slow down a songs playback speed without affecting the pitch.

Ah the Ventures 

I remember when I was just a pup, listening to an album that had a tune by the Ventures: Hawaii Five-O 

Sundog

Some tips will help:

1.- Look for the help of a seasoned guitar player/teacher, as you'll need to train and develop your musical hearing skills.

2.- Allways practice/play with a well tuned guitar. Get someone else to tune it, if you don't know how.

3.- Focus on sound quality. It's the most important fact. Play every note/chord slowly at first, paying close attention to get a perfectly clean and pleasant sound. Speed comes later.

4.- Never forget that you play music (emotion), not just sound.

Here's an online tuner

8notes.com - Interactive Online Guitar Tuner

gibby6117,

A lot of people, even professional musicians, are tone deaf! In other words, they cannot hear relative and absolute pitch. An awesome way to learn this method of hearing relative and absolute pitch, which in turn will better your 'learning guitar by ear', is Learn The Pure Pitch Method . Good Luck

For someone who is a beginner who woudn't understand absolute pitch or any thing like that ,and if you don't want to take lessons. I would say start by learning how to tune your guitar by getting a guitar tunner, some are very cheap. Tune your guitar to E starting with the Thickest string (E,A,D,G,B,E). most popular songs are tuned to E. Then listen to these notes very carefully and get them in your head.Sometimes it takes months or even years to be able to tune your guitar or find the right key in a song by ear. When you are trying to figuer out what chord the song is in start with the two thickest strings and hit one note at a time until you find the right pitch. Good luck.

I have played for 30+ years and I play by ear. I had to learn the guitar, the guitar players in the ship's band were transferred off. As a bass player it was a bit hard and there were really no "good" players but a lot of strummers who were willing to show me things like the infamous D chord . (I don't see how you can figure it out by yourself )I then learned a whole lotta tricks and am good enough to sit in with about anyone but my daughter is being taught professionally and we both couldn't be happier with the results . Either way have a lot of fun and best wishes to anyone who puts the effort into it it is a lifelong saisfaction. Of note my daughter is way ahead of where I was in understanding but she is only 13 and been at it awhile.....kids they learn so much easier I was 13 when I picked up bass and 19 at guitar. Good tips Luis and Sundog, Dicki is right on too.. play with the recording if you do it like them you can't be wrong. Happy playing. Use a good guitar.