PG Music Home Forums General Discussion Off-Topic How do you memorize chords to lots of cover songs without looking at sheet music....and without forg

Let me go all the way back to the beginning when I first started learning guitar. Lots of time spent learning the chords.

Music theory is really helpful.... but break it down to this.

Most songs are comprised of 3 chords, and a minor 6th on occasion. Learn them as 1, 4, 5, 6m then they can be moved to any key and it works. I started playing my guitar along with the radio. The 1,4,5,6m was really handy and soon, the songs became muscle memory that I could drive on autopilot.

Listen to the song, figure out if there's any "unique chords" other than 1,4,5 and write them down.

The more time you can put into this, especially at the beginning, the faster you will learn it and in many cases, you don't have to think about the next chord. Your body and subconscious already knows where you're going next. I've had many conversations on stage while in the middle of a song and never missed a chord.

Words are similar but different. Often, if you really like the song, you can learn it quickly. I, and others in our band, would use cheat sheets on the floor for the newer songs until they became second nature. Just the first line or a few words from the first line on a cue sheet on the floor. It's not a bad thing to have a music stand, just use a good one, and have the songs with chords and lyrics in a folder. As a solo act performer for a few years, I used that setup. Sure beats guessing at the keys and words in songs that you don't play often. Regarding the use of cue sheets..... You should know the songs well enough that you only have to glance at them occasionally and don't need to rely on them for the entire song. If you rely on them, learn the song better.
In spite of all the time spent learning lyrics and chords.... you will forget them at the most inopportune times. So, knowing how to make things up....fake it.... is a really helpful talent to have. One time, I drew a total blank on the next line.... no panic... I just sang a bunch of nonsense words that fit the rhythm and kept going. The correct words came back for the following line. Of course the band knew. Only one person in the audience commented. Her comment was something to the effect that if she didn't know the song, she'd have never known that I forgot the words. Don't panic, either keep quiet or make something up. Chances are good that the audience won't know. OR..... if the audience is singing.... let them sing for you. Heck... even tell them, Hey, help me out here, you sing this song. They will think it's audience participation and not that you forgot the words.

There's no such thing as "forever in your brain". If you don't use it, you will lose it. Hence the reason for cue sheets.

Regarding using a CAPO.... I have one or two of them around here and use them. I don't use them primarily for playing the song in familiar, easy chords while in a different key.... I use them to change the tonal quality of the chords in a song as part of the sound I'm looking for. I have spent the time to learn to play ALL the main chords on the guitar. That used to blow the minds of the young guitar slinger guys in the church band/orchestra. They always used a CAPO on Bb and Eb keys (and more) .... and write the CAPO'd chords so they could play the song. Me, I'd just play the Eb key's chords and go on with life and the song. Eb & Bb are common keys I think, because the wind and brass instruments tend to be made in those keys naturally.

I don't know if this is useful or the best thing since sliced bread.... just practice until it becomes second nature. Play along with the radio .... country & folk & bluegrass is easier than pop when doing this. Rock is good too.

In time it will become easy.