Keeping songs straight

seanm · #1 05-09-2007, 06:39 PM

I play in multiple bands with a huge overlap in the songs. Most of the bands don't practice. I am starting to have problems remembering how each of the singers does the songs.

For example, Singer A drops all the B chords in this song. Singer B plays the all the chord changes but only plays one bar here instead of two.

I am not talking about transposing. I just assume every song will be transposed to a different key. I play country and a lot of songs are recorded in Bb. I have never played a song in Bb.

We don't use set lists, so I can't even mark the changes.

Guess I am really just ranting. Has anybody else had this problem?

Bass Viking · #2 05-09-2007, 07:36 PM

Make up your own notes or crib sheets for each band. I'm subbing in a band right now and made some notes for keys, cues and little things they do different from the record. Sometimes I'm flying by the seat of my pants and watching the guitarist's fingers, other times he'll communicate the changes to me on stage.

steve21 · #3 05-09-2007, 08:51 PM

None of my songs have gone homosexual, but I guess if they did I'd be supportive.

seanm · #4 05-09-2007, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bass Viking

Make up your own notes or crib sheets for each band. I'm subbing in a band right now and made some notes for keys, cues and little things they do different from the record. Sometimes I'm flying by the seat of my pants and watching the guitarist's fingers, other times he'll communicate the changes to me on stage.

I like to be stage right so I can see the guitar players hands. I can't play guitar, but I know quite a few guitar chord patterns. However, I get lost with bar chords due to lack of practice.

seanm · #5 05-09-2007, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steve21

None of my songs have gone homosexual, but I guess if they did I'd be supportive.

pocket_groover · #6 05-10-2007, 12:29 AM

I've had this problem too with the same song played in two different bands. I make crib notes like Bass Viking says and keep the songs in alphabetical order (easy to do in an Excel spreadsheet). Just before the song starts, I do a quick scan of the notes and usually can get it. Sometimes, though if the band just goes without song breaks, it's hard. Usually, a scan of the set list and the crib notes before the gig is sufficient. One example is one band going back to the one chord (in a blues progression) a half measure early vs the other band.