Figuring out chords by listening

[Cheswick]

There's this kewl acoustic song on the show American Dreams. Anyways just wondering if some one could tell how to play it. It's pretty simple, just i'm not the best at identifying chords.

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/americandreams/American%20Dreams%20-%20Another%20American%20Folk%20Song.mp3

How do you go about figuring out songs?

thanks a bunch.

Peace

[Perfect4th]

Originally posted by Cheswick
How do you go about figuring out songs?

You can get any chord sound playing two note power chords along the 6th and 5th string and the 5th and 4th string. I'll play along those strings to find the basic changes for the chorus and verses.

Once I find the key (I determine that through the basic changes I find), I'll start open position chords in that key, with or without a capo (depends on the key, too complicated to explain here :) ). Sometimes the chords will be major or minor or seventh, just experiment till you find what's right.

The more you do this the better your ears will get to recognize matching pitches.

Peace!

[raptor_5618]

I am not the best at this but getting better after reading and getting a lot of advice from here. But here is my recent experience of what I learned here and applied to figuring out cords. The previous advise of playing power chords over the music really helps in figuring out the key you are playing. I usually keep a chart of the various chords that fit different keys. That helps me because it seems to me that a open d cord fits with everything

But if you get 2 cords that are clearly a match you can usually tell what key it is in. Also if you have some tabs on other songs by the group you will also notice that they have a tendency to play lots of their songs in certain keys and like to use certain cords. Of course not always true but for the groups I have practiced learning the chords by ear it seems to be pretty common.

Parts that are hard to figure out include when they play in a non standard tuning, change keys for bridge sections or sometimes just play a strange chord or a chord that really is not in that key but fits the song.

Also tune up with a good tuner right before you try this because if you are off the tune of the song you are listening to it might be hard to figure out as you will always sound a little off. Of course if you are off a half step from them you will be able to figure it out but you will be in a different key.

Lastly practice makes all the difference in training your ear. Oh one other thing that I have used is trying to find the chords on a song that I have the music too to see if I can get it right. But ultimately the key to me is figuring out what key they are playing in.