Okay, so today I wanted to mess around with Aretha Franklin’s “Time of Possession.” I’m no musical genius, but I figured, why not give it a shot?
First things first, I listened to the song. Like, really listened. Multiple times. I wanted to get a feel for the rhythm, the melody, the overall vibe. Just soaking it all in, you know?
Then, I tried to find some sheet music or maybe some tabs online. No luck. Seriously, nothing useful at all! It’s like this song is some kind of hidden treasure. But I guess, I could find lyrics so that’s okay.
Since I couldn’t find anything, I decided I’d have to do it the old-fashioned way: by ear. So, I grabbed my trusty old guitar, and starting plunked away.
- I started with the intro. That little guitar riff, it sounds simple, but getting the timing right? Tricky! I kept rewinding and replaying, trying to match the notes.
- Next, I focused on the verses. Aretha’s voice is so powerful, it’s hard to hear the subtle guitar parts underneath. I had to really concentrate to pick out the chords.
- The chorus was a bit easier, thankfully. More straightforward chords, a bit more predictable. I managed to figure out a basic strumming pattern that seemed to fit.
I’m not gonna lie, it was rough. It’s so hard. My fingers were hurting, I got frustrated a few times, and I definitely didn’t get it perfect. But you know what? I learned something. I got a little closer to understanding the song, and I had some fun in the process. That just my feeling of course.
My takeaways after today
I realized how much work goes into even a seemingly “simple” song. There are layers of detail that you just don’t appreciate until you try to recreate it yourself.
I figured out, need to be more patience, and to be not too hard on myself. I still enjoy the practice!
