Take a Song You Love From Zero to Done

First pick one that's “within reach on tiptoe”: you know most of the chords, and the tempo isn't too fast. Then favor a “chord chart” (the kind with chords written above the lyrics) — it gets you playing faster than a full tab. Check whether the key it's in suits your voice, and use a capo to change keys if you need to.

There's also a hidden criterion for choosing a song: can you hum its melody? A song you can hum, you'll still be able to play after a while; one you can't, you'll forget even after memorizing it — so listen to the song until you know it well, then start.

Break the song into small sections — intro / verse / chorus — and take them one at a time. First get the chords flowing at a slow speed, then pick out the changeover or single bar that trips you up most and practice it on its own, over and over (slow down → speed up). Don't keep playing from the top — all your time goes to the parts you already know.

Once the accompaniment flows, first speak the lyrics to find the rhythm, then add the melody and sing, putting it together section by section (see playing-and-singing in Stage 3). Finally, record a pass on your phone, play it back to find problems, and gradually bring it up to the original tempo. Congratulations — you've taken down another song, and this same workflow works just as well on the next one.