Learning songs for gigs ?

[ThomasG]

I am going to step into the world of local playing. I will play smooth-jazz,funk, classic rock, pop, etc. I have been basically playing in my own space (i.e house) and I am ready to go out and play. "Generally speaking", when a band, for instance a smooth-jazz band wants you to play for them, are you expected to learn the songs by ear. I understand sheet music etc. is not always available. So what is the method required these days to learn tunes by the majority based on all you expereince bassists backgrounds ? Thanks for your feedback truly apprecaite it.

[Stereo Joe]

I've been doing more subbing and pick-up work lately and I'll learn the material in one of 2 ways (usually) with local bands.

1. From an audio source (emailed mp3 usually)

2. On the gig, on the fly (I watch the guitarist's chording hand and try to pick up the song form as quickly as possible)

[StyleOverShow]

Originally Posted by Stereo Joe

I've been doing more subbing and pick-up work lately and I'll learn the material in one of 2 ways (usually) with local bands.

1. From an audio source (emailed mp3 usually)

2. On the gig, on the fly (I watch the guitarist's chording hand and try to pick up the song form as quickly as possible)

Ditto to these methods, although Jazz is harder on the fly without a chord chart at least. Learning what the intervals sound like, through playing arpeggios is good too.

I play along with the XM radio often. They have a thousand songs on at once and you can flip through them and find something interesting. Good ear training.

[Martin Bormann]

Originally Posted by ThomasG

I am going to step into the world of local playing. I will play smooth-jazz,funk, classic rock, pop, etc. I have been basically playing in my own space (i.e house) and I am ready to go out and play. "Generally speaking", when a band, for instance a smooth-jazz band wants you to play for them, are you expected to learn the songs by ear. I understand sheet music etc. is not always available. So what is the method required these days to learn tunes by the majority based on all you expereince bassists backgrounds ? Thanks for your feedback truly apprecaite it.

Well Kenny G, I think learning a bunch of standards is a good start. But you better train your ear and read a bunch of charts. If they don't got charts, you probably shouldn't want to play with them.

[lexxmexx]

I always transcribe and play them if I am playing in a cover band. Not good at memorizing songs fast

[thumblypeg]

Originally Posted by Martin Bormann

Well Kenny G, I think learning a bunch of standards is a good start. But you better train your ear and read a bunch of charts. If they don't got charts, you probably shouldn't want to play with them.

Chord charts? I'll admit I'm not exactly pro status but I play in a working blues/funk/soul band and they just gave me cd's with the songs they're covering on them. Since my return to the music scene I've played with a couple of bands and set in with other bands at gigs. If I didn't know the tunes or didn't have the opportunity to learn them in time, the guitarists just told me the changes and I winged it. I'd say train your ear. I would not judge a band on whether or not they had chord charts. I learn everything by ear. I can see jazz being a bit more challenging but how many changes can there be? Am I missing out on something or limiting myself in this way?

[Baird6869]

Originally Posted by Stereo Joe

I've been doing more subbing and pick-up work lately and I'll learn the material in one of 2 ways (usually) with local bands.

1. From an audio source (emailed mp3 usually)

2. On the gig, on the fly (I watch the guitarist's chording hand and try to pick up the song form as quickly as possible)

+1

Being an ex-guitard REALLY helps learning on the fly. Unless my guitarist is playing crazy Steve Howe-like jazz chords, I can follow along visually no problem.

My band picks songs, we email them and are expected to learn them for the next rehearsal.

[timmbass]

I think learning a bunch of standards is a good start. But you better train your ear and read a bunch of charts. If they don't got charts, you probably shouldn't want to play with them.

He said smooth jazz. He did not say real jazz. I would think that a band playing smooth jazz would not be playing out of the real book or off of charts, and I would think that they would not be expecting a new bass player to improvise a walking bass line over a chord progression.

I would view smooth jazz just like rock or pop, because it really kind of is. Simply get a CD or MP3 of the song and learn the recorded bass part, or even play a little less than the recorded bass part. You can always simplify the bass part and play less than the original bass player did on the recordings.

[longstack]

If you are going to play with another Guitarist, the correct thing to do is to run through the numbers you are going to play. Do this a coulple of night before the gig. Get him to show you the key the tracks will be played in and the chord progessions. You should , if you know your stuff, be able to jam along to the guitarist. Keep it simple at first, you can always add extra runs and patterns when you know the tracks. Most of the time simple is the best.

[thesandman]

Get a setlist, then work the tunes up.
It's not always easy, but it's pretty simple. The gigs I've sat in on ,bringing charts wouldn't really work, because the bandleader calls it like he sees it, and you don't get a lot of notice. So get a list, and go to work. I would think, there wouldn't be a big variation in the lists within a particular genre. If you are going to play gigs in all the styles you mentioned, you are surely good enough to hit it on the run!