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Approach to learning songs after joining a band

Mytt88

Mytt88

Jan 18, 2011
217
76
#1
So I have been invited to audition for a local rock band who need a bassist to pick up where the old one left off and I find I'm not able to play the parts exactly as the other guy played them.
I can play the parts fine and it's not as if they are out of my technical ability, it's just remembering it all during a performance. I just listen to the cd and play along with it for an hour or so a day.

I recorded my versions as demo's, sent them to the band. So far the guys have said they like my playing and I'm front runner so far as long as when we have our first practice we all get along etc. They've also said they want me to put my own stamp on things as long as it suits so it's not really a problem but I'm just wondering if anyone else has been through similar experiences?

How would you guys approach learning the songs keeping in mind I have only been given a week to learn 6 tracks?

Also any interesting audition/ first gig with new band stories?
 
#2
I've had to learn 6 songs in a 24 hour period before. You just take them one at a time. I'll listen to a song once, then write down the chord changes the second time I listen to it, then I get more specific and try to decide what I need to learn note for note and what I can make my own. But it sounds like you've already got things going with them, so whatever you've done so far must work.
 
#3
Don't know if you have. 1 , but I have put all the songs I need to work on on my iPod as an "audition "playlist . I will listen to it over and over for 3-4 days before I go to play / audition . I also record the audition with my ya scam recorder and then DL those to my pod after the audition . 6-8 hrs listening to 8-12 songs over and over is a great memory tool . Good luck .
 
#6
hrodbert696 said:
Is this originals or covers? I don't think it's usually worth sweating "note-for-note." Usually the most important thing is to get the chord progression, the overall groove of the song, and then any distinctive riffs that an audience expects to hear.
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#This and during the first/subsequent rehearsals try to lock in with the drummer as best you can. Lock and groove!
 
#7
I found my band through craigslist. I played guitar for a long time, but I never really found much interest in it and never got really good. Collected guitars more or less. I tried out on guitar fir the new contemporary service at our church, but they really needed a bass player more. So I bought a Jackson JS3 bass and went away slamming roots with no knowledge of how EQ works on a bass, or that they existed on board. Don't ask what I thought the knobs did. Anyway, I had been playing bass for 4 weeks when I decided to peruse the musicians posts. Found an ad looking for a bass player that can do classic rock style stuff. He sends me 6 songs or so to learn. Pretty famous songs, I knew most on guitar already, so I practiced up and away I went..

To a warehouse, at the end of a gravel road through the woods. Took a leap of faith and they ended up not being craigslist killers. Cool dudes.
 
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#9
JimmyM said:
I've had to learn 6 songs in a 24 hour period before. You just take them one at a time. I'll listen to a song once, then write down the chord changes the second time I listen to it, then I get more specific and try to decide what I need to learn note for note and what I can make my own. But it sounds like you've already got things going with them, so whatever you've done so far must work.
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Here you go^ I agree sounds like you have a great shot and they know what direction your playing is now. Take a song learn the roots and I then work on the fills and changes.
 
#10
About 12 years ago, I was asked to audition for an original band that was touring. I met the BL on a Friday night. He gave me a cd and asked me to learn 2 songs and be ready to audtion on Monday. I really wanted the gig so I decided to learned the entire cd. I spent Saturday and Sunday working on every song and got the gig. The BL told me that what set me apart from the other people who auditioned was that I was the only one who took the time to learn more than 2 songs. There is no magic formula for learning other than repetition.
 
#11
When I have a lot of material to learn in a short time I find it most helpful to just LISTEN to the songs as much as possible. Put the tunes on your iPod, or phone, whatever you have. Just keep it in your ears at all times that it won't interfere with work or school, whatever your situation. It's just like elementary school, repetition and memorization. I've had gigs where all I did was listen to the tunes, never had a chance to sit down with a bass and actually learn them. After awhile your brain takes over and you just know what to play.


Sent from my iPad using TalkBass
 
#12
When I joined my current band the material was virtually all new to me. I searched on-line for lyrics and chords for the songs and printed them all out. Easier to learn the song with just the chords than to fight your way through tabs (at least IMHO). A few tougher songs I went through the tabs. Usually a glance at the chords before I play is all I need. Of course, we play bluegrass where this is considered ok. In rock it may be seen as uncool.
 
#14
Put all the tunes on your phone and listen to them nonstop while driving, walking etc. At this point you just need to get the whole feel for the grove and pick up some cues from the other instruments and vocals to remember the arrangements. Don't obsess about note for note. Good luck.
 
#18
lowfreq33 said:
When I have a lot of material to learn in a short time I find it most helpful to just LISTEN to the songs as much as possible.
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^^^This.
For me the hardest part about playing new material that I've only just learned is never* executing any particular part, it's simply remembering What Comes Next. The more familiar you are with the tunes, the easier it will be to play the bass parts comfortably.




*well, almost never; I've seen some seriously thorny charts in my day! But most of them I got in advance of the gig so I could shed the fly-poop sections.
 
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#20
First I figure out what I want to play and if it's not a straight forward arrangement I may chart it out. Just taking the time to write it down usually helps me remember well enough that I don't need to actually use the chart.

Then I will spend as much time listening to the songs as playing them. While I listen though, I visualize the notes on the fretboard and "play along" mentally with the song.

When I can hit every note without my bass then I'm usually ready. YMMV but for me this burns it into my memory. It also keeps me focused while I listen. It's pretty easy for me to end up thinking about something else halfway through the song instead of really listening and concentrating on what I have to do.

Good luck and congrats on getting the gig.
 

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