Hi all,

For years, I've struggled to remember the chords to pop songs. While I have the facility to read chord symbols and play them fluently - take the sheet music away and I'm toast lol

I have a friend whose fingers seem to go to the right chord simply by recalling the melody of a song he has listened to many times - even if he did not play it before....I WANT THAT SKILL... I've always felt there was a large genetic "natural talent" component involved. Note that he has not spend and inordinate amount of time with traditional "Ear Training" exercises.

Certainly part of it is due to the fact that he learned piano at an early age - which I think requires a deeper understanding of chords and harmony than does guitar (I expect some of you to disagree here - that's ok : )

For an analytical, memorization type of person like myself, I'm looking for the most efficient practice method to commit the chords to pop songs to memory so that the execution of the song takes almost no conscious thoughts - the fingers simply motorically know where to go next.

I'm wondering if this goal can only be done via motor practice (e.g. just do the same song over and over) - but I'm not sure that would help my fingers go to the right places when figuring out a new song by ear - a skill which I'd also like to acquire. Can both skills be acquired at the same time with the right practice routine ?

Thanks in advance,
Joe V.