Have you got a head like a sieve?

[niceguyhomer]

I'm frantically trying to learn about 6/7 songs for my first gig with my new band on Sunday night. It's quite complex stuff and having been in 4 piece bands for so long and being quite busy on the bass, I'm also having to adjust to being in a six piece band and relaxing a bit with my playing.

Problem is, my memory's banjaxed. Last night, I was learning a fairly straightforward passage using the loop facility on my Tascam - I must have played it at least 30 times but when I got up this morning, it'd gone. I usually learn stuff by playing it over and over until I don't have to think about it but it's getting harder to remember stuff.

I'm getting a bit concerned now and was wondering if anyone with a similar disfunctional brain has any useful tips.

[peted]

I seem to have lost the ability to retain anything in my head long-term or short since my littl'un was born over a year ago. I'd be interested to hear any kind of help anyone has. Of course getting more/better sleep is probably key.

[Funkmaster]

I find that, for me, advancing age and good memory are rather uneasy bedfellows!

I'm sure you'll be 'alright on the night' though. It seems to work like that!

[Cat Burrito]

Get some blank postcards that you can write down the chord sequence or trigger points on. These can be kept onstage by the set list to give you a nudge.

[Jase]

Can't remeber what I was going to say

[Maxcat]

Ive only just started doing this but it works for me. I had to learn 2 full sets in a short time for a band I was depping for and have since joined with 30 songs that I knew but had never really played. I was having a hard time remembering which song was which.

So I have a little folder set up on a music stand out of sight of the punters with the each song intro and any difficult segments/fills tabbed in bold on a score. Thing is I dont use it that often but a quick glance before the song is enough to refresh the memory. TBH I think its more of a safety net but it stops me flapping when my mind goes blank.

Might work for you

[OldGit]

Oh I know that one ...

I use a prompt system for depping situation (as we've discussed before) but you really need to commit this stuff to memory for your proper band. If you know there are prompts available you'll not do it and the burning in process will take longer

You'll just have to keep doing it Al, oh and keep your head away from your speaker magnets:

KRYTEN: Kryten personal black box recording. Time: unknown. Location: unknown. Cause of accident: unknown. Should someone find this recording, perhaps it will shed light as to what happened here. My short-term memory has been erased. This, I ascribe to the proximity of the magnetic coils from Starbug's rear engine. Secondly, due to the proximity of the magnetic coils, my short term memory appears to have been erased. This, combined with the erasure of my short-term memory, has left me a little disoriented... disoriented... disoriented...

[niceguyhomer]

[quote name='BurritoBass' post='595402' date='Sep 11 2009, 09:22 AM']Get some blank postcards that you can write down the chord sequence or trigger points on. These can be kept onstage by the set list to give you a nudge.[/quote]

I'm also blind without my glasses

[thunderbird13]

One tip that was given to me was to group the song parts into bigger bits . So if there is a section with a riff in D that lasts 16 bars I'll play an A every 4th bar and then write down 4 A's to remind me.
Also I've found for me just going over the songs again and again will only work up to a point. I remember reading something about there being a optimum number of times to do a repeated action to commit it to memory and repeating that action after that point actually reduces your ability to remember it , but of course I cant rememebr where I read that !

[Marvin]

I've got no hope. The wife found me trying to put the breakfast cereal in the fridge on several occasions lately. So as for advice on remembering songs, no chance.

[niceguyhomer]

[quote name='RichB' post='595451' date='Sep 11 2009, 10:12 AM']I've got no hope. The wife found me trying to put the breakfast cereal in the fridge on several occasions lately. So as for advice on remembering songs, no chance.[/quote]

At least you found the fridge

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

[quote name='RichB' post='595451' date='Sep 11 2009, 10:12 AM']I've got no hope. The wife found me trying to put the breakfast cereal in the fridge on several occasions lately. So as for advice on remembering songs, no chance.[/quote]
Its when you start peeing in the pedal bin you'll have to worry.

[chris_b]

[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='595514' date='Sep 11 2009, 11:22 AM']....Its when you start peeing in the pedal bin you'll have to worry....[/quote]
Or behind the sofa!

Don't worry; just run through the songs every day. They'll stick in the end.

I got a call yesterday for a Hendrix/Doors gig to night. 19 numbers that I mostly don't know! Even the ones I do know are in different keys, so I've charted the basic chords and had a listen to the originals.

We'll be fine.

[xgsjx]

If you can't remember what you're playing on bass then you might be turning into a guitarist!

[EssentialTension]

Mrs ET has started calling me Mr Alzheimer. Or so she says.

[Dr.Dave]

I think it stems from trying to learn too many new songs at once - they take a while to sink in.

When in doubt - hit the root note and look like you're doing it on purpose !!

[niceguyhomer]

[quote name='xgsjx' post='595789' date='Sep 11 2009, 04:11 PM']If you can't remember what you're playing on bass then you might be turning into a guitarist! [/quote]

I am a guitarist

[lonestar]

This morning I found myself staring into the bathroom cabinet with an electric toothbrush in my hand trying to remember what I was looking for... toothpaste of course.

Oh dear!

[ziggydolphinboy]

[quote name='lonestar' post='595941' date='Sep 11 2009, 06:51 PM']This morning I found myself staring into the bathroom cabinet with an electric toothbrush in my hand trying to remember what I was looking for... toothpaste of course.

Oh dear![/quote]
i found that when i learn the tune with a band it sticks in!
but i play in one band and dep for three others so i am a puss and have a folder on stage (i usually put it near the drummers stands so its less obvious ).
this way if my mind does think f*** where am i ites there.
the bands take the mick but i recently had a fella stand in for me and apparantly he wa all over the place.(and i recomended him )
id rather have a few notes or a full folder on stage than get it wrong,the simple tunes i just write stuff on set list next to the songs.
hope this helps
john.