# Stairway to Heaven



## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

Wow, this song is so out of my comfort zone! I find finger picking so difficult. You really have to nail those bar chords perfectly. My question is, could this be possibly hybrid picked instead or should I just suck it up and learn the finger picking? I find that the tips of both hands are hurting(tolerable though) after just practicing the intro for about an hour. This is a skill level
above what I usually play. It's good though to get right out of your comfort zone. I have given myself about 1 month to learn this song so I am not overwhelmed with the rest of the stuff I have to learn and play. I have set up what I think to be a really efficient practice schedule playing for roughly 2 hours per day/7 days a week. Saturdays are my fun day where I just play what I want to. Just eat a cookie an jam to my hearts content.

Sid the kid's voice was meant for this song! I want to do him and the song justice.


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## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

I originally learnt it fingerstyle and then played it pick/fingers. I think it is a good exercise to develop your fingerstyle chops and also the calluses on your right hand. I played that song so many times in my youth that i just got sick of it but it is a great song to learn and make sure you learn the solo which is a masterclass in pentatonics. 

My youngest son has learned it as well - it is a masterpiece of a song that is still relevant and leaps from one generation to the next.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

I suggest learning it fingerstyle, but if it's your first fingerstyle piece you'll be in for some work as it's not an entry level piece. 

Not a week goes by that I don't teach STH. I'm tired of it but it's been very good for business.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I had to teach it once, and i didnt know it beforehand. I was in high school, and i did what I could. I think we evenually moved to a great big sea tune.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Budda said:


> I had to teach it once, and i didnt know it beforehand. I was in high school, and i did what I could. I think we evenually moved to a great big sea tune.


I'm sorry to hear about the Great Big Sea tune, although STH has always been a tune that I never thought was as great as it was made out to be.


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## fretboard (May 31, 2006)

Might be easier to learn Taurus by Spirit first...


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Lola said:


> Wow, this song is so out of my comfort zone! I find finger picking so difficult. You really have to nail those bar chords perfectly. *My question is, could this be possibly hybrid picked instead or should I just suck it up and learn the finger picking?* I find that the tips of both hands are hurting(tolerable though) after just practicing the intro for about an hour. This is a skill level
> above what I usually play. It's good though to get right out of your comfort zone. I have given myself about 1 month to learn this song so I am not overwhelmed with the rest of the stuff I have to learn and play. I have set up what I think to be a really efficient practice schedule playing for roughly 2 hours per day/7 days a week. Saturdays are my fun day where I just play what I want to. Just eat a cookie an jam to my hearts content.
> 
> Sid the kid's voice was meant for this song! I want to do him and the song justice.


Yes, it can be played hybrid. I've played it that way for eons, got kicked out of my fair share of music stores. 

But I would also say, IMO, hybrid picking is a shortcut. Perhaps for those of us too lazy or insecure to completely drop the pick? If I had it to do over again, I would woodshed on true fingerpicking. I would also eat better, drink less, cut my hair and get a job, etc.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

High/Deaf said:


> Yes, it can be played hybrid. I've played it that way for eons, got kicked out of my fair share of music stores.
> 
> But I would also say, IMO, hybrid picking is a shortcut. Perhaps for those of us too lazy or insecure to completely drop the pick? If I had it to do over again, I would woodshed on true fingerpicking. I would also eat better, drink less, cut my hair and get a job, etc.


I use hybrid picking to get a good bite on my downstokes. I just can't bond with thumb picks. It also allows you to easily to things like rakes and pinch harmonics which are a pain with straight finger picking imo.

For the record, I alternated between hybrid and Knopfler style depending on my mood.


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## Moosehead (Jan 6, 2011)

Learn the finger picking and then try hybrid picking. I think finger picking it is easier. 

And IMO it is pretty entry level for fingerstyle. I think I learned this in my first year of playing.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

Mooh said:


> I suggest learning it fingerstyle, but if it's your first fingerstyle piece you'll be in for some work as it's not an entry level piece.
> 
> Not a week goes by that I don't teach STH. I'm tired of it but it's been very good for business.


It's very challenging and definitely isn't entry level. I have finished learning the intro and I tell you, it's damned hard but I am up for the challenge. When I get it right, it sounds so hauntingly beautiful. I just have to get some consistency in playing it right!


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

High/Deaf said:


> Yes, it can be played hybrid. I've played it that way for eons, got kicked out of my fair share of music stores.
> 
> But I would also say, IMO, hybrid picking is a shortcut. Perhaps for those of us too lazy or insecure to completely drop the pick? If I had it to do over again, I would woodshed on true fingerpicking. I would also eat better, drink less, cut my hair and get a job, etc.


I have chosen to learn it in the true style of fingerpicking. I would agree that it's a short cut if you want to hybrid pick it but it sounds the same to me. I tried fingerpicking and hybrid picking the intro and I really can't tell the difference in the sound. I have to get used to playing with my fingers. It's hard though but this one is not going on the back burner, I have to learn it for playing with the band.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

I too would encourage fingerpicking. To me the main challenges of the tune are in the fretting hand, the right hand is pretty strightforward, except maybe for the run of sixteenth notes using the intro chords later in the tune; and even with that I think it would be easier than trying to hybrid pick.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

Let me ask any of you who reply. What really do the lyrics mean? Not that I am big on lyrics at all. I have read references to drugs, the Catholic church, obviously the bible etc. Or, is it just a person's perception of the song and what it means to them? I am going to start a thread on this. I am so curious.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Lola said:


> Let me ask any of you who reply. What really do the lyrics mean? Not that I am big on lyrics at all. I have read references to drugs, the Catholic church, obviously the bible etc. Or, is it just a person's perception of the song and what it means to them? I am going to start a thread on this. I am so curious.


Some explanation here.

Stairway to Heaven - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I doubt there's any great earth-shattering meaning to them. Like lots of lyrics they seem to be a bit of a hodge-podge of images, philosophies and thoughts. But if there's a bustle in your hedgerow [about it] don't be alarmed, it's just a spring clean for the May queen.


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## Moosehead (Jan 6, 2011)

I think you have to listen to it backwards to find the real meaning...


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

Lola said:


> Wow, this song is so out of my comfort zone! I find finger picking so difficult. You really have to nail those bar chords perfectly. My question is, could this be possibly hybrid picked instead or should I just suck it up and learn the finger picking? I find that the tips of both hands are hurting(tolerable though) after just practicing the intro for about an hour. This is a skill level
> above what I usually play. It's good though to get right out of your comfort zone. I have given myself about 1 month to learn this song so I am not overwhelmed with the rest of the stuff I have to learn and play. I have set up what I think to be a really efficient practice schedule playing for roughly 2 hours per day/7 days a week. Saturdays are my fun day where I just play what I want to. Just eat a cookie an jam to my hearts content.
> 
> Sid the kid's voice was meant for this song! I want to do him and the song justice.


I grow my nails out on my pick hand for finger picking and hybrid picking.


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## Guest (Sep 28, 2016)

I first learned it finger picking, which is only really required for the intro and the first coupla' verses.
Over time, I learned to hybrid pick this song so that I don't have to pick up the pick.


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## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

Moosehead said:


> I think you have to listen to it backwards to find the real meaning...


When that whole thing came out about subliminal messages circa early 80's, I did this to my vinyl copy of LZ IV on my dad's turntable. you could decipher "my sweet satan" if you really tried...... what a load of BS!


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)




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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Alex said:


> When that whole thing came out about subliminal messages circa early 80's, I did this to my vinyl copy of LZ IV on my dad's turntable. you could decipher "my sweet satan" if you really tried...... what a load of BS!


I found a documentary on VHS in a church library mid 90's that covered a lot of this, fun watch.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

So I just sucked it up! I have learned the intro just fingerpicking. I have the song but it just needs a bit of polish on the smooth transition of switching chords while plucking different strings. It's right out of my comfort zone but when you tackle something like this at my skill set level it's monumental. I didn't really give myself that much credit! I got it done. 

Some people want to play this iconic song but aren't willing to devote the time to learn it but it's so worth learning. I feel like I just climbed a friggin' mountain. It sure feels awesome! I listened to this song since I was a teenager but just to be able to play this, is euphoric. Yup, it is!


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Lola said:


> Let me ask any of you who reply. What really do the lyrics mean? Not that I am big on lyrics at all. I have read references to drugs, the Catholic church, obviously the bible etc. Or, is it just a person's perception of the song and what it means to them? I am going to start a thread on this. I am so curious.


When you get this one figured out, tell me about Dancing Days. And then I've got a list of Jon Anderson lyrics to decode. I think a lot of those 60s/70s lyrics are why I *tried* drugs.

I hated English class and the whole 'interpret this poem'. I don't know if anyone really knows what Alfred Lord Tennyson or ee cummings were on about beside themselves. And maybe they're not telling - just sitting back and laughing at all the ruckus they've caused?


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## Guest (Sep 29, 2016)

High/Deaf said:


> - just sitting back and laughing at all the ruckus they've caused?


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

Robert1950 said:


>


That looks a lot like my rig...


__
http://instagr.am/p/BFzHdBMibPp/


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

how come I just got 19 notifications from this place all at once? Weird! Very weird.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

There is no right or wrong answer to this conundrum. Different meanings for different people.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

cboutilier said:


> I grow my nails out on my pick hand for finger picking and hybrid picking.


I actually did let my fingernails grow and it's so much easier to get a really nice ring when you pluck with your nail tips instead of your fingertips.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

Lola said:


> I actually did let my fingernails grow and it's so much easier to get a really nice ring when you pluck with your nail tips instead of your fingertips.


Even just enough nail to stiffen up the ends of your finger tips. That's how Danny Gatton did it.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

Well I have to say that this was helluva introduction to finger picking but I finally have this under wraps but just the intro. Now it is onto the rest of the song


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)




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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

cheezyridr said:


>


Thanks Cheezy! This will eventually come in handy!


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

there's slowed down solos for lots of song out there. it helps me alot too.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)




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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

This intro to Stairway was not as hard as I thought it to be. It's a little more complicated because of the different finger picking patterns. It really makes me think a lot. I definitely learned a different style of picking. It's fun to try it on other songs you know to.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

High/Deaf said:


> I hated English class and the whole 'interpret this poem'. I don't know if anyone really knows what Alfred Lord Tennyson or ee cummings were on about beside themselves. And maybe they're not telling - just sitting back and laughing at all the ruckus they've caused?


*i like my body when it is with your*
i like my body when it is with your
body. It is so quite new a thing.
Muscles better and nerves more.
i like your body. i like what it does,
i like its hows. i like to feel the spine
of your body and its bones, and the trembling
-firm-smooth ness and which i will
again and again and again
kiss, i like kissing this and that of you,
i like, slowly stroking the, shocking fuzz
of your electric fur, and what-is-it comes
over parting flesh… And eyes big love-crumbs,

and possibly i like the thrill

of under me you so quite new
© by owner. provided at no charge for educational purposes
I find ee cummings pretty easy to figure out at times.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

Electraglide said:


> *i like my body when it is with your*
> i like my body when it is with your
> body. It is so quite new a thing.
> Muscles better and nerves more.
> ...


Very profound. lol 

Do any of you invent certain drills with scales etc. that are centered around the difficult parts of a song, lick or riff you maybe playing?


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

I have to tell you that this song is almost in the bag. The consistency is like getting more consistent. I think I have played it over 50 times tonight. I started at 7 tonight just after dinner and I have to finish playing because of a thing they call "work"! It really sucks. I want to stay up and play but. Maybe for another 10 or 15 minutes. Then I have to cut myself off!


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