How to Figure Out a Song by Ear

Have you ever wondered why some guitarists seem to be able to
figure out a song "by ear" with ease? This is a skill that anyone
can develop, but the guitarist with more experience will develop it
faster. Foremost in learning a song by ear is the simple commitment
to see the task through to completion. Sit down with your guitar
and CD player and determine that you will slowly break the song
down and learn it.

Learning the basic guitar chords will put you in a position of
strength for figuring out songs by ear. As you develop an
understanding of chords, you will come to recognize that the same
chord patterns are repeated over and over again in all of the songs
you listen to. With experience you'll learn which chords are most
often played in combinations together. Also, it will be helpful to
learn some basic music theory. Learning scales will be a big plus,
too!

Here is another tip: Follow the bass notes in the song you are
trying to learn! If the bass note is E, it is most likely the root
of the chord. The chord will likely be E major, E 7 or E minor.
Learn to listen for the changes--and the timing of the changes.
Bite off a little piece at a time and analyze each little segment
of the song. If you are willing to commit to this, everything will
come together! As you gain more experience learning songs by ear,
the process will become much easier for you, and it will take you
less time to learn a new song. The more songs you learn, the larger
your frame of reference will be for learning the next one you wish
to tackle.