cant play big love

session savage

I play the guitar as a 2nd instrument. mostly ballads, some handy finger picking but nothing too extravagant. Anyway I was trying to learn lindsey buckinghams big love and I just cannot for the life of me get it. Its the thumb that I cant get right. I have tried several times to teach this to myself but I just cant figure it out. all my fingers get confused and run into each other like fat drunk sausages.
Question is, do ye think it would be worth while looking for someone to teach me that one song? and if so.... is there anyone in tipp who can teach me that song

Any pointers welcome.
Thanks folks

Spoonman75

I just checked out a video of Lindsey playing it and it looks very busy fret work for both left and right hands. I presume you're learning this from tabs and not by ear. I suggest you get the rhythm of the piece first. And start off slowly. I took a look at the tab for this piece and the rhythm seems relatively easy to count out. It's basically alot of sixteenth and quarter notes. No rest notes that I can see. Not wanting to discourage you but is it a piece that could be slightly beyond you're reach?
I think it's quiet a challenging piece, even for a seasoned player.

There could be lessons on YouTube for this song. I haven't checked.

firefly08

Its the thumb that I cant get right. I have tried several times to teach this to myself but I just cant figure it out. all my fingers get confused and run into each other like fat drunk sausages.

Sounds to me like a sure sign that you're not doing it slowly enough. Sometimes you have to slow things down to what seems like silly speeds to get it right - but however slow you need to go to play it correctly, that's the right speed for you to practice it at, for now. And I mean even if that means 1 note every few seconds - no kidding. Don't worry - you won't be playing it that slowly for long.

Getting the rhythm down first as Spoonman75 suggested is definitely the way to go - try learning to play just the thumb part. After a while it'll be obvious where the other notes go.

But do it slowly.

Spoonman75

firefly08 wrote: »

Sounds to me like a sure sign that you're not doing it slowly enough. Sometimes you have to slow things down to what seems like silly speeds to get it right - but however slow you need to go to play it correctly, that's the right speed for you to practice it at, for now. And I mean even if that means 1 note every few seconds - no kidding. Don't worry - you won't be playing it that slowly for long.

Getting the rhythm down first as Spoonman75 suggested is definitely the way to go - try learning to play just the thumb part. After a while it'll be obvious where the other notes go.

But do it slowly.

+1

Focus on your left hand to finger the chords. This is your base. Memorise it.
Your right hand is picking the melody. Take it from there.

session savage

Thanks lads,
Ill keep at it.
I do find it hard to play really slowly particularly I find it hard to keep a proper rhythm at a slow pace?? go figure.
It may be beyond my abilities to be fair but I'll keep at anyway.
gods loves a trier right?:P
thanks

Ostrom

session savage wrote: »

Thanks lads,
Ill keep at it.
I do find it hard to play really slowly particularly I find it hard to keep a proper rhythm at a slow pace?? go figure.
It may be beyond my abilities to be fair but I'll keep at anyway.
gods loves a trier right?:P
thanks

Get yourself a metronome and try really hard to resist the urge to speed up - it takes a lot of discipline to stick to the slower tempo, but it will pay off. Eventually when you get it up to speed, every pattern and change will sound smoother.

Gaspode

There was a thread on this before: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=65316159 and some useful tips were brought up.
Personally I gave up fairly quickly on it, might have another go now!