i listen to a song, pick up a guitar and i attempt to play it..how bout you?

for complicated historical reasons, i don't learn to play songs like that. but i tend not to play by ear. what i do is listen to a song, learn the melody, get the words written down, and then add my own chords. a lot of songs with quite complicated chords can often be played with much simpler chords. especially bob dylan, who always uses complicated chords, but being female there are a lot of chords i can't play, as my hand is too small. so i could never play a bob dylan song if i didn't find some simpler chords. it might be worth taking a song you like but can't play along to, and adding your own chords, that you can play, to it. just so you develop a new skill.

I started to play the guitar a couple of years ago, and just learned a couple of chords at the beginning and then took the effort to listen to a song myself and just work out what it should be on my own. I find that I can remember the songs easier if I do this as I had to work them out in the first place. I love playing the guitar as I can sing along to it without needing anyone else as a backing track. Therefore, you can just sing your heart out to your favourite song whenever you feel like it rather than having to wait around for other people to join you in your efforts.

Aww. I have definately done the same thing a few times when it comes to some things that interest me. I think that you should start out with practicing with easier songs. Once you start developing your skills it'll be easier for you to play those more difficult songs. It can be discouraging when you try to play something that's difficult and that's why you give up, because it's hard for you to play by ear. I think once you continue to try learning and developing your playing skills then that doesn't really say anything about you being a quitter. I've done the same thing even though I try to be a perfectionist. It happens when you try to do things beyond your skill level. My cousin has a guitar and she did the same thing as well, although she did learn a little. She kind of gave up but I think that's because she has other things to focus on. I think she would try to go back and learn it if she had the time.

Hi there friend, I don't know if this will be of any consolation to you but I also have the same problem as you, just that I play the piano. I feel bad that everytime when there's a nice song, I want to play it but like you, I end up giving it up after realizing there are hard parts and I really really do feel bad. One example is the Carpenters' song--'Yesterday Once More', it has a really nice melody and I really went to attempt it, tried with the left hand chords and managed to play like half the song but in the end, I still gave up. I don't know if I still want to play that song again but certainly, if this continues, I'm going to punish myself for giving up so easily, because in my heart, I really wanted to play nice songs and perform for my parents and possibly, my future girlfriend/wife..

There are songs that I really like to play on guitar. So what I usually do is check on the chords online. Then I will also research on the tabs of it. If I get used to it, I will also check the tutorial on you tube just to make sure that I have the exact sound. It is pretty satisfying once I'm done with that.

Wow, that's great! You can play the guitar. I always envy those who can play the guitar. I wanted to learn to play the guitar when I was still young but I really haven't tried it. I'm so amazed that you just learn to play it recently and now can even play a song using the guitar by merely listening to it. It's pretty cool. Somehow, your giving up on things and moving along to the next song when you find it hard is I think is a little bit reflection on the things you do in life. Well, almost everybody has his or her downside but every thing is not permanent in this world and life is a constant change so why not try to change. It's never too late, take the challenge this time and don't give up so easily, if others did it, so you can!

I too listen to songs. But I tried only once to play a music. its a music from the movie "3 idiots". I don't know whether you know about it or not.. the first tune from guitar, I thought I'll try to play. I don't have any musical instrument @ my home.. I tried to play from my friend's guitar. I could not play. and thats it, i never tried after that at all..!

when you start learning easier ones, get used with it, and can play well, then you can begin to play tougher ones, a little during beginning, then little more later, then you will be able to complete the song, then you would feel "it was not very tough anyway" Good luck, I am just mad about music!!!

i think if you feel the rhythm of the song you can play it easily. its sticks into your mind and you can play it. its not so easy to learn to play the guitar because of the diff chords.i think if you want to memorize all of it, find and pick diff songs that have diff guitar chords. by then you can memorize it easily by playing again and again. i am playing guitar too. and it works for me. hope it works for you =

I like people who are talented and play instruments, maybe because I also wants to learn but maybe it's not for me. and I think you gave up on hard to play notes because you are just still learning, but for sure if you know your every chords already it will be all hard songs you'll play and skip the easy chords.