Les Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Now in 3 bands, all starts 30th January. Decided a while ago I wanted to play a lot more. Got my wish and this years gigs have almost trebled. I'm really struggling to learn all the songs though. Nothing that is beyond me it's just I can't seem to set them all in my memory and it's starting to worry me. I'm talking maybe 50 - 55 new (to me) songs. Never have any problems usually but in all honesty only ever been in one band at a time before. I know a fair few of you do this kind of thing. Any hints or tips to help me ? cheers Les Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Compilation CDs for the car, playlists for the iPod Rough 'maps' of each song's structure More detailed notes for any fiddly bits Transcription (if you have the time/software/whatever) = another route into your brain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Use it or lose it. I had a break from bands for about a year, then when I got back into it my 'ear' had gone. I did a thread about it at the time. What helps me, is transcribing. If not the notes then at least the structure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike257 Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 What JapanAxe said. Repeated listening is great and has worked well for me in the past. It's much easier to busk your way through a song when you're familiar with it, you'll pick up on the musical and lyrical signposts to the changes more intuitively and won't need a mountain of notes in front of you. I do a lot of fairly last minute deps and i'm not a proficient sight reader so i'll listen as much as I can, work out the bulk of it by ear as I go and occasionally look at a dodgy tab or YouTube video to nudge me in the right direction for any tricky bits. I'll maybe have the starting chord marked on my setlist on the night, find it more useful than the key when the count in comes quick and you haven't got time to think! I will occasionally write out the changes for a section of a song that I'm not overly familiar with - rarely write out a whole tune though, verses and choruses usually stick, it'll be the odd middle eight or bridge that isn't repeated enough to be drummed into you. Most pop, rock and soul material you'll play on function gigs is fairly straightforward in terms of structure and changes, picking up the basic form of it and getting any majorly prominent hooks or riffs down will get you a lot of the way there when you've got to learn a set or two in a hurry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inthedoghouse Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 If it's a new song to me, original or cover, it's just simple repetition repetition and more repetition until it's ingrained. Boring and tedious, yes, but it works for me. Often when I'm doing something else I'll find myself picturing myself playing the song, 'seeing' and 'feeling' my fingers playing and 'feeling' the song - visualisation, I guess. Good luck! :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Write the parts out, stick them on a music stand. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scalpy Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 For me I've got to know the vocal. Which bit follows which bit etc. if I can hear it coming up I can just about cover it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Repetition repetition repetition Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ern500evo Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Pretty much as all the above for me. Playlist on ipod, 9 hour nightshift, headphones on, hit shuffle, jobs a good 'un! Once you get the structure of the song in your head it becomes way easier to blag it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Write out structures on index cards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 For me it's a combination of listening, watching Youtube videos for anything that's not too clear and using Best Practice to change the keys if needs be. "I Want You Back" by the Jacksons was an example where Youtube came in cos I couldn't work out what the bass was playing for the intro. 2 minutes later and I had it sussed. Once I am roughly familiar with a song I will put the bass down and just listen to it to work out the structure then play it again. I have around the same amount of songs to learn as you but for one band. What I have done is, rather than run through all of the songs start to finish and learn them roughly, I have put them into groups so that I can learn a few at a time properly then move onto the next group, coming back to the first group to make sure I don't forget them. I lost count of the number of times that I learned songs in the car on the way to a gig or even while playing them at the gig. I then developed them during the course of gigging and when I actually listened to the songs properly months or even years later what I was playing was no where near what was on the original recording. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassjon Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Feel your pain bro! I've got the exact same thing. Theres no way I'm going on stage with an ipod and music stand in front of me (lame beyond belief) so its a case of: - Learn the basic chords to the songs - don't worry about the fills for now unless they are integral to the song. - Get a setlist from your bands and play through all the songs like they will be live - When thats done keep going over them - a set at a time. If you must cheat write any hard to remember bits or cues on the setlist next to the song. - Practice them every day. after the first gig or 2 the pressure will be off and you'll never have to do it again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 You have 2 choices. You either learn the numbers or you chart them out/make notes. The worst thing you can do is to go on stage and cock it up because you don't know the numbers and aren't using notes. Your 3 bands will quickly dwindle if you do that. I'd make the notes and after a couple of gigs the numbers will start to fall into place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Too right! Would you rather look 'lame' for having a stand on stage or would you rather put in a terrible performance and get sacked? No shame in using a stand. I think your bandmates and the people paying your fee would appreciate that you'd prefer to sound good rather than trying to busk your way through unfamiliar songs. As others have suggested, listen to the songs ALOT! Truckstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Cheat sheets! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M@23 Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 (edited) Everyone learns differently, for me it was a case of putting in the hours when I started with functions bands. I joined an established band so had 50 odd songs to learn ASAP. I practiced for hours each night, listened to the songs I had to learn non stop too. I don't think there is a way of shortcutting it. Whatever method you like, be it YouTube, playing, listening, it does take time. Unless the original bass line is vital to the track I often wrote my own lines or made variations too. Maybe that helped me remember parts as they were a bit more 'me'. Edit, also, on your setlist writing the key signature or dots for the first phrase helped jog my memory. It's hard to recall simple parts sometimes when you've just learned 50 songs in 2 weeks! Edited January 10, 2015 by M@23 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Posted January 10, 2015 Author Share Posted January 10, 2015 All good stuff, thanks everyone. Already on the CD in the car route listening over and over. Not ruling charts/cheat sheets out at all but would prefer not to if poss. By the middle of February I will have have gigged twice each with the 2 new bands and know from experience it will get easier. Just want to avoid any "rabbit in the headlights" moments. May even book a day or 2 off work just before it starts to play them over and over as I'm doing as much as I can at nights but there's about 3 hours of songs there. much obliged as always Les Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BILL POSTERS Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 What w[size=4][quote name='M@23' timestamp='1420892353' post='2654633'][/size] Everyone learns differently, for me it was a case of putting in the hours when I started with functions bands. I joined an established band so had 50 odd songs to learn ASAP. I practiced for hours each night, listened to the songs I had to learn non stop too. I don't think there is a way of shortcutting it. Whatever method you like, be it YouTube, playing, listening, it does take time. Unless the original bass line is vital to the track I often wrote my own lines or made variations too. Maybe that helped me remember parts as they were a bit more 'me'. Edit, also, on your setlist writing the key signature or dots for the first phrase helped jog my memory. It's hard to recall simple parts sometimes when you've just learned 50 songs in 2 weeks! [/quote][size=4][quote name='M@23' timestamp='1420892353' post='2654633'][/size] Everyone learns differently, for me it was a case of putting in the hours when I started with functions bands. I joined an established band so had 50 odd songs to learn ASAP. I practiced for hours each night, listened to the songs I had to learn non stop too. I don't think there is a way of shortcutting it. Whatever method you like, be it YouTube, playing, listening, it does take time. Unless the original bass line is vital to the track I often wrote my own lines or made variations too. Maybe that helped me remember parts as they were a bit more 'me'. Edit, also, on your setlist writing the key signature or dots for the first phrase helped jog my memory. It's hard to recall simple parts sometimes when you've just learned 50 songs in 2 weeks! [/quote] Thats the opposite to me. If I spend hours at it things just get worse. Took me years to realise that what worksbest for me is 20 or 30 mins at a time tops, but often, very often. I always have a Bass handy and sometimes only pick it up for ten minutes, I realise that wouldnt work or even be practical for everyone, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassjon Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 I can do a couple of hours before my brain won't take any more in. And I'm sorry but music stands on a stage ARE lame. Who wants to see some guy reading dots at a gig? If you're reading off a sheet you aren't in the moment of communicating music with other humans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle psychosis Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 [quote name='Bassjon' timestamp='1420915766' post='2655050'] If you're reading off a sheet you aren't in the moment of communicating music with other humans. [/quote] That's the London Symphony Orchestra f**ked then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassjon Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 Haha! yes, i guess it depends on the musical situation. Orchestra pits, TV show bands, theatres etc I will retract my statement on but if you were replacing Flea for a gig..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 [quote name='Bassjon' timestamp='1420915766' post='2655050'] I can do a couple of hours before my brain won't take any more in. And I'm sorry but music stands on a stage ARE lame. Who wants to see some guy reading dots at a gig? If you're reading off a sheet you aren't in the moment of communicating music with other humans. [/quote] Isn't there a thread on this topic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dand666 Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 Cheat sheets all the way. I've just learnt 100 songs in around 3 days. All using my iPad and chord sheets and the good old Nashville Number System. Lead lines I Just need to keep going over. Flying out to LA next week so they've all gotta be down >.< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Posted January 11, 2015 Author Share Posted January 11, 2015 Bit of an update. I spent a lot of time today rehearsing and decided I was going to have to go down the cheat sheet route so started to write them out, just chord charts and occasional notes on fiddly bits. Well it seems to work, as I went through them to chart them and then ran through a couple of times to check my notes I was getting to the point where I didn't need them. Still going to do most of them anyway and know that I've got a crutch if I need it but hoping I don't. Thanks again. Les Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ern500evo Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 There is no shame in using cheat sheets, particularly when you have a lot of tracks to learn quickly. I don't want to open up the whole music stand debate again but you have to do what works best for you, I've never used one personally but I have had a pad on the floor, or on a monitor, or a sheet taped to back of a PA speaker with pointers on for anything I'm unsure of. I'm sure the other band members would rather you use cheat sheets and nail the songs. Once you've gigged them a few times you won't need the sheets, and to be honest you're the bass player so no-ones gonna be looking at you anyway! 😄 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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