Do you know this song?Play by ear? What about all those weird chords. And can you help me with this song,?

[Just_James]

So the video meanders for 6 minutes as I try to to ask 2 questions.

1. Do you know this song? And can you help me tab it out or give me the chords needed to plat this song for my 5 year old?`

2. What is the best way you have found to play by ear? Not just pecking out the single notes, but actually figuring out more complex chord progressions then G,C,D. If you get my drift. And i have watched the other vidz on playing by ear, but what if a song is using a fancy chord like C5 or a E+ (i picked random ones from my chord book)? If I pluck out a melody on the neck, those will only be the 12 original notes in music, so how do i translate that into a chord progression that will undoubtedly use chords that are beyond the standard 1,3,5 combo?

[JohnM]

@Just_James ,

I would attempt something like this for the start of the song:
D Asus4 Dsus2 D Asus4 Dsus4 D5 Bmin Bmin A

Or instead,
D - - - - - - A Bmin Bmin A

I found the key of D from corresponding chord in which most or all of the initial notes until you see a significant tone change towards a chord change.
Another way is to find the key from the note where the song ends, but I’m not familiar with the full song to get to the end.

[Archie]

Hi @Just_James

Yes this was a big pop hit back in the 70’s? By Scott Fitzgerald & Yvonne Keeley

Go online and search for Chordify copy and paste the video link from BABE into the app and you’ll get the Chords and Progression and hopefully be able to strum along

Here is a printed notation/TAB version not sure if it’s in the right key.

Playing by ear is mostly LISTENING - memorising and trying to replicate the music on your instrument. One phrase at a time. I found it easier to do when I was a kid sitting in front of a piano. Two notes in every five I played were wrong so I had to figure out the right notes. Fairly easy on the piano much more of a challenge on the banjo.

Hope this is of some help

[Just_James]

@Archie and @JohnM
Wow! Thanks for the responses. You two nailed it. Exactly the type of help I was looking for with both questions. Greatly appreciated.
Also, I’m surprised that was a real song haha. This reminds when my nephew didn’t know what VHS was and I couldn’t believe it. Now I’m the goof.

[JohnM]

You’re welcome. Glad to help in some way!

The melody is so clear in Archie’s posted song to figure out the chords better! Sounds like that version is in the key of C.