I got tripped up when I needed to learn about 40 songs between being asked on Sunday night to do the gig, and playing the gig the following Friday, while working a full-time day job. By the end of Thursday night, I could play all my parts and was comfortable playing along to the Spotify list. When it came to the gig, I had the set-list with song titles and keys on the floor in front of me, and for some of the songs I had some notes. What caught me out several times during the gig was that the song title on its own, even with my notes. wasn't enough for me to recall how the damn thing went. Mostly I was able to fake my way through and by a few bars in I'd got my bearings, but there was one song where I had to start the song on my own, with the band coming in on bar 5. My notes told me I had to start the song, but I just couldn't think what I was supposed to do. Luckily the singer guessed what was happening, and he came over and sang the first line of the chorus in my ear, which was all I needed to remember how my intro part went. It was a lesson that my ability to learn to play each of the songs far exceeds my ability to recall all 40 of them in the heat of the moment. Now my set lists show the song title, the original artist (which can sometimes help), the key, and something that will help me remember which song it is in case the title isn't enough (eg, the first line of the chorus or some prominent vocal line). And I test myself to make sure I can recall and start every song just by looking at the set list.
Impressive. Were you as productive and conscientious on your day job in preparing for the gig throughout the week? It's a shame that talented experienced people like you cannot earn a full time living from music.
@@MelodyMaker Other than being a bit tired from staying up late in the evening to prep for the gig, my day work didn't suffer. Actually, not making my living from music is a conscious choice. I like the freedom to go for opportunities I think I'll enjoy, regardless of how much they'll pay, and being able to turn down things I don't think I'll enjoy. I like being able to take a break, not just from music, but from the less attractive aspects of gigging. I've certainly missed out on some fun projects over the years because my job makes me a less flexible, but on balance I think I've enjoyed music through my life more than if my mortgage had depended on it. There are so many aspects of making a living through music that are nothing to do with making music, and it's those I don't think I'm ideally suited to or even particularly good at. I'm always impressed by and interested in people who manage to pull all the strings together and earn a decent income solely from music, but it's not for me.
That was VERY useful. I am a weekend warrior, gigging for 15-30 people and playing covers while holding a full-time job. It's always stressful to get the new songs under my belt, especially because perfectionism is the enemy of efficiency ;) It was great to hear the pros' approach
Most important part to me is preparing the material. I download the tracks, line them on logic and go through them in order without stopping... First thing is to chart them down as soon as they're on the DAW
This reminds me of the new drummer appointed to do a tour with Frank Zappa in two weeks. "Here is the music (notation not notes) for the 80 songs you'll need to know - see you at the airport!" Rob is spot on:- 1. Get the set list and then set that up in Spotify. 2. Run through the songs as much as you need - skip those that are obvious or known - get to know the structure of each song. 3. Accept that the band you'll work with will not always follow the recorded structure. So loosely learn and expect changes. 4. Play along with Spotify as much as it needs to feel competent. You might not be able to afford the time to get to absolutely perfect - so..... 5. Manage your time available. ^. take some paper notes. Joe raises the issue of what we actually listen to when playing. So a full-mix recorded track is probably different to where you'll get your cues when playing live. Hearing a bass phrase or a drum cue is uber-important if that's your mojo. Paddy raised the issue of red flags. Haha - if there's one thing that the sub gets ambushed on, it's these bits - suddenly in the spotlight for a solo - or completely miss something only that band does - and of course, it's a big 'thing' for them. Go back to Rob's suggestion of notes - write it down - keep up with the notes and where you are.
i spent 4 decades as a hired gun. i've learned hundreds of songs i'll never play again. the process seems to be similar for everyone. listen, listen and listen. i sometimes take notes then throw them away. never get attached to paper. i write out lyrics but never look at them when singing. the process of writing them down helps carve them into memory. it's an adventure.
Very very good this, the biggest takeaway is that I suffer with self doubt. It was very reassuring to hear the pros are doing many of the same things I am and that they suffer the same. Also, got some very useful additional tips! Great episode!
I recently joined a band to play dance music covers on bass. Nice folks, the former bassist agreed to play the few booked gigs until fall. He was happy to play only half of the songs on the next gig as I joined. So I learned my 30 songs, everything was fine. Two weeks before the gig the other bassist alerts the band that he can't perform due to health issues! So I had two weeks and only two rehearsals for another 28 songs. Mind You, I am an amateur, I have a normal job and kids at home. But it worked and the gig went great. I used my tablet and of course I made a couple of mistakes but nothing I should be ashamed of and I guess only some band members noticed. The crowd was really cool but the amount of beer may also have contributed to the atmosphere. 😅 It was at a local fair and we are already booked there for next year. 😁 I will learn more and more songs by heart for the gigs ahead. For me this was a very quick start from joining the band to having to be able to play 58 songs. If I hadn't been able to play all songs we had a keyboard player that may have helped by playing bass on his keys.
Great video man! I pretty much do the same as all except I make charts even if I don’t end up using them (Like Paddy said).I find that charts help as I visualise the part by writing it down, but also if I need to play that chart again on another gig then I have it. So many gigs I end up playing at least a few tunes I’ve played before so this is useful. But 90% of the time I try not to use the chart on the gig (even though I’m a reader) as I perform better without it.
As a drummer I just simply listen to the songs over and over and over as much as possible. I make a playlist and put it on repeat. As a guitarist and singer it's MUCH more difficult. I sit at my computer with my playlist on Spotify/Tidal/whatever streaming service with my headphones on. I mic my amp so I can hear myself in the headphones. I play along with the songs over and over, picking out by ear as much as possible. I also pull up Ultimate Guitar to help me with something I'm having trouble hearing or whatever. Then just repeat, repeat, repeat. I've been playing in cover bands for almost 25 years now. I was a drummer for about 10 years, guitarist and singer for the latter 15 years.
When I ran a jam night with a buddy, which was an hour’s drive for me to the gig, I would pick a new song and try to learn how to play and sing it in my car on the trip out there….without the opportunity of playing my instrument So I’d have to remember enough of the lyrics and figure out in my head what the guitar could do to get the song over the line. It was one of those rock up with your instrument and jump up and play with whomever is there jam nights. Some have played together, sometimes everyone is new. It’s a lot of fun. We would usually play the song around half way through the evening. The songs were usually songs I was familiar with, just never bothered to learn them. It was a lot of fun. I kind of miss it. They sold the pub it was at so that finished things up, and I picked up a mixing gig that’s only 10mins away and pays better. It really put me on the spot, especially as I’m a bass player and I only impersonate a guitarist and I sing when no one else will….
Used to do musical theater runs/tours and this takes me back. Can really relate to listening to songs over and over just internalizing them before even picking up the bass. Then I'd work on playing thru with focus on more complicated riffs and changes. Theater was fun because numbers could be quite long and span multiple genres in the same song lol. Great experience that was, we had a blast in the orchestra pit. Especially when we got to cut loose and jam during interludes and final curtain 😂
This is something I have struggle with, and have been working really hard on lately. It still takes me 2 weeks to learn and really be able to nail a 5 song set
Not a professional here but can relate to what's being said. For me, knowing the song - knowing the melodies, knowing how many times a riff or progression repeats, knowing the intros and endings, that's 90% of the battle. And that can be done without your instrument, just by listening. After that it's just paint by numbers.
Very interesting video, nice to see I’m doing some of the same things that the Pro’s do! Yeah, a lot of listening away from my instrument simply because I can’t always have it with me or play it. And if it’s a song I’m not at all familiar with, I want to listen to it enough times that I’ll be able to remember the groove/feel of the song, which won’t necessarily be captured by the drummer noting the BPMs and counting it off!
I do pretty much the same as Rob. As a singer guitarist I can only play what I think is the main part and don't add all the fills, like "Sultans of swing" I know the two solos, but I will do Dave Knopfler's parts in the verse.
I need about 2 weeks because I work full time. The best thing I’ve found is to listen to the music a lot. I agree about learning the versions, keys, etc.
I’ve just learnt 30 cover songs. I watch you tube videos if I don’t know the song. I just right a simple chart for each song, intro, verse, chorus, solo outro. Once I get the song down I work on sound and tone. If you do your homework it’ will show at rehearsal
Sounds like having a bunch of Teles some with a bridge humbucker like a chopper could be invaluable so you can quickly change tuning for different keys.
Some interesting points there. I particularly related to the write out the progression but then don’t look at it if you can help it. I find if you rely on having something in front of you then you don’t internalise the song very well.
Anytune app on my Mac had been a godsend. I never use tab as never had it when I started. Find it quicker by ear. Live versions on TH-cam if I get stuck. Listen to a playlist constantly beforehand to get the arrangements then chunk the parts I need to. Get in the ball park with solos and move on. Comeback and nail if needed. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Only jealous musos and the arm folders care.
This is a really interesting video. I've played sporadic dep gigs over the years (always covers), beginning with country bands; these were relatively easy, requiring minimal rehearsal. I recently played a gig with an 80s themed band, and for that, I had to learn the songs with very little information provided by the band. Ultimate Guitar's transcriptions are a big help (although you have to really listen carefully to the songs, because some chords are wrong; still much easier than starting from scratch), as are TH-cam tutorials. I prefer to fit each song onto one sheet of A4 paper, and then use a music stand with the sheets arranged in setlist order. Some bands may frown on this, but a) I'll forget the songs without the aide-memoire, and b) it just looks like I'm reading sheet music, as far as the audience is concerned.
Very interesting video, nice to see I’m doing some of the same things that the Pro’s do! Yeah, a lot of listening away from my instrument simply because I can’t always have it with me or play it. And if it’s a song I’m not at all familiar with, I want to listen to it enough times that I’ll be able to remember the groove/feel of the song, which won’t necessarily be captured by the drummer noting the BPMs and counting it off! Also cuz I’m a bit lazy, I’ll make frequent use of TH-cam guitar lessons for tricky bits, since again there are more situations where I can watch a screen than sit with my guitar.
One thing i do is write the name of a song on your chart which has similar rhythm than the song you need to learn, it might be totally different style of music, but it reminds you what kind of rhythm it has. Because i can't write them down so that i actually understand them week later etc.
I just realized I just became a hired gun. Last weekend I had a gig that I had to learn 43 songs. Listen to song as I chart with iRealPro. Figure out key and all chords. Learn riffs and Solos Depending on gig, learn keys parts as well. Practice ! It starts becoming easier as you develop your ears.
Re: Joe Harris's remark, "If you can hear it, you can play it." To be more specific, I think he meant, "If you can audiate it, you can play it." He talks later on about internalizing the parts; I think that's basically what audiating is (one definition of audiation is "to hear and comprehend music for which the sound is no longer present"). For me (not a pro!), audiating is just the first step; I still have quite a bit of work ahead working out what I've internalized. But I can believe that folks like you and your mates here are already much of the way there once you've audiated the parts. -Tom
How do you guys go about learning 30\40 songs when playing rhythm parts plus all licks and solos ? when improvising your own will never be as good.... Im interested to know how you guys get through it? Especially if youve never heard most the songs? And also possibly key changes too?
The more you understand the language of music the easier it is to learn songs. The more songs you learn the easier it gets to learn more songs. There’s 12 notes and a system of logic that organizes them into music. If you know theory you can focus on the feel, emotion, and nuance instead of the nuts n bolts of the arrangement.
(a) Get famous enough so that you only have to play your own music instead of doing wedding gigs (b) Write all of your songs using A,E, G and D major chords, (c) Get Phil Collins to drum for you and blame him when you forget how to play Whole Lotta love (d) Mime
Intrigued by this, and in what context! For me if i'm thinking too hard about what I'm playing I'm not listening to my bandmates, so muscle memory is the absolute goal!
Advice that warns against relying solely on procedural memory mainly concerns memorising classical repertoire, (in a stressful performance situation your mind can wander and you get the feeling you're watching your fingers doing something automatically then sometimes your muscle memory fails) however I can see how that's not relevant to a band situation.
@@chrishandley Ahh yes, definitely relevant in that area of music, where the detail of the performance is far more crucial than the stage presence/ability to shift with the band around you! Very easy to lose your place in the piece too.
Anytune app on my Mac has been a godsend. I never use tab as never had it when I started. Find it quicker by ear. Live versions on TH-cam if I get stuck. Listen to a playlist constantly beforehand to get the arrangements then chunk the parts I need to. Get in the ball park with solos and move on. Comeback and nail if needed. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Only jealous musos and the arm folders care.
I got tripped up when I needed to learn about 40 songs between being asked on Sunday night to do the gig, and playing the gig the following Friday, while working a full-time day job. By the end of Thursday night, I could play all my parts and was comfortable playing along to the Spotify list. When it came to the gig, I had the set-list with song titles and keys on the floor in front of me, and for some of the songs I had some notes. What caught me out several times during the gig was that the song title on its own, even with my notes. wasn't enough for me to recall how the damn thing went. Mostly I was able to fake my way through and by a few bars in I'd got my bearings, but there was one song where I had to start the song on my own, with the band coming in on bar 5. My notes told me I had to start the song, but I just couldn't think what I was supposed to do. Luckily the singer guessed what was happening, and he came over and sang the first line of the chorus in my ear, which was all I needed to remember how my intro part went. It was a lesson that my ability to learn to play each of the songs far exceeds my ability to recall all 40 of them in the heat of the moment. Now my set lists show the song title, the original artist (which can sometimes help), the key, and something that will help me remember which song it is in case the title isn't enough (eg, the first line of the chorus or some prominent vocal line). And I test myself to make sure I can recall and start every song just by looking at the set list.
Impressive. Were you as productive and conscientious on your day job in preparing for the gig throughout the week? It's a shame that talented experienced people like you cannot earn a full time living from music.
@@MelodyMaker Other than being a bit tired from staying up late in the evening to prep for the gig, my day work didn't suffer. Actually, not making my living from music is a conscious choice. I like the freedom to go for opportunities I think I'll enjoy, regardless of how much they'll pay, and being able to turn down things I don't think I'll enjoy. I like being able to take a break, not just from music, but from the less attractive aspects of gigging. I've certainly missed out on some fun projects over the years because my job makes me a less flexible, but on balance I think I've enjoyed music through my life more than if my mortgage had depended on it. There are so many aspects of making a living through music that are nothing to do with making music, and it's those I don't think I'm ideally suited to or even particularly good at. I'm always impressed by and interested in people who manage to pull all the strings together and earn a decent income solely from music, but it's not for me.
@@philbrannigan5854 You know you better than anyone else. Kudos for giving musicianship its perspective in the broader context of your life!
Cheers for asking me to do this… really interesting to hear the common threads between the 3 of us! Very much enjoyed deciphering my own process…
Hi paddy, super helpful tips and tricks!
What app do you use for writing charts? I’m trying to move inte the digital realm of chart keeping..
@@oggi3 Goodnotes and a cheap Apple Pencil kind of thing!
That was VERY useful. I am a weekend warrior, gigging for 15-30 people and playing covers while holding a full-time job. It's always stressful to get the new songs under my belt, especially because perfectionism is the enemy of efficiency ;) It was great to hear the pros' approach
Most important part to me is preparing the material. I download the tracks, line them on logic and go through them in order without stopping... First thing is to chart them down as soon as they're on the DAW
This reminds me of the new drummer appointed to do a tour with Frank Zappa in two weeks. "Here is the music (notation not notes) for the 80 songs you'll need to know - see you at the airport!"
Rob is spot on:- 1. Get the set list and then set that up in Spotify. 2. Run through the songs as much as you need - skip those that are obvious or known - get to know the structure of each song. 3. Accept that the band you'll work with will not always follow the recorded structure. So loosely learn and expect changes. 4. Play along with Spotify as much as it needs to feel competent. You might not be able to afford the time to get to absolutely perfect - so..... 5. Manage your time available. ^. take some paper notes.
Joe raises the issue of what we actually listen to when playing. So a full-mix recorded track is probably different to where you'll get your cues when playing live. Hearing a bass phrase or a drum cue is uber-important if that's your mojo.
Paddy raised the issue of red flags. Haha - if there's one thing that the sub gets ambushed on, it's these bits - suddenly in the spotlight for a solo - or completely miss something only that band does - and of course, it's a big 'thing' for them. Go back to Rob's suggestion of notes - write it down - keep up with the notes and where you are.
That sounds like Chad Wackerman's experience joining Frank's band.
i spent 4 decades as a hired gun. i've learned hundreds of songs i'll never play again. the process seems to be similar for everyone. listen, listen and listen. i sometimes take notes then throw them away. never get attached to paper. i write out lyrics but never look at them when singing. the process of writing them down helps carve them into memory. it's an adventure.
Very very good this, the biggest takeaway is that I suffer with self doubt. It was very reassuring to hear the pros are doing many of the same things I am and that they suffer the same. Also, got some very useful additional tips! Great episode!
I recently joined a band to play dance music covers on bass. Nice folks, the former bassist agreed to play the few booked gigs until fall. He was happy to play only half of the songs on the next gig as I joined. So I learned my 30 songs, everything was fine.
Two weeks before the gig the other bassist alerts the band that he can't perform due to health issues!
So I had two weeks and only two rehearsals for another 28 songs.
Mind You, I am an amateur, I have a normal job and kids at home.
But it worked and the gig went great. I used my tablet and of course I made a couple of mistakes but nothing I should be ashamed of and I guess only some band members noticed. The crowd was really cool but the amount of beer may also have contributed to the atmosphere. 😅
It was at a local fair and we are already booked there for next year. 😁
I will learn more and more songs by heart for the gigs ahead. For me this was a very quick start from joining the band to having to be able to play 58 songs. If I hadn't been able to play all songs we had a keyboard player that may have helped by playing bass on his keys.
Credit to you. Must have felt very satisfying!
@@MelodyMaker Thanks. It was. It was also really a lot of work. But it was really worth it. 😁
Excellent, I have played in bands as an amateur musician with a lot of experience and I am very pleased that my process is very similar. Great video.
Great video man! I pretty much do the same as all except I make charts even if I don’t end up using them (Like Paddy said).I find that charts help as I visualise the part by writing it down, but also if I need to play that chart again on another gig then I have it. So many gigs I end up playing at least a few tunes I’ve played before so this is useful. But 90% of the time I try not to use the chart on the gig (even though I’m a reader) as I perform better without it.
Very helpful - thanks to all 4 contributors.
Great video!! Thanks guys 🙏
I really need to start using Nashville numbering.
Great idea for a video, great to see how others work in challenging situations. Love it
As a drummer I just simply listen to the songs over and over and over as much as possible. I make a playlist and put it on repeat.
As a guitarist and singer it's MUCH more difficult. I sit at my computer with my playlist on Spotify/Tidal/whatever streaming service with my headphones on. I mic my amp so I can hear myself in the headphones. I play along with the songs over and over, picking out by ear as much as possible. I also pull up Ultimate Guitar to help me with something I'm having trouble hearing or whatever. Then just repeat, repeat, repeat.
I've been playing in cover bands for almost 25 years now. I was a drummer for about 10 years, guitarist and singer for the latter 15 years.
When I ran a jam night with a buddy, which was an hour’s drive for me to the gig, I would pick a new song and try to learn how to play and sing it in my car on the trip out there….without the opportunity of playing my instrument
So I’d have to remember enough of the lyrics and figure out in my head what the guitar could do to get the song over the line.
It was one of those rock up with your instrument and jump up and play with whomever is there jam nights. Some have played together, sometimes everyone is new. It’s a lot of fun.
We would usually play the song around half way through the evening.
The songs were usually songs I was familiar with, just never bothered to learn them.
It was a lot of fun. I kind of miss it. They sold the pub it was at so that finished things up, and I picked up a mixing gig that’s only 10mins away and pays better.
It really put me on the spot, especially as I’m a bass player and I only impersonate a guitarist and I sing when no one else will….
Very interesting. Thanks, John.
Used to do musical theater runs/tours and this takes me back. Can really relate to listening to songs over and over just internalizing them before even picking up the bass. Then I'd work on playing thru with focus on more complicated riffs and changes. Theater was fun because numbers could be quite long and span multiple genres in the same song lol. Great experience that was, we had a blast in the orchestra pit. Especially when we got to cut loose and jam during interludes and final curtain 😂
Great video! Interesting to see different peoples appoaches to it, but also the similarities!
Very interesting to hear the process for others. Writing is a really cool idea. Gotta buy a tab book to help the writing process!
Great stuff John! 👏
This particular information was so on point!
Number charts all day, if you want to take it a step further….notate unison hits and stops. You’d be surprised how fast you can chart 30+ songs
Great video. Being a bassist, Paddy's tips resonated the most with me.
Definitely interesting, educational and helpful. Great topic.
This is something I have struggle with, and have been working really hard on lately. It still takes me 2 weeks to learn and really be able to nail a 5 song set
Not a professional here but can relate to what's being said. For me, knowing the song - knowing the melodies, knowing how many times a riff or progression repeats, knowing the intros and endings, that's 90% of the battle. And that can be done without your instrument, just by listening. After that it's just paint by numbers.
Very interesting video, nice to see I’m doing some of the same things that the Pro’s do! Yeah, a lot of listening away from my instrument simply because I can’t always have it with me or play it. And if it’s a song I’m not at all familiar with, I want to listen to it enough times that I’ll be able to remember the groove/feel of the song, which won’t necessarily be captured by the drummer noting the BPMs and counting it off!
I do pretty much the same as Rob. As a singer guitarist I can only play what I think is the main part and don't add all the fills, like "Sultans of swing" I know the two solos, but I will do Dave Knopfler's parts in the verse.
I need about 2 weeks because I work full time. The best thing I’ve found is to listen to the music a lot. I agree about learning the versions, keys, etc.
I’ve just learnt 30 cover songs. I watch you tube videos if I don’t know the song. I just right a simple chart for each song, intro, verse, chorus, solo
outro. Once I get the song down I work on sound and tone. If you do your homework it’ will show at rehearsal
Sounds like having a bunch of Teles some with a bridge humbucker like a chopper could be invaluable so you can quickly change tuning for different keys.
Some interesting points there. I particularly related to the write out the progression but then don’t look at it if you can help it. I find if you rely on having something in front of you then you don’t internalise the song very well.
Lol literally had to start doing this today. Perfect timing before I start learning all the songs today.
Very helpful! I’m terribly slow at learning new songs. I need to put in some work.
Anytune app on my Mac had been a godsend. I never use tab as never had it when I started. Find it quicker by ear. Live versions on TH-cam if I get stuck. Listen to a playlist constantly beforehand to get the arrangements then chunk the parts I need to.
Get in the ball park with solos and move on. Comeback and nail if needed. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Only jealous musos and the arm folders care.
This is a really interesting video. I've played sporadic dep gigs over the years (always covers), beginning with country bands; these were relatively easy, requiring minimal rehearsal. I recently played a gig with an 80s themed band, and for that, I had to learn the songs with very little information provided by the band. Ultimate Guitar's transcriptions are a big help (although you have to really listen carefully to the songs, because some chords are wrong; still much easier than starting from scratch), as are TH-cam tutorials. I prefer to fit each song onto one sheet of A4 paper, and then use a music stand with the sheets arranged in setlist order. Some bands may frown on this, but a) I'll forget the songs without the aide-memoire, and b) it just looks like I'm reading sheet music, as far as the audience is concerned.
Super helpful!! Thanks John! 🙂
Very interesting video, nice to see I’m doing some of the same things that the Pro’s do! Yeah, a lot of listening away from my instrument simply because I can’t always have it with me or play it. And if it’s a song I’m not at all familiar with, I want to listen to it enough times that I’ll be able to remember the groove/feel of the song, which won’t necessarily be captured by the drummer noting the BPMs and counting it off! Also cuz I’m a bit lazy, I’ll make frequent use of TH-cam guitar lessons for tricky bits, since again there are more situations where I can watch a screen than sit with my guitar.
One thing i do is write the name of a song on your chart which has similar rhythm than the song you need to learn, it might be totally different style of music, but it reminds you what kind of rhythm it has.
Because i can't write them down so that i actually understand them week later etc.
Very useful! Great idea John.
I just realized I just became a hired gun.
Last weekend I had a gig that I had to learn 43 songs.
Listen to song as I chart with iRealPro.
Figure out key and all chords.
Learn riffs and Solos
Depending on gig, learn keys parts as well.
Practice !
It starts becoming easier as you develop your ears.
Re: Joe Harris's remark, "If you can hear it, you can play it." To be more specific, I think he meant, "If you can audiate it, you can play it." He talks later on about internalizing the parts; I think that's basically what audiating is (one definition of audiation is "to hear and comprehend music for which the sound is no longer present"). For me (not a pro!), audiating is just the first step; I still have quite a bit of work ahead working out what I've internalized. But I can believe that folks like you and your mates here are already much of the way there once you've audiated the parts. -Tom
Can we all blame Paddy for Mr.Brightside? Great video!
I'm starting to come back around on that one...
How do you guys go about learning 30\40 songs when playing rhythm parts plus all licks and solos ? when improvising your own will never be as good.... Im interested to know how you guys get through it? Especially if youve never heard most the songs? And also possibly key changes too?
Paddy Bright was ace with Robben Ford
I've always wondered that
The more you understand the language of music the easier it is to learn songs. The more songs you learn the easier it gets to learn more songs. There’s 12 notes and a system of logic that organizes them into music. If you know theory you can focus on the feel, emotion, and nuance instead of the nuts n bolts of the arrangement.
No mention of charts. Doesn’t anyone use charts? That’s often how I do it. Ah, later in the video, now I see charts!
(a) Get famous enough so that you only have to play your own music instead of doing wedding gigs (b) Write all of your songs using A,E, G and D major chords, (c) Get Phil Collins to drum for you and blame him when you forget how to play Whole Lotta love (d) Mime
So, don't be scared of relying on Procedural Memory/muscle memory... There's a lot of advice against this?
Intrigued by this, and in what context! For me if i'm thinking too hard about what I'm playing I'm not listening to my bandmates, so muscle memory is the absolute goal!
Advice that warns against relying solely on procedural memory mainly concerns memorising classical repertoire, (in a stressful performance situation your mind can wander and you get the feeling you're watching your fingers doing something automatically then sometimes your muscle memory fails) however I can see how that's not relevant to a band situation.
@@chrishandley Ahh yes, definitely relevant in that area of music, where the detail of the performance is far more crucial than the stage presence/ability to shift with the band around you! Very easy to lose your place in the piece too.
Well that ain’t working 😂…..
Anytune app on my Mac has been a godsend. I never use tab as never had it when I started. Find it quicker by ear. Live versions on TH-cam if I get stuck. Listen to a playlist constantly beforehand to get the arrangements then chunk the parts I need to.
Get in the ball park with solos and move on. Comeback and nail if needed. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Only jealous musos and the arm folders care.