Week 18: learn it in chunks

Week eighteen of a 32-week guitar practice path: learning the piece you chose by ear, two bars at a time, the way week 13 taught.

Week
18 of 32
Days
7
Played as
blues or rock

Week 17 deliberately learned no notes. This is the week they arrive, and the method is the one that already worked in week 13: two-bar chunks, sung before they are hunted for, joined to the chunk before. Four bars you can play properly beats sixteen you can approximate.

The order is the same in both tracks and it is not arbitrary. The head or the riff first, because it is usually why the piece exists. Then the changes underneath, checked against the map you counted last week. Then one phrase of the solo learned exactly, bends and timing included, because the feel is most of what you are copying. What you own at the end of the week is the whole shape with holes in it.

Blues treatment

Learn it in chunks: the head by ear, the changes under it, one phrase of the solo

Your choice of keyShuffle · ♩=76Learn it in chunks

Week 17 took the piece apart without playing a note of it. This is where the notes arrive, and the method is the one week 13 already used: work in two-bar chunks, sing each chunk before you hunt for it, and join it to the one before. Four bars you can play properly beats sixteen you can approximate.

Then the changes underneath, worked out by ear and checked against the map you counted last week — if a chord and the bar count disagree, it is usually the count that is wrong. Finish with one phrase from the solo learned exactly: the pitches, the bends, the timing and the vibrato, because the feel is most of what you are copying. What you have at the end of the week is the whole shape with holes in it, which is nearly a piece.

The daily session · ~26 min

  1. Warm upHands, then two bars by ear4 min
  2. The head, two bars at a timeBy ear, no tab5 min
  3. The changes underneathChords, against your map6 min
  4. Lift one phrase of the soloNote for note6 min
  5. Jam, join the chunks upAs much as you have5 min

Check yourself

Reference

Rock treatment

Learn it in chunks: the riff by ear, the chords under it, one phrase of the solo

Your choice of keyStraight · ♩=84Learn it in chunks

Week 17 took the song apart without playing a note of it. This is where the notes arrive, and the method is the one week 13 already used: work in two-bar chunks, sing each chunk before you hunt for it, and join it to the one before. Get the palm muting and the rhythm to match, not only the pitches — in a rock riff those are half the song.

Then the chords underneath as power-chord roots, checked against the running order you wrote last week. Finish with one phrase from the solo learned exactly, bends and timing included; it probably lives in a box you already know, just up or down the neck. What you have at the end of the week is the whole shape with holes in it, which is nearly a song.

The daily session · ~26 min

  1. Warm upHands, then two bars by ear4 min
  2. The riff, two bars at a timeBy ear, no tab5 min
  3. The chords underneathRoots, against your map6 min
  4. Lift one phrase of the soloNote for note6 min
  5. Jam, join the chunks upAs much as you have5 min

Check yourself

Reference

How the week runs

Whichever accent you pick, the material stays the same for all 7 days and the tempo and intent move. Day one takes it slowly, day two chases clean notes, day three brings it to target tempo and into the jam, day four pushes past comfortable, and day five drops back to tempo to record and listen. Days six and seven are yours.

You can switch accent any day without losing your place — it is the same week either way, so week 18 means the same thing in both.

Start today's sessionSee the whole path