Learning new songs from tapes, CDs or in live situations will become second nature to you as you progress through this songbook. It requires only that you understand the chord number system and have the ability to concentrate on listening for the tonic note of the song (key).

Listen for the tonic note

The tonic note is the first note of the scale in each key. It is also the note on which the most important tonic chord or I (one) chord is built. Once you have determined the tonic note of the song , then you can build, or play, the tonic chord (the one chord) and become grounded in the key the song is arranged in.

Once you have determined the key, you can refer to the chord chart to assess your options as to which other chords might be used in the song.

How do you determine the tonic note?

The tonic note of a key is the note that the melody is based on. Although it is true that the melody does not necessarily have to begin with the tonic note, more often than not (about 98% of the time) the melody of the song will end on the tonic note. The very last note of the song will tell you in which key the song is played. It will be the tonic note.

Try humming the note as you go up and down the fretboard on the 6th, 5th or 4th string. Once you have found the tonic note, play the chord that is built on that note. This will be your I (one) chord. You are now ready to begin exploring the various options in the chord progression.

Keep your capo close by. The tonic note may turn out to be something like a C#. Placing the capo at the 1st fret and playing the chords in the key of C major will put you in C#.

If your guitar is in standard tuning, be aware that the motor speeds of some cassette tape recorders will be different from one machine to the next causing the notes on the tape to be slightly sharp or flat to your instrument. You may find yourself in between notes.

If this is the case you must tune to the track (the song on the tape recorder). This may take some practice but it is not hard to do. Find the closest tone to the tonic note. Then, through trial and error adjust the string tension (tune the string) to the tape until that note sounds the same. Stop the tape and tune the remaining strings to the string you just tuned.

When your guitar is tuned to the tape, resume playing along. You may have to "fine tune" for several minutes until you are in tune with the track. Once you are in tune to one track on the tape you should be in tune with the entire tape. Be aware, however, that if you are using batteries, once the batteries begin to lose their potency the tape motors will begin to slow down causing the tracks to sound flat to your guitar.