So how many songs do you know?

[warwickhunt]

I was asked recently by a guitarist (just starting out in bands) exactly how many songs I 'memorised' as he was amazed that I could play with 2 bands at once (though I have been in up to 4 at any given time ); this was prompted by the fact he'd seen me at a one-off gig that I did with a band that I've not played with for quite a while. I tried explaining that I actually have a rubbish memory but these clips on youtube probably sum up my (ahem) [u][b]ability[/b][/u] quite well (give the first one a minute or so as it does get better/entertaining).

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdxkVQy7QLM&feature=player_embedded#t=314"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdxkVQy7QLM..._embedded#t=314[/url]

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4_f6pfabQk&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4_f6pfabQk...feature=related[/url]

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdVurJFMDUI&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdVurJFMDUI...feature=related[/url]

[iamapirate]

I can memorise 20....

...million.

I think generally, of the songs I play, I can pick up 70% of them after maybe one listen, and immediately play about 40-50%.

So of all the song's I've played... ooh.

Edited September 26, 2009 by iamapirate

[skankdelvar]

I know about 20% of all the songs I've ever played = Half of the intro, several bars of a verse and some of the end bit twice by mistake.

Edited September 26, 2009 by skankdelvar

[lowdown]

Pachelbel Rant.....
Brilliant


Garry

[beerdragon]

In a band situation i haven't a clue. but if i go into a shop to try a bass or i'm buying a bass off someone, all i can remember is the first few bars of Sunshine of your love.

[xilddx]

I suppose about 30, given I'm in three bands, but there are others I've learned from records over the years.

[Tait]

4

[Adrenochrome]

150+

[Cat Burrito]

I think it depends on the genre people play. I play country / roots / americana type stuff so you can feel your way through most things. If I was in a prog band it'd be different.

[max363]

I got gold fish memory... usually remember only few bars of song...

[OldGit]

Ah an interesting question.

I got fed up of being asked by Jam session leaders "so, what do you know" and thinking, "You have to sing it mate, what do [b]you[/b] know?"
So I started writing a list. A list of everything I've ever learned and played properly on stage in a band where the tune was in the set.
40 years worth.

That's different to jamming tunes where I can guess that an A will be followed by a D followed by an E etc ..

So the list was "tunes I can play right now or after a 5 minute refresher". So far it's up to about 500 and I'm learning new things and remembering others all the time.......

So I gave the list to the various jam leaders and you know what? One of them still calls stuff I don't know rather than stuff I do ("take it easy" all the time yawwwwwwwn zzzzzzzzzzz)

Edited September 26, 2009 by OldGit

[witterth]

you're a [u][/u]very[u][/u] cynical man Warwick!!

but so..so ..true............so true...

er,.. hang on, true?...er...bloody hell nearly as well!

Edited September 26, 2009 by witterth

[EssentialTension]

I've forgotten more songs than I do remember or care to remember.

But many I could learn again in hardly anytime.

[leschirons]

Hundreds and hundreds, playing wise but when I'm singing, that's another issue completely. I can miss out whole verses without trying too hard.

[EssentialTension]

I definitely remember more than the drummer.

[mrcrow]

i dont know how many as i tend to make up basslines to each song...even the same one again
so all i know are sets of 'chord shapes'
some songs have their own special chord progression but most...thankfully are 3-4 chords in the same regime so i can concentrate on rhythm...some melodic and harmonic riffing and fills...i used to play saxes

so my answer is 0

[spike]

I have about eighty in my current repertoire but what I find interesting is that songs I haven't played for years I am able to remember almost instantly if I am playing along with someone.

[Geek99]

one actually - in the midnight hour.

[mrhectic]

If i dont play a song for a while, i start to forget it and play it completely wrong! So i'd say i know probably half a dozen...maybe not even that.

[Dubs]

Most probably more than 1, and most definitely less than 1000.

[Balcro]

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='609171' date='Sep 26 2009, 12:36 PM']I was asked recently by a guitarist (just starting out in bands) exactly how many songs I 'memorised' as he was amazed that I could play with 2 bands at once (though I have been in up to 4 at any given time ); this was prompted by the fact he'd seen me at a one-off gig that I did with a band that I've not played with for quite a while. I tried explaining that I actually have a rubbish memory but these clips on youtube probably sum up my (ahem) [u][b]ability[/b][/u] quite well (give the first one a minute or so as it does get better/entertaining).

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4_f6pfabQk&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4_f6pfabQk...feature=related[/url][/quote]

Wow, the video! You've found the fourth chord! Please e-mail to - [email protected]
They'll be pleased to hear from you.

My simple answer; about 7; and 4 of those need the 5 min refresher.

Balcro

[Monz]

OK I'm fairly new to this bass game so likely to get gazumped by nearly all of you

58 for the 60's/70's/80's covers band
22 and counting for the rock band
15 and counting for the ska/reggae band

These are numbers that I would be confident playing on stage tonight if I had to...

Probably another 20 or so that I learned purely because I liked the bassline

[Balcro]

[quote name='Monz' post='609482' date='Sep 26 2009, 07:08 PM']OK I'm fairly new to this bass game so likely to get gazumped by nearly all of you

58 for the 60's/70's/80's covers band
22 and counting for the rock band
15 and counting for the ska/reggae band

These are numbers that I would be confident playing on stage tonight if I had to...

Probably another 20 or so that I learned purely because I liked the bassline[/quote]

Respect.

Balcro

[midgetiser]

It depends. In my band we do about 15 songs and I know the main riffs of all of them but the rest i kind of make up at the time. Still know the 20 odd from my last one too since that ended only a year ago or so.

Other than that I've spent far too long as a bedroom bassist so can play pretty much all of the chili peppers songs note for note from Californication onwards off the top of my head (except the intro to Around the World as I can never get the timing right and I can't slap for the ones that need slap). Can also play most RATM, a bunch of muse, strokes, audioslave, a few select rush songs, some beatles etc etc off the top of my head. Short of that if I listen to something a couple of times I can usually pick it up (assuming it's not something rediculously difficult).

Would need to learn loads if I joined a covers band though as I mostly stayed clear of "boring" bass lines that make up most pub band repertoires and up until recently hadn't expanded my musical horizons past the indie/rock stuff i've always listened to.

[JTUK]

If you can hear the changes then you know the song...after that, it is all ears, watching for the chord changes and knowing a few classic signals..

If you can read the bass pad... even better..

If you turn up on the gig and get introduced all round, then you'll have to be able to do all this...

It can be a roasting at first, but it is the way it is..sometimes...and gets easier the more you do it

You need to be right on your toes tho..and being out of the loop makes getting back on the horse a bit daunting.
It is a confidence thing, to take a gig on the phone and not knowing what the set list or the band is until you get there...

so you are talking in the hundreds, I'd guess...