A bit stuck/overwhelmed with progression, and how do I "learn songs"?

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Hi everyone,

By way of a bit of background first, I decided to start learning guitar again (having failed miserably like fifteen years prior) during lockdown in mid-2020, I started with Fender Play and then moved on Guitar Hero 2 Zero, but I didn’t really feel like they were clicking for me. I’ve been using Justin Guitar primarily through the app on my iPad for a year now, and one of the bits of advice was to “learn actual songs”, but the songs in the app are all like one-strum-per-bar kind of thing. The handful of songs that are covered in video form, at least for “This is how you play the main riff properly” are just a video and explanation without any tab, and I just cannot follow along with those, I need to be able to see the thing and take my time with it sinking in and really slowly playing along to it as I figure out what my fingers should be doing. :confused:

I decided to pick up a bass guitar in April last year and have been using the most excellent Bass Buzz, and one of the things I’ve really appreciated with that is that he has a “First 50 Songs to Learn on Bass” pack, where’s he transcribed the bass track to a selection of songs of varying difficulties. Granted this is probably a lot easier to follow on bass compared to guitar, but the various points in the Justin Guitar app where he’s mentioned keeping a song book or learning songs, I feel like I’m missing something about where the tabs for these songs are meant to come from… given I’ve only been learning bass for not quite 18 months, I feel like I’ve made WAY more progress in that period compared to over four years attempting to learn guitar (admittedly three-quarters of that period not using the Justin Guitar stuff, haha).

I also came across this thread and there was more of the same “Learn songs!” advice, but howwwwww. :sweat_smile: I’m also in a similar boat where I’m at the end of Module 2 but now have so much stuff to practice that I don’t know how I should be organising it. I’ve been going back and doing some of the older modules and realising that some of my chord changes are actually a bit crap, even for some of the basic open chords. Should I be going back to the real basics for each lesson from the beginning for a few weeks? I wouldn’t say I’m bored or in a rut, but I’m feeling kind of overwhelmed and am not sure how to tackle it, I think I need a concrete plan but I don’t know what that should look like.

Many thanks!

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Sounds like you would have benefited greatly from my earlist Live Clubsn where I talk about building up a repertoire and how to approach songs in a way that you make them your own instead of trying to copy them note for note.

Feeling overwhelmed right now is more common than you think.
You might feel responsible to “maintain” all the new things you acquire and you fear of losing progress along the way if you don’t give all aspects enough attention.

Don’t see “learning songs” as “this is a big chunck that is piling on the the large heap of stuff I’m already doing”.

See songs as the frames where you will be building a great deal of your practice.
Songs help you practice chord changes, keeping time, recognizing changes in a song, timing your fretting fingers, …but also motoric skills like strength, agility, muscle memory etc.

We promote songs because they tie the means (stuff you probably practice in a very granular way right now) and the GOAL (performing real songs, putting up a show for yourself or even others)

You probably have a list of things to practice… but do you see how they scale up to your goals in your musical life? Songs are the next layer.

It’s possible that you are trying to balance your practice as even as possible. You could try a bit more of a “wave” approach, where you give a certain aspect some more attention for 2 3 days, than another aspect etc.

Even bigger, it might be that you are missing a PLAN.
(In that case, setting out your path might help you out. aiming your practice towards small goals, that contribute to bigger goals etc will give you more sense of accomplishment.

Check this recording of Motivation Club #13 | setting and conquering your guitar goals.

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Justin has the beginner songbook volume 1 and 2. https://www.justinguitar.com/store/beginner-songbook-1

Each of the songbook has 100 songs from different modules in order and many of them relates to a song video lesson on the website (not the app). More than 700 songs tutorial on the website which can be filtered by grades https://www.justinguitar.com/songs

Also, you are on the right track with practicing songs on the app. Yes, the first module is one strum per bar, but the app eventually introduce more strumming patterns and chords.

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there :

but at the beginning you dont need it especially if you have the app
learning a song doesnt mean learning the full song as the pros are playing it
as a beginner , we learn it by layers , easy first then gradually it becomes harder

it never hurts to go back and work on the basics

did you try the practice assistant ?
At the end of each module Justin has a practice schedule to help organising it too

only at the beginning after there s a strumming pattern proposed for each songs

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Learning songs can be overwhelming in the beginning, I guess most of us had to go through those first hard steps.

You are using the App, so you already have a great tool for learning and playing along to songs. The App is very helpful, but my advice would be to move over to the website to follow the lessons, as there is much more helpful content in the “Learn more” section below each lesson. Some lessons also provide downloadable content, as e.g. tabs.

In his modules Justin provides a song choice that fits into the techniques or skills you are currently learning.
Pick one or two out. This is where the “work” starts:
Very often Justin provides a song lesson (there are hundreds of songs on the website, structured by Grades) with detailed advice how you could learn the song properly.
In addition to that, it is very helpful to get an overview about the structure of the song, so print out song sheets (various platforms available) or to create them by yourselves by picking out the relevant information of the song lessons.
If you have a structured version of the song on a songsheet, it’s much easier to memorize. You can create some beginner song sheets and develop them, when you get more advanced.
The App is great to play along and helps a lot with timing and rhythm, but doesn’t show the structure of a song.

Another option is to use Justin’s Beginner Songbooks, where you already have chords, structure, lyrics, little riffs and playing tips without searching. Be aware, that the Grades in those songbooks don’t match with the Grades of the course anymore as they where following Justin’s old Beginner Course.

Justin also provides tabs as mentioned by @MacOneill while I was typing.

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Are you trying to run before you can walk here. As much as we’d like to play songs as our favourite artists do, from my experience, in the early days / months this overreaching somewhat. In the first either look for simple songs or look for simplified versions of songs and you can add complexity over time. It’s a bit of a kick to the ego I know but you’ll progress faster trying to learn stuff that is just a little over your current level as opposed to being completely out of your depth with something that is currently too hard. Currently is the key word in that sentence, you will get there if you keep building, it just might take a little longer than you hoped. Stick with it :+1:

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Lots of good advice here already, I am going to mention something that hasn’t been touch on yet by the others.

Ideally, your first songs on guitar should be something that excites you and that you aren’t going to get bored of right away after learning the basic progression and strumming patterns.

Something that is relatively simple to play in a basic way that is palatable for others to hear but isn’t sooo complicated that it is going to take you a year to get it down before you can play it in front of anyone else.

Justin refers to these songs as “growers” – in other words, a song that you can continue to add texture to as your skills progress over time.

Now, music tastes vary, but one example of a grower song for me was “Hey Joe” by Jimi Hendrix. It has a simple progression that is (realtively) easy to play in open position and (many) people will recognise that song when they hear it.

So, a relatively easy song to strum and sing that I can spend the next however long it takes me to master all of the other layers to that song if I decide I really really want to nail it.

Another great example is Bob Marley “3 Little Birds”. . .fairly simple chord strucutre but the skills required to play Bob’s version are a good way into intermediate level guitar playing.

Anyway, the most important thing for me is that the SONG has to make me want to play it. I can’t do a song i don’t dig just because it’s good for my guitar skills. . .I’m not built like that.

Si, take on board all of the other really great advice you seen from the other respondents to this thread and find a song that; first EXCITES YOU and; second, you can GROW your guitar SKILLS with.

Hope this is helpful. Welcome to the community. This is a great environment for learning!!

Enjoy the ride!!

J

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Just to expand on what others have said…
The song app is great as it’s a way to learn chord changes in a practical setting. Plus, even though it may be one strum per bar, you aren’t restricted to that. Think of it more as a signal to when the changes occur. Then just use whatever strumming pattern you want for the bars with that chord.
Justin’s lesson do go into other patterns to work on.

Another thing to look into is getting a Fake Book. These books have chord changes and basic melody for popular songs that musicians use to to improv over. They won’t necessarily have the tab for the chords, but they do mark the changes. You can find the tab for the chords elsewhere, and then use the info in the book to strum along with your favorite songs. Chord progressions are the basis for much of Western music, so learning to listen for the changes will make a good basis for more advanced stuff.

There are also sites that have tab for songs (of varying accuracy) like Songsterr. The free version has tab and a simple playback so you can hear what is should basically sound like.

Stan

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This seems a case where sticking to the program has it’s downsides. Find a simple song for your goal song to learn. I like ones with A E D as you can use Justin’s excellent anchor finger for these chords. Work on the one minute chord changes and then focus on the song. Then learn that song the easiest way you can do it, if it’s one strum per measure or two, doesn’t really matter. Get the song working in it’s simplest form. Then expand as needed. As Justin often says, there are no rules, so don’t feel you have to stick with the program if it’s holding you back in a particular area.

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I’ve been using the App for nearly 2 years now and while there are probably a lot of songs with very simple strumming patterns, I am finding plenty that use what Justin refers to as “Old Faithful” aa well as other variations. I also have his first 2 songbooks that others have mentioned, and one song I am playing is “What’s UP” and though I started with a simple strumming pattern I learned the 2-bar pattern from the songbook and am doing very well with it. What types of music do you like, perhaps those of us with the App can recommend a few songs with fancier strumming patterns for you?

And WELCOME to the Community!

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Hi there,

I have a similar story, played so awful like 15 years ago that my guitar sat in a garage and collected dust, then found Justin guitar inn 2020. I never tried fender play but I familiar with Dave Tran and zero to hero. I think Justin has better lessons.

My advice to learn a song is find a really basic one with 4-5 open chords. Don’t try to
Master something complicated. Like good riddance by Green Day for example can be played with 4 or so chords and a basic strumming pattern. Learn basics like the counts of beats per bar, basic down strums then fancy it up. Obviously choose something you like doesn’t have to be Green Day. You can always revise the song later with fancier strumming etc.

I have been doing Justin’s sos strumming course all year and it helps with dynamics.

Not an expert but playing something halfway decent while singing makes me happy. Of course some of my work sucks but I take the good with the bad and keep at it.

Forget the app for now. Google your favorite guitar tab and play your own version that sounds good to you.

Jeff
San Diego CA

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Jeff…

Let’s TRY to keep things “G Rated” here please…

:grimacing: :grimacing: :grimacing: :pleading_face: :pleading_face: :pleading_face: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

For sure! I think Justin does a WAY better job teaching (IMO)!

This :point_up_2: sums it up… having FUN & feeling happy with your playing is what it’s all about, at least for us amateurs.

Tod

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I was in the same situation when I started. Justin’s course is great because it’s so full of information but that can be overwhelming in the beginning. I Pulled back on learning finger picking and theory to concentrate solely on chord changes and learning songs. I started with my two best chord changes, G to D and learned songs with those two chords. Then I added E then A along with songs that had three then 4 chords. As my confidence grew I felt a renewed vigor in learning. Also don’t limit yourself to just this course, there are plenty of you tube teachers that just teach songs and sometimes a different voice can help a lot. Find one that supplement this course and fits your needs. Remember it is a journey, if it was easy everyone would play guitar.

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Phewww, thanks for all the replies everyone! :pray:t2:

Yeah, that’s definitely the feeling I’m having, good callout.

Oh yeah, I totally get the why they’re good. :smile: It was more the disconnect between “You should learn songs!” and how to actually put that action into practice and do it, given I couldn’t find an obvious “Go here and there are a bunch of tabs for you” next step.

An hour! Goodness. It’s meant to be a wet and miserable weekend this weekend here in Sydney so that’ll definitely be a good thing to tuck into. Hell of a playlist with all the rest of the videos there too!

Oh that looks perfect! …I don’t suppose there’s a digital version anywhere though? It seems to be all physical books, which always end up costing a MINT to ship to Australia.

…actually ignore that last sentence, after reading through the replies further down it looks like this is pretty much what Justin Guitar Tabs is?

Ah good to know!

Oooh, gotcha, okay, that looks like what I’m after.

And yeah, I’m kind of in a weird in-between position where I’m not good enough to play the original song for the most part, but I’m past the one-strum-per-bar thing, haha.

I saw the suggested practice routine yeah, I don’t think I saw anything about a schedule though… :thinking:

Ah hrm, interesting. I would have assumed the app was pretty much self-contained and covered everything that was needed.

Oh no, definitely not thinking I’d be able to play along exactly with the artist. :sweat_smile: I was just finding myself at a need-more-than-one-strum-per-bar and not sure where to turn for that.

Thanks for the encouragement!

Yeah for sure, learning CCR’s Bad Moon Rising on bass was exactly like that, I love the song and it’s so fun to play along with. :slight_smile:

Haha 100%, I’m the same with anything.

Ohhh that’s a great idea, and reminds me that I wanted to ask about it: I mentioned I’ve been learning drums too, and there’s a guy who put up a whole bunch of tracks on Bandcamp in all sorts of different styles that just don’t have any drum kit in them, so you can play along with them and make up your own drum arrangement as you go. It’s SO much fun, and has helped me immensely, is anyone aware of anything similar to that but I guess essentially a guitarless backing track?

The music I listen to is primarily metal, which I realise is a tall order for beginners and I wouldn’t expect to be playing early on. :sweat_smile: Otherwise, I love me some classic rock like the aforementioned Bad Moon Rising, really anything that just has a excellent beat and groove that I can tap my foot or bang my head to.

Cheers, I’m glad to be here!

Yeah 100%, that goes back to the “I don’t know where to find the tabs for these” complaint in my original post, haha. Now that I’m armed with the knowledge that Justin Guitar Tabs is a thing, I’ll see what I can find that tickles my fancy!

Yeah I actually just discovered that the strumming course even existed in the app a couple of weeks ago!

Haha absolutely, I just need a bit of a map on my journey at this point. :rofl:

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I saw the digital songbook on Apple book store if you have a Apple product. And on amazon (free shipping).

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you could also go over the slide deck but you’ll miss context (as I use slides to help me tell a story, not to stuff them with info)

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The moises app does what you are looking for 5 songs/month in free version.

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Oh yeah, I tried that out last year but didn’t end up subscribing. It’s probably a little more manual, but I already own Logic Pro and one of the recent updates actually added that same ability to generate individual tracks from an audio file! For a few of the songs I was learning on bass, I already had the audio file in my iTunes library anyway so ended up dropping that in, and now with the Justin Guitar Tabs I’ve just started playing along to the guitar for Bad Moon Rising too! :grin: I’ll have to learn the drums too then I can play the entire song myself with the exception of the vocals (and the guitar solo). :joy:

For those drumless backing tracks specifically, it was less “This is a cool song I want to learn to play” and more “Here’s some structure already for you, now add the drums as you see fit.”

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So, here is the recipe that I recommend for learning songs:

  1. Go to Justin’s Song page: https://www.justinguitar.com/songs. There are video tutorials for almost 800 songs. Find a song that you like and want to learn. You can filter on several different things: difficulty, genre, etc.

  2. Subscribe to Justin’s TABs. Each song in the above list has an associated TAB.

  3. Then just learn the song watching the video tutorial and following along with the TAB.

Easy.

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That’s one of my go to’s, if I’m having a bad practice, I end with this one, Easy chord progression and I use the Old Faithful strumming pattern, DDUUD Though in the bars with 2 chords I started with down strums only.

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