David's Tip of the Day: I'm lost... what do I do now? Part 3 (Learning a Song)

Once your song is selected, it's time to get to work and learn it. Use the standard method I outline in Blues Harmonica Fundamentals on the site....

1) Loop the lick (with a software program like the Amazing Slow Downer) and slow it down to a manageable speed

2) Listen once... sing/hum once... listen... sing/hum... rinse and repeat

3) Stop the playback and work with the transcription (music notation with TAB) to work out the breathing, movement and techniques associated with the lick until you can play it close to what's in your aural memory.

4) Play your loop again and listen once... play once... listen... play... rinse and repeat

Work with each lick until you have the first chorus dialed in. This first chorus is usually the theme of the song, called the head. Now jump to the last chorus, which is usually the head repeated (sometimes with some variation), and learn it. Most importantly your jumping to the last chorus to work the ending lick, which should be practiced often to ensure a high comfort level in performance (you'll be performing hand signals in the last four bars to signal the end, so you better have this down cold).

Then move on to learn each chorus until you can play the entire song at a slow tempo... if it's a shuffle, this could be 30% slow. Then challenge yourself to practicing it at 15% slow and ultimately the full tempo version. Don't practice to the jam track just as of yet... more tomorrow.