What Is Your Brain's Capacity?

[discreet]

[b]What Is Your Brain's Capacity?[/b]

For learning and remembering songs? I recently passed an audition (yay) and have joined a band which starts gigging in December and basically was given 15 days to learn around 25-30 numbers for two 45-minute sets.

I've never had to learn and retain this quantity of musical information in this sort of time period before in all the years I've been playing... I think I'm doing OK, but my question is this... how many numbers can you keep in your head at one time?

I know that theoretically there is no limit to the information the human mind can store and retrieve, but is it really true? Do you get to the stage where you learn a new number and the oldest one gets 'deleted', for example?

Or should I just shut the hell up, take my meds for God's sake and get to bloody bed? I thank you.

[gjones]

I once had to learn 35 songs in an afternoon for a dep gig. I then drove 100 miles to the gig to find out I'd left all my notes in the rehearsal room [b][size=6]DUH!!![/size][/b]. The singer Neil, amazingly, managed to write out all the chords plus lyrics, in the 15 mins before the gig for about 30 songs from memory. And thankfully the gig went ok with no major fluffs.

So my brain capacity is miniscule..............but his must be like a small planet!

Edited November 24, 2011 by gjones

[discreet]

Jesus Christ, 35 songs in an afternoon is going some!
I know people who can't learn one bloody track in a week!

[Dad3353]

Good evening, Mark...
The more one uses the brain, the better it gets. The limit is reached when you stop, not when you keep going (illness or dementia excepted...).
You may be helped out with 'crutches'; notes, of course, that you can subtly consult on stage. Create a compilation of the repertoire, to be played constantly (in the car, walkman, whatever...). Sort the numbers in order of perceived difficulty, and concentrate more on the harder ones (play them twice for every once of an easier one...). SImplify, at least for now, any problem passages, whilst, of course, retaing the 'key' elements that the song requires.
In earlier days, I had a couple of weeks to get down 'pat' 5 hours non-stop variety drumming, from waltzes to Hotel California and Chicago and more. It's not that hard, but forgive yourself if you 'blow' a passage or two on the first night.
(...and 'Yes; get to bed'...).
Well done, go for it and knock'em dead.

[Kiwi]

About 1.35 litres. I can fit three songs in there among all the other baggage.

[discreet]

[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1322111558' post='1446601']
About 1.35 litres. I can fit three songs in there among all the other baggage.
[/quote]

And yes, gold anodised pickguard with CAR... thinking along similar lines for a 51/57 Dirnt-style P-Bass.

[discreet]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1322106000' post='1446598']
Well done, go for it and knock'em dead.
[/quote]

Thanks, Dad! All good advice.
Got most of 'em... going tits-up a bit first gig is a given, really.

[Prime_BASS]

A ot of my original songs I learnt on bass I don't think ill ever forget. I don't think I've ever forgotten how to play something I've learned cuase every other week or so I try and play most of the songs I know or at least go back to ones I haven't played ina good while.

I've forgotten a fair few guitar songs I learnt in the past but who cares about that noisy thing.

[Doctor J]

I think it's proportional to the level of interest you have in the band and music. If you're enthusiatic and like the music, you'll find it a lot easier to learn and remember. By contrast, if your heart's not in it, it goes in one ear and out the other.

I had a similar experience to above, where I was subbing for a friend and had to learn a whole cover set of tunes I had never really heard before in an afternoon. I told him I'd do it so I was determined to get it right. With a couple of cheat sheets I got through the whole thing without any howlers and, at the following gig, was giving the drummer nods where the changes were. At the moment I'm recording an album of tunes I wrote almost twenty years ago but never got to record properly at the time, my brain is well capable of dredging up these riffs I haven't played in so many years. With some interest and focus your brain can do amazing things, it's when you're just going through the motions that you'll find it hard to learn and remember.

An example - in my last band I became quite disillusioned with the nonsense going on and had decided to leave once a run of gig commitments had been fulfilled. We were playing the final of a competition where the prize was a spot at the Wacken festival. Anyway, during one of the tunes I could not for the life of me remember the next riff so I took a guess when the time arrived and f***ed it up spectacularly. That had never happened my before but I had lost interest in the band at that point and I think my brain was just flushing the information down the bog. The worst part was that I wrote the bloody song in the first place

[johnny_frog]

Got 3 bands on the go the noo so that's maybe 60ish songs for sets plus whatever new stuff is being worked on,

Personally found that once a song is in there it sticks... as long as I keep playing it regularly.
If I don't play a track for a couple of weeks then bits get a bit fuzzy.

Haven't noticed my brain being full, but then maybe the song knowledge just pushes out less vital information... things like what my kids names are and when my girlfriends birthday is, trivial stuff like that

[charic]

I think really it depends on the songs, I really struggle remembering mine until they go in. Now I don't think I'll ever forget them

[chris_b]

[size=4][color=#222222][font=Arial]I've got to the stage where I have to forget one to fit another in, so these days I chart everything. I don't always look but knowing they are there is a help.[/font][/color][/size][color=#222222][font=Arial][size=2][/size][/font][/color]
[size=4][color=#222222][font=Arial] [/font][/color][/size][color=#222222][font=Arial][size=2][/size][/font][/color]
[size=4][font=Arial][color="#000000"]I’m also trying to do without the charts for next year. With my memory that’s a big ask![/color][/font][/size][font=Arial][size=2] [/size][/font]

[iconic]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1322100106' post='1446595']
Jesus Christ, 35 songs in an afternoon is going some!
I know people who can't learn one bloody track in a week!
[/quote]


Have we met before?

[chaypup]

If I think I've forgotten how a song goes, I just shut off my (concious) brain and trust my fingers to do the work.
Works (nearly) every time!

Edited November 24, 2011 by chaypup

[Mykesbass]

[quote name='chaypup' timestamp='1322138220' post='1446979']
If I think I've forgotten how a song goes, I just shut off my (concious) brain and trust my fingers to do the work.
Works (nearly) every time!
[/quote]

Same here - I'm often struggling to remember but once we start it all falls into place. Unconcious competence I believe! (probably get corrected very soon if I'm wrong)!

[discreet]

[quote name='iconic' timestamp='1322123679' post='1446654']
Have we met before?
[/quote]

Have you learnt that track yet?

[discreet]

[quote name='chaypup' timestamp='1322138220' post='1446979']
If I think I've forgotten how a song goes, I just shut off my (concious) brain and trust my fingers to do the work.
[/quote]

Me too... use The Force, Luke!

[discreet]

[quote name='Doctor J' timestamp='1322122159' post='1446631']
I think it's proportional to the level of interest you have in the band and music. If you're enthusiatic and like the music, you'll find it a lot easier to learn and remember. By contrast, if your heart's not in it, it goes in one ear and out the other.
[/quote]

Good point. I was unfamiliar with the material, but really like it (generally), so am motivated.
Also the fact that a gig is coming up fast makes a difference too, I'm sure.

[EdwardHimself]

According to wikipedia, it's about 1.1 to 1.9 litres:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cranial_capacity

[discreet]

[quote name='EdwardHimself' timestamp='1322143726' post='1447136']
According to wikipedia, it's about 1.1 to 1.9 litres: [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cranial_capacity"]http://en.wikipedia....ranial_capacity[/url]
[/quote]

[pedant] That's cranial capacity. I'm talking brain capacity. [/pedant]

[discreet]

Er... Don't want to get into an argument or anything, but the cranium is the braincase, or skull.

[color=#000000][font=Arial][size=3][b]cranium[/b][/size][/font][/color] [color=#000000][font=Arial][size=3][ˈkreɪnɪəm][/size][/font][/color][color=#000000][font=Arial][size=3]
[i]n[/i] [i]pl[/i] [b]-niums[/b], [b]-nia[/b] [-nɪə]
[indent=1][b]1.[/b] (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Anatomy) the skull of a vertebrate[/indent]
[indent=1][b]2.[/b] (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Anatomy) the part of the skull that encloses the brain Nontechnical name [b]brainpan[/b]
[from Medieval Latin [i]crānium[/i] skull, from Greek [i]kranion[/i]]
[/indent][/size][/font][/color]

[EdwardHimself]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1322144347' post='1447151']
Er... Don't want to get into an argument or anything, but the cranium is the braincase, or skull.

[color=#000000][font=Arial][size=3][b]cranium[/b][/size][/font][/color] [color=#000000][font=Arial][size=3][ˈkreɪnɪəm][/size][/font][/color]
[color=#000000][font=Arial][size=3][i]n[/i] [i]pl[/i] [b]-niums[/b], [b]-nia[/b] [-nɪə][/size][/font][/color]
[indent=1][b]1.[/b] (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Anatomy) the skull of a vertebrate[/indent]
[indent=1][b]2.[/b] (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Anatomy) the part of the skull that encloses the brain Nontechnical name [b]brainpan[/b]
[from Medieval Latin [i]crānium[/i] skull, from Greek [i]kranion[/i]][/indent]

[/quote]

what's that sorry?

[BottomE]

I am running around with a set list of about 50 tunes at the moment all kept in my extremely limited brain. This set has been built up over 4 years. I'd hate to have to learn it all in a week! Once, in a similar situation i wrote out all the chords on "proper" music paper. Worst thing i ever did as i ended up totally relying on the chord sheets and not assimilating the tunes.

[bremen]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1322096487' post='1446585']
[b]What Is Your Brain's Capacity?[/b]

For learning and remembering songs? I recently passed an audition (yay) and have joined a band which starts gigging in December and basically was given 15 days to learn around 25-30 numbers for two 45-minute sets.

I've never had to learn and retain this quantity of musical information in this sort of time period before in all the years I've been playing... I think I'm doing OK, but my question is this... how many numbers can you keep in your head at one time?

I know that theoretically there is no limit to the information the human mind can store and retrieve, but is it really true? Do you get to the stage where you learn a new number and the oldest one gets 'deleted', for example?

Or should I just shut the hell up, take my meds for God's sake and get to bloody bed? I thank you.
[/quote]

I returned to playing after a long layoff and was presented with a long list of songs and not much notice. Scared the sh*t out of me, but happily the more I learned the easier the next tune became. Almost as if each tune left a greasy coating to my brain's entrance, the better to lube the following one's ingress.

[chaypup]

The brain's memory capaicity is currently estimated at 2.5 petabytes (according to The Scientific American magazine) anyone know how many songs that is????


Edit: About 800 million!

Edited November 24, 2011 by chaypup