That old problem of missing notes when playing

[FretsOnFire]

I've noticed that when I play I very rarely if ever can get through
songs (covers) with 100% of the notes hit.

 

I seem to be unable to play
a song without the odd mistake (not that anybody but me would notice
unless you played the song yourself)

I've read that even the pros have this issue but it's still in the
back of my mind that I've made the mistake and I'm sure I'm not the
only one here with the issue.

 

My question is.... How the heck do you get along with this problem? 😬😁

Edited December 6 by FretsOnFire

[neepheid]

Accept that you're human.  Works for me.  Haven't been fired.  No-one has ever come up to me at a gig and said "see you missed a note at 1:43 in that song".

 

Mistakes are fleeting moments in a show or a song.  Don't dwell.  Practice the song after if it really bothers you.

Edited December 6 by neepheid

[gjones]

I played a whole song once in the key of C.

 

It should have been played in the key of B.

 

Nobody noticed (not even me).

 

Although the drummer did give me a funny look.

[neepheid]

HA, I just remembered, I went completely missing during the middle bit of Back in Black one time.  Total mind blank moment.  The rest of the band found it funny.  No-one in the audience cared or mentioned it.

[Lozz196]

Is it physically unable to play these notes or concentration waning so forgetting them?

 

If the first then practice more, if the second then is the lack of concentration due to the enjoyment of the gig itself. If yes then unless it’s causing a huge hole in the song which really stands out then I wouldn’t worry too much.

[PaulWarning]

I don't think I've ever got through a gig without at least couple of mistakes, it's usually lack of concentration, normally I don't think anybody notices but the last gig we decided to do the Specials Rat Race for the first time in ages, I got completely lost and couldn't get it back until the second chorus, even the drummer said it was messy 🤣

[ezbass]

Last weekend the band launched into The Who’s Substitute, whilst I decided to play I Can’t Explain. It took me almost an entire verse to work out why it sounded wrong  

[chris_b]

Practice with more focus, better concentration.

 

Practice until you can't get it wrong.

 

Finally, getting yourself out of a hole, musically, with no one spotting it, is a skill everyone should perfect.

[SimonK]

I had a very cheerful pianist/organist friend who used to say she aimed for about a 75% success rate with notes. Thing is she always played with such gusto and confidence no one really ever minded (and alot of Hammond organ is just leaning on half the keyboard as well!).

 

For bass I swear by ghost notes - as long as you get a percussive attack the fact that you didn't actually play a harmonic note can be forgiven every now and again, especially if you stay in the pocket with the kick!

[Bolo]

Why can't a darter throw a perfect game every time? A bowler? Biathlon?  Archer? 

People are flawed. It is what keeps the human experience interesting.

[Stub Mandrel]

Why do you think orchestras have so many musicians?

 

😁

[Dad3353]

1 hour ago, FretsOnFire said:

... My question is.... How the heck do you get along with this problem? 😬😁

 

By definition, 'problems' have 'solutions'. If there's no solution, it's not a problem, it's a 'fact', and one doesn't resolve facts, one accepts them. It's a fact that, try as one might, on occasion, there will be missed, duff, wrong notes. This is normal. One practices to reduce these to a minimum (and sometimes there are none..!). Striving to improve things is fine, and laudable. Obtaining perfection is not the objective; just 'as best as possible' is fine. Do not treat this 'fact' as a 'problem'; there is no 'solution', by definition. You're doing fine if you at least recognise that there are occasional mistakes. Carry on. 

[Woodinblack]

1 hour ago, FretsOnFire said:

My question is.... How the heck do you get along with this problem? 😬😁

 

Well, if you feel you have missed a few notes, add some in later

 

[SteveXFR]

When I was gigging with a band, we used to quite often miss entire verses. We got good at it though, me and the drummer could pick up pretty quickly when the singer/guitarist went to the wrong section. We all missed notes or played the wrong part occasionally. No one in the audience ever notices. It's all good.

I've seen some of the biggest rock and metal bands in the world completely screw up songs and have to start again. They make a joke about it, make fun of the person who messed up and its all fine. 

Perfection is boring anyway

Edited December 6 by SteveXFR

[Skinnyman]

I quite often miss out a few eight or quarter notes here and there. I try to make up for it by squeezing them into the next bar…

[gjones]

Of course, if you see Hannibal Lecter in the audience it's probably best to just make your excuses and go home. Maybe hide under the bed. Get a flight to Brazil. Get a sex change. Maybe all 3.

 

 

[Hellzero]

Then there's the George Benson trick: repeat your mistakes, so they become a part of what you're playing.

 

Ok, it's not the easiest way, but mistakes are totally normal for real human beings, only robots make no mistakes and it's so boring.

 

I remember seeing Queyras once with his strings quartet fighting against his cello all night and making mistakes, but he got all the applauses in the end...

 

Beauty lies in the imperfection, not the perfection.

[moley6knipe]

3 hours ago, ezbass said:

Last weekend the band launched into The Who’s Substitute, whilst I decided to play I Can’t Explain. It took me almost an entire verse to work out why it sounded wrong  

Ha ha! I’ve done exactly that as well!

[Obrienp]

This thread has landed at exactly the right moment for me. It’s reassuring to know others get it wrong. I had a band rehearsal yesterday and I couldn’t do anything right. I couldn’t keep up with the pace of some songs, I hit wrong notes (worse than missing a note), I forgot stuff,  I couldn’t get the bass to stay in tune; on it went. It came to a climax/anti-climax in “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” when I did the B flat major scale run down wrong (ended on A) and as for the two little three note chromatic run downs, I just couldn’t get the timing right. It threw me into a complete depression about my playing, fearing that age was causing a decline in my abilities and I was contemplating suggesting they get another bassist today (after 5 years in this band). Anyway this has cheered me up. I think I’ll postpone any self-destructive decisions until I’m absolutely sure I’m crap! 😀

[JapanAxe]

I have NEVER played a gig without making at least a few mistakes. On occasions I have made some massive clangers.

 

Sometimes the band noticed. The audience rarely (if ever) did.

[KingPrawn]

It's the scourge of being a weekend warrior. I've often wondered about the life of a daily player, those special few who can make it their task every day to practise and learn. I get a few minutes a day or less to play, as it's not my full-time job. Go easy on yourself. When you think about the number of songs we know with all those notes and little complexities, it's incredible, really. The odd mistake drives me on to try not to do it again. I generally substitute one mistake for another, iron it out then move onto the next.

[Dad3353]

I'm a drummer. I've done gigs, and depped gigs, on bass. Everyone danced, everyone enjoyed their evenings. I usually got asked back. No kittens were harmed. I'm a drummer.

 

 

 

 

Mistakes..? S'what makes it fun..! 

[itu]

I make mistakes quite often. If (and only if) I remember to check my faults at home, my right hand fingering is the main reason for mistakes. Even relatively slow song become much better (read: tighter) sounding when my plucking hand does less unnecessary movements. 1-2, 2-1, 1-2 is usually much worse than 1-2, 1-2, 1-2 even while doing string hopping.

[AlexDelores]

Geddy Lee talks about concentration in his book and how sometimes he had to change things in order to make them harder and force himself to focus… 

 

He talks about how he’d playing bass, using his feet for keyboard triggers, and singing. But, as he knew the material so well, his brain couldn’t help but think about going on a journey somewhere else.

 

 

[JoeEvans]

Out of rhythm is much, much worse than wrong note. So I think the main thing in terms of approach to playing is to get in the groove, dance around a bit so that you're engaging with the rhythm with your whole body, and concentrate more on what the drummer's playing than on what you're playing. Then let your fingers take care of themselves.