I need musical advice

[Racheldiva]

My problem is as follows:
I have written songs which I would ultimately like to play for people. I can strum the necessary chords on the guitar (badly at the moment, but I'm practising as much as my day-job will allow). But the issue is for some reason I can't remember the chord patterns.
My partner thinks I'm very strange, not being able to remember what I've written, but the moment I've written the piece and have closed the folder, I don't even remember what key it's in! It's just a total blank. :eek:
My memory is pretty naff anyway, but I was wondering if anyone out there has a good memory aid or idea that I could use to help me remember what I've written.
Thanks! :o

[Des]

Sure Rach, learn the chords backwards. That way you will never forget them:D

Des
x

[Racheldiva]

a?
how does that work then?:confused:

[Des]

It worked for me when learning to sing the fiddly trills on 'Il Mio Tesoro'. It was something my singing teacher showed me how to do.

I've since used this method with the guitar and piano. It sounds harder then what it is. But the objective being, that the mind-set never wants to play anything backwards, so the subconscious maintains that you remember playing/singing it the correct way.;)

[Racheldiva]

Des, are you a fellow opera singer?! :eek: My (Italian) Treasure?!

It sounds a freaky method that might be just mad enough to work. Thanks, I'll give it a go in the next few days.

[Des]

Why yes Rach, although I’ve never liked to brag about being a failed Lyric Tenor. There aren’t many of us left, and those who are left are now gardeners.:rolleyes:

I hold the same bitterness shared by Ottavio towards Giovanni. I too had to ‘andate a consolar’.

Back to the backward remembering method, I thought it was really painstakingly pointless when I first had to use it. But it really can work.

Good luck
Des
x

[Racheldiva]

I'm a failed dramatic mezzo myself, but enough of my problems. Actually I gave up all the training when I started working in London. It was so painstaking, time consuming and fiddly - drove me mad in the end. I now have a problem with allergies which has messed up my low voice and what's a mezzo with no low voice? Nuffin, that's what :(
Rant rant rant, moan moan moan ..

[DaveM]

Rachel....I have had something of the same problem. I have written several (mediocre) songs, but as I can't read music, I have to fumble out the melody on the guitar and then try to fit chords around it. With enough repetition, something eventually emerges that I can remember, but there's no way I can ever write down anything more detailed than the chord progression.

First time in my life I wish I'd paid more attention in high school music class.

[Racheldiva]

Yes Dave, I know what you mean. I just write down the chord progression and have the melody in my head.
I spoke to an good guitarist about it tonight and he reckons it's because I don't know my instrument well enough yet, so I guess it's time to practice practice practice!

[Wandering Man]

My problem is as follows:
I have written songs which I would ultimately like to play for people. I can strum the necessary chords on the guitar (badly at the moment, but I'm practising as much as my day-job will allow). But the issue is for some reason I can't remember the chord patterns.

My memory is pretty naff anyway, but I was wondering if anyone out there has a good memory aid or idea that I could use to help me remember what I've written.
Thanks! :o

Rachel...

First off...great photo album!

Secondly, don't lose hope. I have two suggestions: 1) write the chord progressions down on paper if you know how; and 2) whether or not you wrote something down, record yourself so you can hear it over and over and get familiar with your song. I'm one who plays mostly by ear...and if you feel you are somewhat the same, then you really should invest in a digital recorder and cheap microphone. Then whenever you are writing or learning a new song, be sure to record it. When I'm in the mood and I'm just playing the guitar, I turn on the recorder to capture everything my fingers are doing...then if I hear something that I like...I have it recorded. I can go back to it and listen to it again and then take it further. If you don't write it or record it, it will be gone forever.

Good luck and keep playing and writing!!!

Mark :D

[Racheldiva]

Thanks Mark, that's great advice! ;)

[Mike UK]

Rachel: from one guitarist to another ... I agree, Mark's advice certainly is great!

And just in case you don't know (but you probably do!), Mark opened for Janis in four of her shows earlier this year. Here's an extract from one of his postings:

-------------------------

I can't play every venue I guess...as much as I'd like to.:) But Janis did ask me to join her for 4 shows. So I was fortunate enough to play some great venues (Rams Head, Kussmaul Theater, Birchmere, and the TFFM show in VA Beach). It seemed to just get better and better with each show.

What I really enjoyed (beside playing for some great audiences) was to sit back and relax every night after my set was over and watch Janis work her magic. It was nice to be able to enjoy the show as a fan and a student. I felt somewhat like one of those lucky athletes who get to compete during the first few days of the Olympics, so they can then chill out and enjoy the rest of the weeks' events and activities without the stress of the competition ...

Mark

----------------

So ... go for it, Rachel budding Diva!

Mike :)

[DaveM]

Has anyone ever heard of the "Nashville Number System" (I think that is what it is called)? It is some form of greatly simplified musical notation originally created for early country singers, many of whom could not read music. Supposedly easy to learn, but I've never been able to learn anything about it.

[Bat]

Click here: The Nashville Number System Explained

Since you had the name right, it was a simple matter to...you got it!...
Google it!!

[Chet]

Bat

Is this what you wanted to link to?

The Nashville Number System (http://www.nashvillenumbersystem.com/)

That's the official web site - the URL is even www.nashvillenumbersystem.com - how easy can it get? - and it's #1 on the list returned by google. Yes, I googled, too.

Then, the #2 site listed is actually called The Nashville Number System Explained (http://www.ducksdeluxe.com/nashvillenumbersystem.html).

Rachel - that's two sites for you to check out. There's even a nice graphic (that I randomly selected from 3 pages of graphics returned by google):

http://digitalmedia.oreilly.com/images/oreilly/digitalmedia/2005/07/nashville_num_chart.gif

[Dee]

I have two suggestions: 1) write the chord progressions down on paper if you know how; and 2) whether or not you wrote something down, record yourself so you can hear it over and over and get familiar with your song.

Basically that's what I do too, Mark. I play only chords, so there's no fancy fingering to remember. I was blessed with a very un-mathematical brain. LOL Melodies I usually recall easily, but if I am in the process of writing a new song, I find recording a big plus.

[Racheldiva]

That's great, thanks everyone.;)

[DaveM]

Leave it to me to never think of Google....

[Wandering Man]

Bat

Is this what you wanted to link to?

The Nashville Number System (http://www.nashvillenumbersystem.com/)

That's the official web site - the URL is even www.nashvillenumbersystem.com - how easy can it get? - and it's #1 on the list returned by google. Yes, I googled, too.

Then, the #2 site listed is actually called The Nashville Number System Explained (http://www.ducksdeluxe.com/nashvillenumbersystem.html).

Rachel - that's two sites for you to check out. There's even a nice graphic (that I randomly selected from 3 pages of graphics returned by google):

http://digitalmedia.oreilly.com/images/oreilly/digitalmedia/2005/07/nashville_num_chart.gif

A fellow singer/songwriter in the DC area (Steve Key) wrote a song about the Nashville number system. Fun!

[Wandering Man]

Rachel: from one guitarist to another ... I agree, Mark's advice certainly is great!

And just in case you don't know (but you probably do!), Mark opened for Janis in four of her shows earlier this year.

Thanks for the plug Mike! :D What a BLAST it was too!

[Bat]

Yep, you got it, Chet...thanks for bringing up the links.