This is an appropriate question for this forum. Ask away.
I try to find the lyrics and chords on the internet but I play the melody by ear. I have a lot of trouble trying to figure out chords by ear.
You're playing songs by partition? what does that mean?
You CAN teach yourself to play by ear.
1) Get the chords to your favorite song and try to play the melody line. This works for me.
2) Get a friend to play notes and you try to hunt and peck for that note. When playing two notes, he/she should give you the 1st note, you guess the second note. (You are teaching yourself to hear the intervals (distance between notes).
I find I can figure out the melody much easier if the notes (intervals) are close together.
Starkeeper