Playing the sounds in your head

[LukeGilmour]

Basically, this thread was born from another one i made, called "so, you take lessons?"

the question is very simple: "how can i play the sounds in my head?"
or, more precisely, what to practice to get there

this means either putting a melody that i created into the guitar, or, also, replicating whatever melody i can hear in a tune (be it a riff, chord, solo, whatever)

someone else told me, whatever you can hum, you should be able to play.
i find that difficult to achieve!!!

answers with specific excercises, books, lessons, webpages... would be very appreciated!

[Tele-Bob]

Re: Playing the sounds in your head

I would suggest starting with some 5 note ideas. (not scales)

Take something like:

E----------------------------------------
B----------------------------------------
G----------------------------------------
D----------------------------------------
A--------7-------8------------10--------
E----------------8-------------10-------

Now, find this 5 note idea every where you can on the neck. Do not put it into the context of a scale! it's just a group of notes that you can train your ear to hear.


Next, familiarize (if you haven't already) with the tones and intervals of this scale. Play the whole thing, then, play the first 5 notes back and forth. Next, start on the second note and play up 5 notes and down 5 notes. Now find those in several places on the neck, and so on.

E----------------------------------------
B----------------------------------------
G----------------------------------------
D--------7---------------9-----10-------
A--------7-----8---------------10-------
E---------------8--------------10-------

I know this seems very rudimentry but if you don't first train your ear to hear the sounds and intervals, it will be that much more difficult to recognize them which is exactly what your concern is.

The C major scale is where it's at man! Everything we play springs from it. Get to know it real well, (if you don't alrerady) Great things await!

[LukeGilmour]

Re: Playing the sounds in your head

thanks for that, ill give it a try.

i find that its much much harder on chords than it is on single notes thou.

anyone else have something that might be useful?

[DesertRat]

Re: Playing the sounds in your head

Buy an ear training CD, or use an ear training site on the web. Some sites are free.
Google: "ear training" and see what comes up.

[LukeGilmour]

Re: Playing the sounds in your head

Buy an ear training CD, or use an ear training site on the web. Some sites are free.
Google: "ear training" and see what comes up.

ive used many of those, including david burge relative pitch training, and some other programs. not sure they helped me a whole lot, i think i need something else. (they were useful for single notes but then it gets messy with chords)