Add new material 5 hours before load-in?

[LBS-bass]

I don't do sessions. Often. Read the last paragraph of my experiences I listed. Sorry, man. It just ain that hard if you study the right things. And, if ya didn't even read my whole story? Yer prolly missing out on other pertinent info.

I've played in my town the last ten years. Live. 200+ shows a year. 20 or so acts. My current main act plays 12 shows a month. As I said. We learn songs on stage. On breaks I can learn any song to perform in ten minnits. I performed with 1.5 hours notice, 1.5 hours of covers I never heard, in a style I don't like. I get these types of calls ALL the time. I acquired the skills to take these calls on purpose. As well as many of my heroes, both studio cats an live guys. Performing instantaneously in studio OR live is same.

I can also play songs, in a moment, instantaneously. You apparently read nuthin I wrote. Or, didn't understand. Yer dismissal of my points leads me to believe it was the former. It just ain't that hard. And, if it is, and I can do it? Must make me special. I don't believe that. I can teach anyone to do what I do. You, too...

The first two sentences led me to believe that you were talking about studio on call work. Sorry about that.

 

[Bass Viking]

When it comes to adding songs at the last minute there are bands that can pull it off, bands that can’t, and bands that think they can. It’s the last group that’s most worrisome.

 

[LBS-bass]

this begs the question, are you playing the SONGS or are you playing the changes?

I ask because I've played with lots of people who claim to do what you describe, but what ends up happening is they put up a chord chart of the tune and basically jam/improvise through the changes, and what to me are essential parts of the tune (breaks, hooks, distinctive riffs. etc) do not get played.

One of the bands I'm in does a lot of stuff on the fly. When we rehearse, we typically chase that stuff around the room for at least an hour, because it's fun. Everyone's got a good ear and a good memory for parts, we have three part harmonies and we can all fall into line with those quickly, so we play a lot of stuff none of us has ever played before and it probably doesn't sound half bad. I'm not talking about simple jam tunes, but rather popular songs that have some challenging changes.

But sometimes we'll take that stuff and put it on a setlist and then we'll all sit down with it and really learn it. It's always much more challenging to play the actual song rather than playing the changes, as you suggest. We could get by with that stuff, in fact we've even joked about turning it into a feature where we'll take any request for a fiver, but really, the difference between playing a song and playing it well is pretty stark.

So yes, it's certainly possible for people to play a song they've never played from memory. The question is whether or not everyone in the band can rise to that challenge and then whether you want to do that sort of version in front of an audience. For me, I'll jam on stuff like that all day long in an informal setting, but I've been in a lot of bands and very few are capable of actually doing what this band can do, and even this band isn't going to be doing that in front of a crowd.

 

[40Hz]

I was simply kidding.

And I was simply being a music nerd and geeking out. Best to ignore me when I get like that.

 

[Bass Viking]

this begs the question, are you playing the SONGS or are you playing the changes?

I ask because I've played with lots of people who claim to do what you describe, but what ends up happening is they put up a chord chart of the tune and basically jam/improvise through the changes, and what to me are essential parts of the tune (breaks, hooks, distinctive riffs. etc) do not get played. I've been in that situation a number of times and frankly think it's B.S. because the "song" isn't getting played, whats getting played are a set of changes that go along to a lyric sheet.

+1. And if they got the chords off the internet the changes might be wrong too!

 

[40Hz]

Far too many in this thread focused on whether or not the OP should be capable of doing a couple songs he's never heard with little notice. Not enough focused on the inconsiderate behavior of the singer.

That’s an issue between him and the singer I’d think since none of us know the singer or anything about the dynamics of the OP’s band.

I’m sure he’s perfectly capable of dealing with an inconsiderate bandmate without any help from us beyond agreeing it was inconsiderate, while at the same time expressing our confidence he was up to the challenge.

Besides, what would all of us indulging in a slag fest against his singer do that’d benefit the OP?

 

[Tom Bomb]

Turn a blind iPhone.​

 

[LBS-bass]

Far too many in this thread focused on whether or not the OP should be capable of doing a couple songs he's never heard with little notice. Not enough focused on the inconsiderate behavior of the singer.

Well, I've learned a while ago that people seem to feel like there's some sort of virtue in letting themselves be pushed around. I think it's part of this misplaced work ethic we get saddled with where we're led to believe we aren't team players unless we're willing to bend over 24/7. I never got on board that train, but it's been obvious my whole life that the train I chose isn't exactly full to the brim with like-minded folks.

The funny thing is that, in my work world, I worked with some folks who were known to be tough taskmasters. When I worked with them I'd just tell them when I thought the workload was overwhelming and they'd cheerfully find ways to take things off my plate. All it takes is an adult conversation but I watched so many colleagues get plowed under by those guys because they never felt empowered to just say they were at their reasonable limit.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Far too many in this thread focused on whether or not the OP should be capable of doing a couple songs he's never heard with little notice. Not enough focused on the inconsiderate behavior of the singer.

I don't think it's inconsiderate, personally.

 

[badinage]

I don't think it's inconsiderate, personally.

Agreed. What ever happened to "It's only rock-n-roll" and the "devil-may-care" approach to live music, especially at the "bar level"?

The old world was a lot more fun.

 

[Killing Floor]

Frankly I’d love to be out on the spot like that. Having to wing it and muscle through what is basically a home practice, not even a rehearsal, but in front of strangers who will judge me, behind a singer who assumes it’s gonna be great, that’s pure comedy gold.

Count me in for your improv troupe.

 

[LBS-bass]

I was simply kidding.

Maybe, but I know people who will take an odd time signature and break it down like that. Someone I know who learned a lot of middle eastern hand percussion has all sorts of weird spoken phrases he was taught that break down these odd rhythms into different parts. I guess some people find it easier that way.

 

[mexicant]

I used to play with a guy that loved to say "we learned this one in the parking lot during our break"!
It is fun playing new stuff,love the challenge, not for everyone though.

 

[badinage]

..."we learned this one in the parking lot during our break"!...

The real-life examples of exactly that could probably be a great thread unto itself.

 

[LBS-bass]

The real-life examples of exactly that could probably be a great thread unto itself.

Only if there's video!

 

[Joeykun]

I remember back in ‘83 we were playing in the Cayman Islands. Some guy slapped a $100. bill on the stage and said “play Louie,Louie!” We never played it before as a band but we did that night. It evolved into a reggae feel and was added to the set for the rest of the tour there.

Moral of the story…be professional and be flexible!

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Agreed. What ever happened to "It's only rock-n-roll" and the "devil-may-care" approach to live music, especially at the "bar level"?

The old world was a lot more fun.

I think everyone is painting this situation with their own band or former band's experiences. With over 650 million streams on Spotify alone for "Body Like a Backroad", and 336 million listens for "Life is a Highway", there is a very good chance that the crowd will enjoy these a lot.

 

[frankie5string]

Well, I've learned a while ago that people seem to feel like there's some sort of virtue in letting themselves be pushed around.

Geez, you make it sound like being asked to play a country song as a last-minute addition is the equivalent to being ordered to pull the lever on a gallows.

It's not being "pushed around" ...and there are lots of things musicians in a band can do to see this kind of thing coming. I understand that there are folks who just play bass in a band, sip a few beers and get out, but some of us actually prepare for stuff - even when it's just a fun gathering, because we like working on our craft.

Nobody is virtue signalling. We're just giving examples of how we fit into our music projects.

 

[Zooberwerx]

When it comes to adding songs at the last minute there are bands that can pull it off, bands that can’t, and bands that think they can. It’s the last group that’s most worrisome.

This is the banner I fly. Nothing worse than bad / hack renditions of well-known tunes.

Riis

 

[40Hz]

Maybe, but I know people who will take an odd time signature and break it down like that. Someone I know who learned a lot of middle eastern hand percussion has all sorts of weird spoken phrases he was taught that break down these odd rhythms into different parts. I guess some people find it easier that way.

As long as it makes sense to you - and the piece comes out right - it’s all good. No argument from me on that point.

It’s just I’m a real bug on timing and rhythm. And I got my early music instruction primarily from two bebop jazzers (drummer and bassist) who knew their theory and music terminology inside out and taught me how it’s possible to be ultra precise but still swing. So a lot of their tutelage and definitions bubble back up whenever I get on a roll. It’s just force of habit. I wasn’t trying to get all academic.