Month 4, Lesson 3: Pop Goes the Weasel
Source: Guitar Lessons
Pop Goes the Weasel
This song is an old one and was really made popular by the Three Stooges movie shorts. It has a real catchy phrasing and uses a lot of syncopation in the song. Follow the TAB really closely and also follow along on the Guitar Pro file to stay with the melody.
About This Lesson:
There are is one major item that you will grasp in this lesson and that is 6/8 timing. We have not had anything like this and you should be sure to read the lesson on 6/8 time before you proceed with this lesson.
Learning Points:
Play The Song In The Key of G Major:
Remember the F’s all are played sharp. That means play the F# on the 2nd fret 1st string, and play the F# on the 4th fret 4th string. The sharp moves the note up by only one fret.
Play the Song In 6/8 Timing:
Up until now we have dealt only with 4/4 and 3/4 timing. 6/8 timing means that eighth notes receive the beat (the bottom 8), and there are 6 beats per measure, (the top 6).
So all you have to do is double the amount of time that you gave notes in 3/4 timing. Eighth notes receive one beat; Quarter notes receive 2 beats; Half notes receive 4 beats.
Follow the Repeat Symbols Closely:
There are (2) sets of repeat signs. Repeat signs are always in pairs, you will never see one repeat sign without its matching mirror image brother. You play from the beginning of the song to the end of the 9th measure, then return to the beginning of the 2nd measure and play to the end of the 17th measure, then return to the beginning of the 10th measure and play to the end of the song.
Work on Your Down-Up Pick Strokes:
Your pick direction is going to be a big challenge for you this week. I have clearly marked the direction below each note in the score. There may not seem to be a pattern to follow here but there really is. In order to play this song with any speed, you should follow the pick direction symbols closely. On this score you may need to memorize them.
About the Tab Notes:
Since we are working with 6/8 time on this song, so I have marked all of the timing beneath all of the notes. Carefully watch your timing by following the beats in the Tab Notes.
Also, try to understand the repeats and how they work. They too are carefully marked in the Tab Notes.
Articles You Should Read:
Notes in the Key of G Major: Know these notes for memory and be able to play the F# notes..
Down Up Strokes of the Pick: This is really important for this song. Using down ups is the only way to play them fast enough.
Chords in the Key of G Major and E Minor
6/8 Time Signature: Since this is the central part of this lesson, know and understand 6/8 timing.
Music Theory You Should Know:
Time Signature
TAB
Treble Clef
G Scale
TAB Staff
Repeats
Goals:
Play this song slowly, but with the correct timing, lead chords and down-up strokes.
Goal #1:
Play the song in 6/8 time. Careful count out your notes and double the time given for each note. Either count out loud or tap your foot. Another option for you is to set the metronome function in Guitar Pro. This way you will get a loud tick on the first beat of each measure and a softer tick for each of the remaining beats.
The metronome function is in the lower right hand corner of the score window. Just click it with the mouse to start it.
Goal #2:
Work hard on your down-up strokes of the pick. This is a really tough challenge on this song, but work carefully and slowly through it and try to get it just right.
Goal #3:
Watch your fingering of your left hand. The finger numbers are shown right next to the notes in the notation staff. Be especially careful to get the fingering correct in the 11th measure, where you briefly go to the 2nd position and then back down to the 1st position.
Goal #4:
Remember to play your repeats correctly. Repeats are always in mirrored pairs and you play what is in between the pairs one more time and then continue with the song.
If you have trouble following this or understanding it, watch the Guitar Pro player go through the song and you can follow along visually to see and understand repeats.
What You Should Practice This Week:
By the end of this week, you should know and be able to play 6/8 timing. Understand how many beats each different note gets and how to tap your foot for the timing. You should also have a general idea on the down-up strokes for the Right Hand picking pattern and know exactly how the repeats are played in this song.
See our How To Practice article:
If you are having trouble with your practice techniques, or can’t seem to get “in the groove”, review the article on How to Practice and this will help you develop a consistent practice method.
Help Us Out:
Lastly and most importantly, give us feedback, either good or bad. We want to improve this site and we want kids to learn how to play the guitar. If you have suggestions for us, leave a comment. If you appreciate these lessons, leave a comment on that too.
Songs in Downloadable Format:
If you have difficulty reading this score information, we have this score information available free of charge for you with an instant electronic download. Just click on the song title below and you will be taken to our secure server site. You will get a PDF file of the above score complete with the Tab Notes. Be sure to download Adobe Acrobat Reader v6.0 or above. This version will allow you to turn the Tab Layer on or off.
Also you will get the Guitar Pro file. You can download Guitar Pro and get a free trial so you can play along with this song in real time on your computer. If you upgrade to the full version of the song you will have a lot more features available to you, such as the RSE modules which give you realistic guitar files – they sound just like an Acoustic Guitar.
Guitar Pro File
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PDF File
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Tags: flatpick guitar lessons, free guitar lessons, how to play 6/8 time, Kids Guitar Lessons, pop goes the weasel
