Elderly Woman--Why can't I play it?

jambayleaf

Granted I'm still a beginner (almost a year), but I can play other songs pretty well, simple ones like Betterman, Long Road, Dead Man, and all the power chord songs, but people always say Elderly Woman is a great beginner song. I cannot for the life of me get the strumming down or something. Anyone else have this problem? Or should I just give up? It sounds like if you can't play elderly Woman, you might as well lay the axe down.

thelouderthebetter

I just listened to it.

It's not in 4/4 time like most songs. It's in 3/4 time. Like a waltz.

Try counting 1,2,3,1,2,3,1,2,3,1,2,3
instead of 1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4

MissYouAllDay

I can't play it either same problem!!!. The strumming just never seems right!!

I gave up on it but I can also play other songs decently.

I have been playing for 8 months or so so I'm in about the same situation. And do you only play 1 stroke of d at the start then go to the G variant. The whole thing just doesn't work out for me

thelouderthebetter

ONE two three ONE two three ONE two three ONE two three

You'll get it, and it'll be a revelation.

jambayleaf

Maybe that will help. I'll dick with it tonight and see if I can get it. If you know what a G variant is, you're doing better than me. It's just funny that even giventowail.com says it's an easy one for beginners, and I know I'm still a beginner, but it fucks me up every time I attempt it.

MissYouAllDay

if it makes you feel any better I can't play betterman.

Do you play RITFW?

it rules and I love playing it. No to hard either

jambayleaf

Yeah, RITFW is pretty easy, nice one to play when you can't think of what to do next.

pariah

Confessions? Ah...

I still can't play the RVM main riff in one tempo for more than thirty seconds...:(

exhausted

Originally posted by pariah
Confessions? Ah...

I still can't play the RVM main riff in one tempo for more than thirty seconds...:(

same here. one of those things i'll never be able to do.

casper leblanc

Riffs I can't get the rythm down (and keep it that way):

Once, Go, Even Flow, Animal,...

It's Stone, Stone is the problem...

jambayleaf

Everything is Stone's fault.

exhausted

i can't play anything stone does. nothing. the man is from mars.

uninnocent

stone's grooves may be the hardest to play but they are the greatest riffs to ever hit the face of 90s rock.

but not being able to play his songs is most certainly stone's fault. blame stone.

casper leblanc

It's been Stones fault from the very beginning. Blame it on the überduck with the meanest edge in guitar history. It was Stone...

pariah

And now for something positive...

I finally nailed the Animal riff a couple of weeks ago! Rejoice!!
That really is an amazing riff... it rocks, it rolls, it bounces, it funks, it swings, and it's my absolute favourite thing to play!! hail Stoney!

jambayleaf

Congrats! I'll try that one too, when I fail miserably at Elderly Woman.

WiLL75

All I can say is that with practice and time you will be able to learn those songs. Some people get some songs right away, others it takes some time. Just relax and have patience AND fun.

May The Force Be With You

jambayleaf

Well, I'm reporting that Elderly Woman still eludes me. The chords sound right, but the timing is way off. Oh well.

lostdawg

Don't give up ,JBL, sometimes the simplest songs turn out to be anything but! I have a few friends who are in cover bands and when I try to get them to cover a PJ tune, they will say something like" it's not challenging enough" or , my personal favorite,"no one will know it." Imagine that!Then, when they do one after much badgering on my part, they find out that people liked it!! Surprise, surprise! There is (almost) no better feeling then working on a song and then you nail it-you'll wonder what took you so long to get it!Good Luck!

jambayleaf

Thanks for the encouragement, man. I suck, but I'll get it.

lostdawg

You're welcome-I've been dickin' around with my guitar for around 10 years for my own enjoyment( that's what it's all about) and I still get pumped when I figger out a riff or a bridge that's been eluding me !Play till yer fingers bleed!

nfmessiah

Actually, singing small town is how i keep the timing right when playing it. try it.

jambayleaf

"So wwwhhyyyyyyy
yyyy yyyy
yyyy yyyy
yyyy yyyy

can't I play it!


Sorry, bad attempt at irony.