[the-old-coach]

One tool I have used to pick up patterns is the TAB music on sites like Ultimate Guitar, E-Chords, etc.

They of course show all the chords in a song you are playing (along with).

Study those chord tabs– they will ALWAYS have a repeated pattern through the song.

Of course, the “chorus” sections might be different from the “verse” sections– but still the patterns are pretty easy to pick up on.

A lot of the time– (on a simpler song- on a four-line verse, we’ll say)- it seems like it’s:

Line 1— 4 chords/ Line 2— repeat/ Line 3— repeat most of the chords- (but there may be a minor chord in there)/ and Line 4— most of not all of the same chords in Lines 1 & 2.

This very simplistic and certainly not always the case.

I just scribble down those first couple lines’ chord arrangements, add in the minor third line, scribble down the same thing for the Chorus’. Then, turn on the song- (and assuming I at least partially “know” the song in the first place)- turn off the TAB-page and play away just off my scribblings. After a few times thru, maybe it sounds pretty good- and I now know- (or are reminded of)- some of the lyrics!. All I have then, most of the time anyway, is maybe 4-6 different chords scribbled down in the right “order”. Give it a try for yourself with an old 4 or 5-chord Creedence song- (maybe “Stuck in Lodi Again”).

Anyway- that’s one way this simple mind uses to recognize patterns– and yes– they are ALWAYS there in a song.

Simply, simple-minded–

the old coach