In this video
This Monday stream was all about ear training and working out songs by ear using a five-step approach: fretboard knowledge, melody, harmony, rhythm, and musicality. I started with "2468 Motorway" by Tom Robinson Band - a classic 145 song in the key of A. The key was identifying it uses A, E over G#, and D, with that walking bassline changing the chord names.
I demonstrated how the same three-chord progression can be played multiple ways across the fretboard - power chords, open chords, barre chords, or using the CAGED system. The melody uses A major pentatonic, which I showed is just as important to learn as the chord progression itself.
For Travis songs, I tackled "Driftwood" and "Flowers in the Window." Both use similar melodic ideas but in different keys. "Driftwood" is in A with that distinctive lead line that sounds like Smashing Pumpkins' "Today." "Flowers in the Window" is in C and uses that emotional minor four chord (D or D7) before resolving back through F and G - the same trick used in "Don't Look Back in Anger."
I explained how to separate pitch from tone when listening - focus on the fundamental frequency, the lowest note you can hear, rather than getting distracted by effects like delay and reverb. Demonstrated this with the organ, bass, and guitar parts in "2468 Motorway."
Finished with "Falling Slowly" to demonstrate harmony - how the female vocal harmonises a third above the male vocal melody. Also covered Thin Lizzy's dual guitar harmonies where one note stays the same while the other moves, creating that classic sound.