Davo-London Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Hey I deputise in a band every now and then on drums. This week the resident bassist cuts his hand up on a glass. So I get the call. We have a corporate function in 3 days, can you play bass? Well I've been playing bass for 35 years so in principle I can play the music but learning 25 songs in 3 days???? So any tips out there to short-cut the laborius effort required? Cheers Davo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killerfridge Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Write out some quick and dirty lead sheets, marking the chord changes, and any significant points in the songs (stabs etc.) + a sample bass line for the first couple of bars of each section. Unless they have memorable bass lines that need to be dead on - then it's just a case of cramming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Get your head down? I don't think that cheat sheets would be unacceptable at this short notice. Don't worry about simplifying down any parts that you can't get sorted in the timeframe, as long as the groove keeps coming then you'll be fine - people tend to get well oiled at these corporate dos so as long as they recognise the tunes then everything'll be OK. I did ska covers for my first proper gig - it was a birthday party and I criminally simplified some of the songs but got lots of people up dancing so it all worked out fine in the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 What sort of songs? There's a big difference between blues and prog rock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 erm, get off basschat and start playing them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dom in Dorset Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 I recently had (still on going) a similar mountain to climb, a set full of show tunes and songs from musicals. Although I've had a longer time , I've also had to learn to sight read. I just played through the set as often as possible, don't worry about getting it perfect for now, just try and get some improvement each time you play the tunes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Lead sheets showing Chords/root notes and song form write em out play along, play along, play along and then you sort of know most of it and they become an aide memoir.... It's the only way I tell ya.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 all of the above advice has worked for me! cheat sheets are invaluable for this sort of thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davo-London Posted December 20, 2011 Author Share Posted December 20, 2011 Thanks good tips. I could have said no of course but it's not in my DNA. Anyone want to hire me a barefaced cab? I love to try one out and I will make sure you're not out of pocket. Gig is in Pimlico in London. Cheers Davo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike257 Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 I'd add to the above by putting the songs on your mp3 player, and on a cd in your car etc and when you can't be playing them, be listening to them. Familiarity with the material will get you a long way when you're wondering which bit is next, and I've busked through dep gigs for originals bands with one quick practice and a day or two of concentrated listening. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Remember when I said 'learn to read music'? This was why..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 +1 to all of the above. I've just done something similar for two deps (20+ songs for each band... no cross over of any tracks but fairly easy songs as they are just typical rock/blues type tracks), the only difficulty was songs that I have never heard before and had no prior knowledge of! One thing I asked was that any songs that I was totally unfamiliar with, could we make sure that I wasn't the one bringing the song in i.e. guitar or keys to go through a pattern once if possible. Lots of cheat sheets with basic annotation and listening to stuff in the car to and from work etc. Hard work but I've thoroughly enjoyed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 First off, establish that all songs are going to be true to the original key. From there, it`s a case of head down, and a lot of learning. In my mind, it`s better in this situation to learn all the songs with root-notes, and keep the band ticking over, than get caught up in learning intricate bass-lines - unless they are the main melody line of the song that is, and essential to the song. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monckyman Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 As above, but try to tier them down. Which songs really don`t you know and which songs do you know? Spend more time on the known unknowns ( ) get the songs everywhere, in the car, the bog, work, wherever. Intros are most important, like flying a plane once you`re up and running it`s a lot easier to remember,so remember them! Cheat sheets,loads but in a nice easy access file so no spillage and fluster. Get it organised,you can do it. Good luck and get off this forum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithless Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 (edited) Can you read? You don't need to transcribe whole tunes, but some tricky or unison sections should be written down, so all you'd have to do is read through them, and not kill yourself with trying to memorise (and, in 3 days, you would [i]not [/i]memorize it) them. Don't those guys in the band have lead sheets with chords, song structures written out? This is the main thing - having those. They should be giving you lead sheets without asking, but if they don't have 'em, you'll have to write them out yourself. Or ask a guitar/piano player to do that, as it's in really short notice, and they should be helping you. Unless you've been offered 500 bucks, so that you should do the job yourself Write out the main bass grooves at the top of each sheet, as a rhythm (2 or four bars usually are enough to get the idea during the gig), so that you don't need to worry about remembering different bass rhythms/grooves for each song. Get the tunes to your Mp3 or car CD player, and listen to them over and over when you have a chance. Edited December 20, 2011 by Faithless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davo-London Posted December 20, 2011 Author Share Posted December 20, 2011 (edited) Hey, I'm at work ... can't you tell? I can't practice now - even I wouldn't do that!!! Even though the director is in the band : ) I'm told they are all in the original key so that's cool. Just saw the last post. Yes I can read, but I usually work from chord sheets. I find that's the best compromise between constant reading and running around the stage doing a goose-step. Davo Edited December 20, 2011 by Davo-London Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 If you know the songs/set as per drumming them..and you have been playing bass for years.. you should be able to hear 99% of the changes anyway..so all you need to do is make a prompt or two..?? Most of this is about how the songs goes..which you know....so charts aren't really needed..but write the set out with keys per songs anyway...and any dificult changes like m8's ect ect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pietruszka Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Gt your head down, listen, sing the bass lines to your self, and go through them repeatedly. I had to learn 30 songs and I only had a day and a half! I used a lot of heat sheets! Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horrorshowbass Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 watchin people on youtube play the songs is good for me. just learnt fairytale of new york by watchin some kid play it and scribblin down rough notes. few nice wee runs etc in it and im playin it on thurs night so had to get it in my head quick! tab is quick and easy but sometimes feels like cheatin and i never fully learn a song without weening myself back off it again. run it over and over and get it in the muscle memory! good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 (edited) [size=4]Write chord charts for the numbers and just follow them on the gig. [/size] [size=4]Keep the charts for the next time.[/size] Edited December 20, 2011 by chris_b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Make sure they give you a set list and make sure THEY STICK TO IT!!!!! From experience there's nothing worse than trying to scrabble through song sheets while the singer is introducing the song - so make sure you know what's coming next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guildbass Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 [quote name='silddx' timestamp='1324383442' post='1473582'] What sort of songs? There's a big difference between blues and prog rock. [/quote] Haha... Imagine having to learn Yessongs in 2 days.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 [quote name='guildbass' timestamp='1324423832' post='1474217'] Haha... Imagine having to learn Yessongs in 2 days.... [/quote] I'd probably find that easier and more palatable than 25 blues numbers;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pietruszka Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 Doesn't a Yes song last 2 days? Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keving Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 I've been in a similar situation a couple of times before. It is very easy to spend time playing the songs that you find easier as most people tend to avoid the more difficult things if something simpler is available so what I do is to create a spread sheet (or similar) with a list of all the songs in the set and then I colour code them. Green if I am comfortable with the song, Orange if I can play it with a chart and Red if I don't know it. Now I can see at a glance what I really should be practicing. It also gives you a sense of satisfaction and progress as you see the list turn to green. As mentioned above I also create CDs and playlists so that I can be listening to the tunes in the car and at work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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