Lesson 3: The Needle and the Damage Done Part 1

I was convinced this was a fine third lesson song. More advanced, but one can just leave out all the fancy stuff and still have a pretty good song to sing.

Watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwsJJAqMyfA to see Neil Young actually play it. I'm trying to do my best to approximate what he's doing in this version. Learn the chords and the notes here but then watch him to see how to put it together. That's the best way to do it. Practice, figure it out, but then listen carefully.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• guitar
• lesson
• neil
• young
• talentless
• note
• runs

[jamesblackburnlynch]

I disagree. I actually, as I said, could have used the chord names, but that would not help. Many people mistake memorization of names as some kind of knowledge that will help. It won't. Those names are only good when you are fluent in them.

For the beginning guitar player, saying "this thing" is much better than saying Dsus2 or the like. All that will do is hide how simple the chords are under complicated names.

People make the same mistake when learning math.

[richardd2063]

Yea, what i meant was, lots of people seem quite hung up on the theory and finer points and sometimes even seem to relish expounding deep and complicated theory just to perhaps elevate themselves but of coarse the chords themselves are only as difficult as your fingers and mind will allow, but learning a riff or tune from someone neednt be long winded...

[thomas221100]

a little theory is great if you plan to improvise or switch the song up without having to try like 5 different notes to get the one you want

[besheba]

at any rate, back to Neil...I also like his "Long May You Run" version of MTV Unplugged.

:)

[besheba]

@besheba The problem with his chronically being off by 1, 2, (or 10 as the case may be) was that he truly began to believe he stunk and stopped trying. When I found a way that worked for him, he got better and felt more motivated. I just received his report card. On effort, he scored a 4 (exceeds standards). On "scores indicate a good grasp of concepts and skills" a 2+ (partially meets) and in "able to apply math in diff. contexts" also a 2+. It's more about passing a test now sadly.

[besheba]

@jamesblackburnlynch With most basic chords, yes, I memorized. Other notes I eventually memorized by playing (single string notes and riffs). I am a person who needs to follow directions before I can have an "a ha!" moment. Once I memorized where my fingers had to go for chords, it became easier to learn different riffs. I agree about practicing something wrong. That's the biggest issue I had with my son and math. Until he was ready to accept a different way, he got the wrong answer.

[jamesblackburnlynch]

@besheba Yep, as I said in my videos, we need understanding first, and then practice. They both matter. But practicing something that is wrong isn't of any use.  I've done it for years on the tennis court. Then not only do you have to learn how to do something right, you have to unlearn how not to do something wrong.

By the way, did you really memorize any of that consciously or did you memorize it without effort just because you did it?

[besheba]

@jamesblackburnlynch Ah yes, I understand your point; however,  if I didn't memorize the sound of each chord as it relates to where I place my fingers, or if I skipped around learning the actual chords without solid practice in mastering them, I'd have given up long ago. Seriously. I learned because I loved it and I followed the directions that my ear told me consistantly and practiced "the boring stuff" constantly until I "got it." There really is value in that - it's perserverance.

;-)

[jamesblackburnlynch]

@besheba I'm sure you could too. That's why I think it's overrated and learning by ear is the key. In fact, as long as you and I are discussing this, this is exactly my point about math education. Many people teach and learned math as if they were playing an instrument by memorizing where their fingers go and what to do with their right hand. But they NEVER actually listen to what they are playing. So, if they make a mistake they don't even notice. Years down the road, it's all mistakes.

[besheba]

@jamesblackburnlynch Oh I'm sure I could teach myself how to do it (much like I did EDM LOL)...but, after 30-ought years of playing by ear, I'll admit it: I'm lazy ha ha...as far as playing a Bach prelude after hearing it once - oh, noooo...it takes me a lot more than once to pick it out. :) It boils down to time, practice makes perfect (and the ability to love guitar enough not to hurl it against a wall.. :D The beauty of youtube is not having to record it on tape and hitting rewind repeatedly.

[jamesblackburnlynch]

@besheba Oh cmon! Math is THE universal language. From culture to culture, it's all the same. Music varies immensely. Now math programs.,..they clearly are not universal.

You can say learning by ear is overrated, but you can do it. I can read music and understand the theory and I think it's totally overrated. I'd trade it for a good ear any day. Especially an ear that would allow me to play a Bach prelude after hearing it once.