Tone Deaf

chuckpalian · #1 April 8th, 2007

I've taken lessons from people who can tune the guitar by ear and play anything by ear. I'm lost without a tuner and tab. Will PT change any of that?

Kirk Lorange · #2 April 8th, 2007

If you're saying that you're tone deaf, chuckpalian, I'm not sure any book will help. PT teaches some basic theory, a way to think about music and how music applies to the fretboard. If you're having trouble hearing music, I'm not sure what to suggest other than just keep learning through tab and other means and really listening hard to what's coming out of the guitar.

chuckpalian · #3 April 8th, 2007

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll get PT anyway. Sounds great.

picassov7 · #4 April 8th, 2007

hey Chuck,

i know that you original question was about planetalk and if it could help, but i just wanted to drop my two on tone deafness.

i had my first guitar some 13 years ago. i took a couple of lessons and just was determined that i could not hear the tones. i couldnt tune a guitar and i definitely could pick out any chords

so needless to say, i gave up on it really quickly.

it has always been something that i really regret though. one day i was bored and surfing the internet when i stumbled on an article (through this website

) on tuning. it explained that to tune a guitar you listen for the beats, i.e. when you pluck the two strings that you want to tune you will be able to hear a beat from it (kinda a wawawawa thing). the closer they are to being in tune then the slower the beat becomes. so i gave it a shot and what do you know it worked

because of that discovery i got a cheap acoustic and have been playing on it since. and slowly, but surely i am starting to hear the notes, chords, rhythms, etc.

so i guess what im trying to say is that sometimes we just need to step back and take a fresh look at the problem. it took me 13 years to do so, but in the end i am still very happy about the results. i will see if i can find that article and post the link for you. good luck and keep on rockin.

chuckpalian · #5 April 9th, 2007

Thanks for the reply. I'm still trying to figure out if this is a God given talent or you can actually learn it. Hope you can find the article. Thanks again.

picassov7 · #6 April 10th, 2007

well here's the link.
http://users.adelphia.net/~cygnusx_1...mperament.html

this is using harmonics and beats to tune your guitar to equal temperament, but you can tune normally at the 5th frets (except the g string at the 4th) and use this same theory. i think it isn't quite as accurate though.

chuckpalian · #7 April 10th, 2007

Thanks. I'll check it out.

felixdcat · #8 April 14th, 2007

Well, I'm note really good at the job, either, but, it comes with time. I remember how I would always "outtune" the guitar at the beginning, but I improved. You just find a way to hear stuff, you'll see. (and the time isn't a lot - maybe a month or smt)

eCowboy · #9 April 14th, 2007

Hi Chuckpalian,

Just my 2 cents on your comment about whether playing is a God given talent or if it can be learned. Without being too philosophycal, I do believe that true talent is "God given" but if you have the manual dexterity to manipulate the instrument, you can learn to be a decent musician and have fun doing it. I was a bass player in a former life and had absolutely no "God given" talent plus I am tone deaf. I can't sing and can't pick up a tune by ear but I always had someone in the bands that I played in who took the time to work with me and help me with the more difficult bass lines. Anyone who listened to our music could not detect any of my short comings because I played well without possessing any true talent.

felixdcat · #10 April 14th, 2007

You don't need talent, you need PRACTICE.

chuckpalian · #11 April 14th, 2007

Thanks for the advice.

Where are you in Croatia? Supposedly my grandfather came from there. I hear it's a good place to retire.

chuckpalian · #12 April 14th, 2007

I notice you're from Virginia. My guitar teacher when I was in the Army in Germany plays the clubs in the Alexandria area - Ed Shaffer.

I've memorized the songs he's showed me. I'm trying to advance beyond that and be able to figure things out by ear.

eCowboy · #13 April 14th, 2007

I am from the western edge of Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. It is nice to be able to play by ear but I cannot do that to this day. I started playing bass when I was 14 years old and I am now 53 so I gave up hope on that long ago but I certainly did not let it stop me. You have a nice advantage today that I did not have in the 60's when I started and that is the enormous data base of "tabs" out there that can help you learn just about any song you desire.

felixdcat · #14 April 14th, 2007

I'm from capital of Croatia - Zagreb. Yeah, this is a great place to live, especially at the coast