How do you learn songs/solos

Hello-is there any tips or tricks to learning and remembering how to play a song or solo.
I can usually get the intro and verse and chorus,but really struggle with the solo,
I'm 65 and starting to think the the old brain is wearing out- lol.
Thanks

I'm quite new myself, but what I usually do when learning any riff or lick, is that I break it down into as small portions as possible learn to play those, then when I can play them, I try playing them in succession. Usually, this means learning one measure at a time, unless it's a simple riff or lick like the ones in the first part of the Rock Course Level 1 lessons.

Generally, I've learnt that breaking a melodic phrase down into the smallest reasonable parts possible is the most effective way to learn riffs or licks made by others. It also helps me learn to play the phrase perfectly, as I concentrate my attention on that one phrase and rarely put down the guitar until I can successfully play it at full speed without messing up 5 times in a row, unless it's sufficiently difficult, at which point just settle for learning how it goes and then move on and return to it every time I pick up the guitar...

Of course, the best way for you to learn can be different from the best way for me to learn, so telling you what the best way to learn riffs and licks is may be difficult.

I agree with Kasperow's suggestion.

I've been taking lessons from several different teachers for my other instrument and talking and listening to many other musicians for the last three years, and this is what they say, take it measure by measure, very slowly at first and making sure that you play each measure technically correct (at least most of the time, perfection takes a little longer so be reasonable...) and in time. Use a metronome, because music without correct timing is just noise. You will also be surprised how much easier it is to play well with a metronome. Tap your foot with the metronome, so that over time you will have the rhythm 'absorbed' into yourself and you can play the song rhythmically every time without the metronome, like a real pro :)

When you have nailed one measure, add another, and as you learn each measure, go back to review all preceding measures, then learn the next measure.

Before you know it, you have memorised the whole lot.

Remember to review the newly learned tune every day for the first week and then every other day, finally you will need to review it once every week. At this regular repetition stage, you should start to improve on your technique. Record yourself and let someone competent review it and provide you with feedback.

Don't make age an excuse for anything :D

Thanks for the tips and advise.Thats kind of what I was doing and you have reassured me.Many Thanks!!

Originally Posted by: StringybarkDon't make age an excuse for anything :D

Indeed. Age is just a number. If you let it be an excuse for anything, you'll be holding yourself back and you'll never really reach your goals.

one measure at a time works for me too. If it's a tough solo, even one note at a time just to make sure it's right. I used to wear out cassettes this way but now there are great tools, like Transcribe!, which lets you slow down a solo to 20% while staying in key. If you start with a high quality file, like a WAV, then you get good quality slow-plays. I used this to break down the Van Halen solo for the "You Really Got Me" lesson.

Thanks Neal!
How long does it take you to learn a song?

I had an interesting experience auditioning for a band and they wanted me to learn new songs on the spot. That's fine but I didn't write things down and ended up forgetting parts so I didn't get the gig. Afterwards I thought I should've been given the songs ahead of time or some kind of chart to play from. They weren't the right people for me to play with anyways but there are situations where you can learn quickly. As long as you know your chords and have something written down you can play along to a new song pretty fast. Riffs take a little longer but in general, the more you're practicing, the easier it is to pick up something new.

Originally Posted by: Neal Walterone measure at a time works for me too. If it's a tough solo, even one note at a time just to make sure it's right. I used to wear out cassettes this way but now there are great tools, like Transcribe!, which lets you slow down a solo to 20% while staying in key. If you start with a high quality file, like a WAV, then you get good quality slow-plays. I used this to break down the Van Halen solo for the "You Really Got Me" lesson.

I had an old slower downer (somethingsomething Guitar and Drum Trainer) but it got obsolete and stopped working. I just tried Transcribe! and it's awesome! It also works on videos. I will be sending them my cash. Thanks for the tip!

Back on topic, it varies for me with the song/solo. Sometimes I can get it in a couple hours or even less depending on complexity (or if I have a handy GT instruction vid!) Other times, I'll manage most parts and then fill in something I can do until I can get to the rest. Due to procrastination, that can happen over a longer period, even weeks, depending on how bad my substitutes are compared to original.

Sometimes I find the worst part is simply memorizing all the parts and where they go vs. being able to play them. When that's the case, I find it best to simply listen to the song (and not play) several times, looking for patterns or cues. What I call "loose" songs like TTH's New Orleans is Sinking, or Golden Earring's Radar Love are like that. Taking me a long time to memorize even though the licks are pretty simple.

I actually find shorter, more difficult solos easier to learn than song-long fill-fests :)

It is so important for me to have video instruction. I learn by seeing actually what is being done, to create a sound and how the fingering is being played. i have had interest in playing all my life. i have struggled with self taught books and tabs. My first breakthrough was watching videos on T.V., Of all the money i have wasted over the years, this site is the first sign of hope i have had in learning any song! As always i procrastinated with my logging on after having been a member for months, I ran across and old e-mail that brought me here to the site. was about to cancel until i looked around and seen what i was missing out on. I promise to start working out and loosing some of this bad waist of time. :cool:

I too have struggled with tabs. Some things I can figure out by ear, but my ability to do that seems fickle. Sometimes I'll be noodling around and a sequence of notes sound familiar and before I know it, I've figured out a lick or riff out of thin air. Other times, with the song playing, I can't figure out the notes for the life of me.

At first I thought the vidoes here were my lifeline. However, I find that sometimes I need to refer down to the tab, the tab I normally struggle with, to sort things out.

The magic of why guitar tricks works for me to learn something easily is the combination of the video and the accurate tab.

Now that I think about it, I've learned to break things down into really small chunks and work through it. Seeing first hand how that works, I'm curious to see how I do learning from a tab book again.

You're welcome Razbo, I love that program!

No problem oldrock1, I'm usually pretty good at picking stuff up. I can get the basic chord structure quickly and then it takes a little time to get the details down.

The more you learn songs and chord structure (nobody's reinventing the wheel!) the faster you recognize patterns and go "OH, it's one of these.."

You can reach all 12 notes within the first 6 frets of the E and A string so I usually noodle around there till I hear a match for the chord, and then learn the next one. :)

I'm no lead guitarist, so I haven't tried to tackle a solo yet. I imagine it would be quite difficult, lol. But for songs/rhythm, I either look up a tab and get the tuning (that's really the main thing. For example, most Motley Crue songs are in D Standard, etc.) and then kinda mess around til I figure it out.

I can read music, just not for guitar yet :)