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What Is Your Brain's Capacity?


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[quote name='chaypup' timestamp='1322146348' post='1447197']
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!
[/quote]

It depends on whether the file format is .mp3, .wav or .wma. Then it depends on how it's coded. I would think that a more realistic measure of the capacity for songs would be in terms of a midi file, since this gives us the building blocks of how to actually play the song. That would give you more than 800 million.

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[quote name='chaypup' timestamp='1322146348' post='1447197']
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!
[/quote]

That's at what compression ratio/bitrate?

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I expect I'm shortly to find out. I'm learning new stuff for the covers band I joined a few months back but then Richard (occasionally posts here as Out_to_play_jazz) asked me to fill in for him in the house band at a regular jam while he does panto this year. This will mean learning a vast quantity of stuff in next to no time and what will probably happen is I'll start forgetting the important stuff for the 'real' band.

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I've found it also depends on how you learn. In one band I tried to learn from TAB. The songs took ages to go in, and some still fall out again.

In the other band I've made up my own lines from chord charts and they've been quicker to learn and seem to stay in my memory better.

Although the older I get, the longer everything takes...

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[quote name='chaypup' timestamp='1322146348' post='1447197']
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!
[/quote]
[quote name='bremen' timestamp='1322146614' post='1447203']
That's at what compression ratio/bitrate?
[/quote]

Note too that you can remember more lyrics if you learn them in a smaller font.

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I did a dep gig a few weeks back, 24 songs in 2 days!

Thing is, I was also juggling my covers band...and then a couple of weeks back, joined a new originals band. More songs to learn....can feel the brain filling up!

However, I can put on an old record that I love, or a song I used to play, and normally it's still there.

But sometimes you feel like Patrick......

Edited by spongebob
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[quote name='Jacqueslemac' timestamp='1322154116' post='1447342']
I've found it also depends on how you learn. In one band I tried to learn from TAB. The songs took ages to go in, and some still fall out again. In the other band I've made up my own lines from chord charts and they've been quicker to learn and seem to stay in my memory better. Although the older I get, the longer everything takes...
[/quote]

I've tried and tried, but I just can't use any kind of visual aid to help me remember music. Don't know why.

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[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1322155946' post='1447380']
I've tried and tried, but I just can't use any kind of visual aid to help me remember music. Don't know why.
[/quote]

You're not alone. Stevie Wonder has a similar problem.

([i]OK, sorry; bad taste. Apologies, coat gotten, again[/i]...)

Edited by Dad3353
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[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1322155946' post='1447380']
I've tried and tried, but I just can't use any kind of visual aid to help me remember music. Don't know why.
[/quote]
I've found stress affects my ability to retain information. Experience that allows you to focus on the differences between the format of songs (instead of memorising the song in its entirety) before focussing on the detail (eg. phrasings at particular points) also helps.

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You've got to learn them, you can't have charts ?

I do a lot of dep gigs, and I just take a music stand, set it low and to the side so I can see it but it's not obtrusive. I don't think it really matters to be honest anyway if it can be seen.

I do quite a few 'reading' gigs too, so obviously there are stands on the stage.

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[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1322138495' post='1446988']
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)!
[/quote]

OR
Conscious incompetence

Once you get to Uncounscious Incompetence you are goosed :)

I learned an 8 minute epic for a rehearsal once. Had never heard the song before. Learned day before the rehearsal, took my notes, didn't need them and nailed it first time. Next reahearsal i hadn't focused on that one cause i thought i knew it.
Complete blank and couldn't even remember how the song sounded in my head. I had no idea how it started or where it went next. Luckily enough it was the last song at reahearsal with only minutes to go so we decided to drop it until next time. Bloody embarrassing for me though. I had never forgotten a part before and the guys stated i was human after all.

I did note that after being away from bands for 15yrs that learning and retaining songs was difficult at beginning but eased of as time went on. Now i can remember all 25 (bars) of the first song. :)

Dave

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