How does everyone learn new songs?

All of the above as needed... first I'll learn what I can by ear, and dial in a sound that's at least close. Then, if I can't figure something out I'll try Ultimate Guitar tabs (which as noted can be anywhere from sketchy to really good - but even some of the bad ones can point me in the right direction). YT for solos or weird funk rhythms when I still need help. Of course, dropping the song into my DAW and looping parts as well.

So funny how back in the day I would totally wear out a cassette hitting play >> 10 seconds >> try to rewind the right amount >> repeat. I once had a cassette player that let you pick looping points - that was like a miracle! ;-)
 
Watch as many live videos on YouTube as I can find in an attempt to figure out how the artists are playing them. Unfortunately, since I am depending on my own eyes & ears, it's hardly foolproof. But often have more luck getting close this way than with the hundreds of shit transcriptions that are online now.
 
for covers I print out the lyrics, and write the chording over the lyrics while playing along. once I have the jist of the cords and figure out the key I wing the solos in which ever mode is easiest to get the fingering patterns that sounds close to the original.
 
if I'm learning something that others teach in you tube then I'll watch a few videos, if no instructional videos and its a recording I like to use https://29a.ch/timestretch/# its great tool, then there's old school reading music if its available though I'm pretty rusty at that these days.
 
Wore out records and cassettes!

Used a disability cassette player back in the early 80’s with special slow and fast speed controls for a couple months.

Then found a Marantz Superscope Cassette player with the same features plus more.

Then picked up the Marantz Superscope CD player that was a godsend!

Still have it.

Been now using the Transcribe software which I highly recommend!!

Before that used the Amazing Slowdowner and others. But the Transcribe app is definitely the best so far.

Tip:
Try transposing the parts a full octave up to hear faint and obscure bass parts to home in on the root along with slowing the passages down.
 
First thing I do is goto YouTube to find a video of the band that wrote the song performing it live. Then I watch how they do it. Then I learn it that way.

Been doing it this way for at least a decade.

It's funny too cause then you see someone giving a lesson video, it's all wrong and way more difficult because they are trying to showboat "skillz" whereas the artists arranged for performing it with ease.

Haven't looked at tab books since the late '80s and realized those are all wrong too.
 
I use whatever tools are available. Internet charts/tab/Chords/transcriptions, Slow-downer apps, iRealPro. Then I always write my own chart, sometimes full standard notation, other times just a form chart or whatever will help me play the song accurately.

Then, and most importantly I always keep a copy in the cloud and on my phone and iPad. You learn a song once and never have to learn it again. Works great if you play in cover bands because there's usually shared repertoire.
 
I listen to the song and just play along as good as possible. With every repetition I get better. Usually it takes up to about five repetitions to know how the song works. Sometimes I have to play it at half speed, depends on the song.

I've never used tabs or anything, can't play with notes, …

It's the only real talent I have. Sadly my skills on the guitar are a big limit…
 
I try to learn by ear as much as possible and had heard about the Amazing Slow Downer from @Mark Day several years ago.

Most DAW's allow you to do this, but the ASD has some cool tools to slow it down, repeat a section as many times as you want and then gradually speed it up incrementally. I usually have it set to play the section I'm learning 3 times and then automatically speed up by 5% and keep doing this until I'm up to speed. Sometimes I even practice parts at a faster tempo than it is originally played. After doing that most things seem much simpler and easier to play.
Dang, that takes me back! I haven’t heard anyone mention the Amazing Slow Downer in over a decade. I’m shocked that it still exists. I remember messing around with it when I was first learning to play. Lol.
 
Dang, that takes me back! I haven’t heard anyone mention the Amazing Slow Downer in over a decade. I’m shocked that it still exists. I remember messing around with it when I was first learning to play. Lol.
I noticed it mentioned a couple of times in this thread, but it sounds like Transcribe is the next way to go. Jennifer Batten has a nice tutorial video about it on YT.
 
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Tab is notoriously at least partially wrong in most cases. Slow down software is where it’s at.

Here is my best tip.. if you are stuck on a really tricky part that just isn’t working despite slowing down or trying YouTube lessons, learn some other songs by the same guitarist for some insight into his tendencies.

That being said I’m to the point now where I only learn most of a solo and like to put my own spin on things.
 
I only discovered YouTube's ability to slow the speed down without changing pitch about a year ago. I'm all ear though. If it's difficult, I'll google 'how to play....' to cop complex chords or parts that aren't obvious. But even then, I end up morphing it into a way that's comfortable for me to play. I don't have elastic hands and can't stretch, so I have to find ways to make it work with my hand's limitations. Most non-guitar nerds never know the difference. Now that I'm older (51), I have a hard time memorizing solos, especially when learning them via YouTube, speed slowed down. I'll get the part worked out and then when I put it all together I forget where I am, unless I'm playing along to the song or a backing. It's weird and it's probably an early sign of dementia. So, I know what's coming for me. I'm just hoping the ignorance is truly bliss. What where we talking about here......?
 
Tab is notoriously at least partially wrong in most cases. Slow down software is where it’s at.

Here is my best tip.. if you are stuck on a really tricky part that just isn’t working despite slowing down or trying YouTube lessons, learn some other songs by the same guitarist for some insight into his tendencies.

That being said I’m to the point now where I only learn most of a solo and like to put my own spin on things.

That's some really good advice. All guitarists (me included) tend to fall back on familiar patterns and techniques. It's just natural. I can see how listening to a similar technique in a different context could shine light on what's going on in the song you're trying to figure out. Great tip!
 
Nothing is out of the question: Tab books, fake books, the Real Book, iReal, Capo, Ultimate Guitar Tabs, guitar mag tabs back in the day, my ear, You Tube

There was another one that could remove vocals (or whatever) or isolate guitar (or whatever) by selecting the frequency range out and I can't remember what it was called.

Whatever, there are no rules. It's music.
 
Nothing is out of the question: Tab books, fake books, the Real Book, iReal, Capo, Ultimate Guitar Tabs, guitar mag tabs back in the day, my ear, You Tube

There was another one that could remove vocals (or whatever) or isolate guitar (or whatever) by selecting the frequency range out and I can't remember what it was called.

Whatever, there are no rules. It's music.
Transcribe has preset EQ options that select or remove specific bands of frequencies...ie...Bass select, Bass remove, tenor select, tenor remove, Alto ...etc........flute select or remove, piccolo select or remove.

You can custom your own EQ settings and name them as well. Very useful.

Using these with transpose and slowed down is very powerful in transcribing.
 
I always used to use tab, being convinced my ear was terrible. (In primary school when the class were playing recorder I'd just blow and move my fingers and was always amazed when the teacher knew it was playing badly. Later I was in the chorus for a school musical and the director told me to just stand there and move my mouth!) A couple of months ago I finally (after many years) got a guitar teacher and he's getting me to learn a different bebop head every week. Much to my surprise, I don't totally suck at it. The sense of achievement when I know I've gotten a phrase right is amazing. I've been using Transcribe to slow down the original recordings.
 
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