Learning new tunes...or not!

[Kitsto]

On 09/01/2023 at 23:20, Gasman said:

Such a common problem! I’ve been ‘last guy in‘ with all my bands since forever and have finally learned to stfu for at least six months when the call goes out for new numbers so I can see who likes what, who hates what and I don’t alienate anyone with inappropriate suggestions. 

 

This. I realised after a while in the covers band I was in that none of my suggestions were accepted. The singer had to decide if he could sing it and the guitarist whether he could be arsed to play it. However, the drummer had a right of veto: if he hated a song he'd deliberately wreck it by playing out of time. I, as bass, didn't count. But I did get my own back. The singer loved playing interminable Chicago blues. One of the several we did was a semitone down (B flat, I think). During a gig I nodded off, assumed this was the one we played flat and was a semitone out throughout. At the end we all looked at each other: it had sounded even worse than usual. But no one twigged it was me. For some reason we never played that number again. 

[msb]

I listen , get familiar , chart the song , and then play without the chart. Doing two one hour shifts a day working on new stuff. Gigs have been booked. There’s a pile of memory work.

[nilorius]

You must somehow learn all the songs, but You can always keep them written down in front of You, espesioally if they are so much.

Edited January 18, 2023 by nilorius

[Kitsto]

2 hours ago, nilorius said:

You must somehow learn all the songs, but You can always keep them written down in front of You, espesioally if they are so much.

 This is interesting. I used to keep each song's structure on a 3x5 card all clipped together in setlist order. I usually didn't need to refer to it but it was a reassuring prop. After I left the band the singer said to me some months later with an air of incredulity: 'The new bass player keeps notes, just like you!'

 

When Ron Blair rejoined the Heartbreakers, Tom Petty recalled coming across Blair in the backstage canteen waiting to to go on for Blair's first gig back. Petty saw Blair was making notes. 'Writin' to your gal?' TP inquired in typical Pettyesque fashion.

'No, Tom. Making notes for the gig.'

TP recalled walking away thinking to himself, 'Maan, this guy writes notes!'

 

Is this a bassist thing to do, write notes?  

[Al Krow]

5 hours ago, msb said:

I listen , get familiar , chart the song , and then play without the chart. Doing two one hour shifts a day working on new stuff. Gigs have been booked. There’s a pile of memory work.

 

Wow, that's impressive regular amount time on the fretboard. So 2 hours on new material plus any time doing other stuff ie are aiming to do more than 2 hours / day?

[nilorius]

2 minutes ago, Kitsto said:

 This is interesting. I used to keep each song's structure on a 3x5 card all clipped together in setlist order. I usually didn't need to refer to it but it was a reassuring prop. After I left the band the singer said to me some months later with an air of incredulity: 'The new bass player keeps notes, just like you!'

 

When Ron Blair rejoined the Heartbreakers, Tom Petty recalled coming across Blair in the backstage canteen waiting to to go on for Blair's first gig back. Petty saw Blair was making notes. 'Writin' to your gal?' TP inquired in typical Pettyesque fashion.

'No, Tom. Making notes for the gig.'

TP recalled walking away thinking to himself, 'Maan, this guy writes notes!'

 

Is this a bassist thing to do, write notes?  

It is good to always write chords, tempo and style. Leave the notes for specific unisons.