...then someone asks you to play something...

[Sans Script Myth]

I often hate it when people ask me to play something because I never spent time learning popular songs. You know that's what they want. However, I don't feel like wasting precious practice time on pop songs I don't like but others might.

"No I don't know how that one Green Day song goes."
"No I don't know Freebird."
"I !#@!ing hate Dave Matthews Band."
Etc.

Besides, most are expecting me to sing too. Yea I am not good enough at that just yet. However, the few songs I do know can be considered well known, but aren't exactly today's usual pop garbage.

So here are some things in my repetoire which I play for those wanting to hear something familiar:

Glenn Miller - Moonlight Serenade (from AcousticFingerstyle.com)
GREAT jazz chords in this one
PDF tab: http://www.acousticfingerstyle.com/keroas/moonlight.pdf
MIDI: http://www.acousticfingerstyle.com/keroas/moonlight.mid

Louis Armstrong - What A Wonderful World
PDF: http://www.acousticfingerstyle.com/Mock/wwworld.pdf
MIDI: http://www.acousticfingerstyle.com/Mock/wwworld.mid

Pink Panther Theme
Still working on this one too
PDF: http://www.acousticfingerstyle.com/keroas/pinkpanther.pdf
http://www.acousticfingerstyle.com/keroas/pinkpanther.mid

Frank Sinatra - Strangers in the Night (also from AcouticFingerstyle.com)
Haven't learned this completely yet. My hands really start to cramp out now when I hold these bar chords for too long. Damn.
PDF: http://www.acousticfingerstyle.com/keroas/strangers.pdf
MIDI: http://www.acousticfingerstyle.com/keroas/strangers.mid

Chet Atkins - Un homme et une femme (from AcousticPower.com)
Great song to play at guitar stores while someone is looking for a guitar or something
Powertab: http://www.acousticpower.com/Atkins/Chet%20Atkins%20-%20Un%20Homme%20Et%20Une%20Femme.ptb

AcousticFingerstyle.com has a lot of other great tunes arranged for guitar. I love that site.

[Jerusalem]

Yeh, me playing guitar around people consists of me noodling a bit and then this:

"Play something we know!"
"Uh, name a band..."
"{band}"
"No..."
"{band}"
"No..."
"{band}"
"They suck..."
"{band}"
"Ooh! I know this..." *Plays random riff that they still probably don't know.
"Uh... great..."

*Repeat till they lose interest.

I keep meaning to build up my repertoire of songs I can randomly strum and sing. I tend to learn a few and then forget either the chords or the words or both. Currently my repertoire (excluding any songs I've written myself) consists of Needle and the damage done...

[Sans Script Myth]

I suck at learning other people's songs. It's so much easier just to come up with my own shit. So much more satisfying too.

For me, the only pre-written songs I learn are classical or fingerstyle pieces like I posted. Probably because I only learn songs on my classical guitar and never on my electric anymore. I just don't feel like learning metal songs anymore I guess.

[Jerusalem]

I tend to just learn random bits rather than full songs, unless it's acoustic strumming stuff. I also tend to forget what I can play a lot...

[Engel]

I can play anything that I have heard.  If I dont know it then I havent heard it or I didnt like it.

[Sans Script Myth]

Yea that song doesn't work as well if you're not singing and/or don't have a second guitarist.

[philrange]

I tend to just learn random bits rather than full songs, unless it's acoustic strumming stuff. I also tend to forget what I can play a lot...

same here. and the stuff i could play doesn't work on an acoustic.

also, i cant/wont sing, and they dont seem to realise that. i always mention first that there will be no singing, and then they'll say, can you play so and so. so i play it, but they complain that it doesnt sound right, or ask when the singing comes in. i am playing the guitar part perfectly, but of course it will not sound like the cd, since the rest of the band aren't here.

also, people seem to expect me to write my own songs. i know a lot of guitarists do, but just being able to play the guitar doesn't make you a songwriter. when people ask me why i dont write stuff, i ask them back, do you? why not? if you can hum, you can write a song, its not about playing ability

you have to actually be pretty damn good to hold an audience for any period of time with just an acoustic guitar, and no singing.

i want to learn pete huttlinger's version of superstition, but i cant find the tab for it. i ordered his book off the website, but the order doesn't seem to have gone through, dont think it will accept my debit card

[Sans Script Myth]

It's annoying when people say someone is a good guitarist when they actually mean he's a good singer.

[Jerusalem]

Yeh man, Stevie Wonder is an awesome guitarist!

[philrange]

It's annoying when people say someone is a good guitarist when they actually mean he's a good singer.

yes. if i was even an average singer, with my reasonable guitaring skills, i would be considered great by the average member of the public at a party.

[Engel]

I couldnt sing at first but I learned how because it sucks just playing songs and not singing them.   

[Sans Script Myth]

Yea I would like to get some vocal lessons as soon as I get the time and money.

[philrange]

I couldnt sing at first but I learned how because it sucks just playing songs and not singing them.   

true. before i can actually learn to sing, i need to stop being too shy to attempt. im so shy, i wont even sing out loud to myself when im alone

[Sans Script Myth]

I couldnt sing at first but I learned how because it sucks just playing songs and not singing them.   

true. before i can actually learn to sing, i need to stop being too shy to attempt. im so shy, i wont even sing out loud to myself when im alone

Even if you were on a deserted island alone? That's pretty damn shy.

[Engel]

Yea I would like to get some vocal lessons as soon as I get the time and money.

The only way to get better at it is to do it.