This is huge. Once you get the basic patterns in your ear an under you fingers, you can pretty much learn songs just by listening. I've spent many a commute playing air bass to my play list on the train.
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Best Method to Learn New Material
- Thread starter OldKayBlonde
- Start date
I actually swap between what seems hardest and what seems easiest - I get some quick "wins" that way which keeps me motivated when I have to put in more effort on the harder songs.
One thing that REALLY helps me with new songs is the fact that you can adjust the playback speed on YouTube - it's on the Settings (Gear shape) menu. If I'm struggling with a song I find that slowing it down, getting it locked in, then coming back up to speed works well.
I am not a hired hand they begged me to set in for them so they wouldn't lose their gig. I am pro and if you are going to ask me to help you out and have me learn 3 set lists with about 45 songs and write down the artist knowing I'm doing this for you, you need to supply me with the info if it is different. I learned them note for note. They wrote down charts because they needed me to help them be successful. I don't sub and I don't need to sub it was me helping someone out.
They threw me on their gig flier special guest Mr. RT SLINGER on bass which brought out a lot of my fans to their show which also helped them out.
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Maybe I've been doing this too long...I'd say get the song keys and then just keep your ears open. Playing the blues is more about feel than anything else. The good part is, once you've got it, you've got it.
- Get the mp3 for every song. If I have to, I use Audacity to create an mp3 from a YouTube Video.
- Convert mp3 keys to key desired by band.
- Figure out the chord progression and note this in Nashville Notation. Likely mostly I, IV, V chords.
- Look for transcription of bass part standard or tab. Highly doubtful unless song is quite popular. Otherwise, look up guitar chords.
- Put the mp3 onto a USB stick/device/whatever and listen to these songs exclusively during heavy woodshed period.
- Practice them all daily.
- Don't be too hard on yourself re- note-per-note imitation of recorded version. Go for feel.
Lots of good advice above. I’d add:
- Confirm which version of the song they are doing. Many blues songs have been done by many different people in very different arrangements. I’m blanking on a good blues example right now, but don’t be the guy who shows up ready to play the RHCP version of Higher Ground when the rest of the band is doing Stevie Wonder.
- Double-check the key, then make sure you can play it in a couple of other keys anyway. Guaranteed, the singer will want to change it, or the guitar player will start a song with his Eb guitar instead of his E guitar, or forget to take his capo off, or…
- Take notes at rehearsal, because whatever they told you ahead of time probably wasn’t quite right.
- Learn the words, even if you’re just there to play bass. It helps to remember where you are (e.g. “this is verse 2 so there’s a break coming”) and even if you can’t sing you can still come in on shout choruses.
- Watch the drummer. If you forget where the breaks and hits are, follow him.
- If you get lost, play dead notes if you have to, but don’t stop playing.
- If you get the key and the rhythm right, and remember where the breaks are, you can usually fake your way through the rest if you have to.
- Everyone will appreciate an impromptu slap bass solo in the middle of The Thrill Is Gone. No need to ask, just jump in.
- Confirm which version of the song they are doing. Many blues songs have been done by many different people in very different arrangements. I’m blanking on a good blues example right now, but don’t be the guy who shows up ready to play the RHCP version of Higher Ground when the rest of the band is doing Stevie Wonder.
- Double-check the key, then make sure you can play it in a couple of other keys anyway. Guaranteed, the singer will want to change it, or the guitar player will start a song with his Eb guitar instead of his E guitar, or forget to take his capo off, or…
- Take notes at rehearsal, because whatever they told you ahead of time probably wasn’t quite right.
- Learn the words, even if you’re just there to play bass. It helps to remember where you are (e.g. “this is verse 2 so there’s a break coming”) and even if you can’t sing you can still come in on shout choruses.
- Watch the drummer. If you forget where the breaks and hits are, follow him.
- If you get lost, play dead notes if you have to, but don’t stop playing.
- If you get the key and the rhythm right, and remember where the breaks are, you can usually fake your way through the rest if you have to.
- Everyone will appreciate an impromptu slap bass solo in the middle of The Thrill Is Gone. No need to ask, just jump in.
congrats and before long you'll be sick of the blues
...it's a great genre to know and master tho, you can go nuts with it when your fluent in the "blues language" especially with walking lines. Jazz is similar, but with more ghosty note mistakes thrown in...it's all good, lock in with the drums.
...it's a great genre to know and master tho, you can go nuts with it when your fluent in the "blues language" especially with walking lines. Jazz is similar, but with more ghosty note mistakes thrown in...it's all good, lock in with the drums.
Not everyone likes it, but I know that MIDI files downloaded from the internet do help me a lot while learning new material. Of course these files should be checked with originals first, for there is a lot of garbage, too.
Some great suggestions from the TB community! I would listen to a lot of Tommy Shannon - SRV. Great bass player, but a number of learnable tunes:
1. Look at Little Sister
2. Pride and Joy
3. The House is a Rockin'
….and so on. Just my two cents!
1. Look at Little Sister
2. Pride and Joy
3. The House is a Rockin'
….and so on. Just my two cents!
The good news is that it is a Blues band so most of the songs will be pretty much the same.
Just start at the top of the list and pull up the songs on Youtube and play along with each one until you are comfortable. Make some quick notes on the song list including the key the song is in and anything that will jog your memory about the song.
Just start at the top of the list and pull up the songs on Youtube and play along with each one until you are comfortable. Make some quick notes on the song list including the key the song is in and anything that will jog your memory about the song.
Depending how soon that "next gig" is then you might just have to take some simple chord charts to give you a bit of a roadmap on the gig. Dunno, learning 36 covers from scratch for the next gig is doable but you would really have to shed and spend a lot of time until the gig.
Lots of good advice here.
A song list of all the material, the key, the artist and the version is essential. An album cut may be 3 minutes and a live version 9 minutes.
At the gig, a set list will help, but songs may be called out of order, so be prepared.
Assemble all the material you can get on a playback device and index where everything is. Good band leaders might have the material already and be willing to share it. Ask questions, if you need to.
Figure how much time you need to learn the material, and delegate your time appropriately, and work!
Make notes and ask for help, look for help if needed.
Recording rehearsals is helpful.
Pay attention! Someone in the band may cue you, or warn you of changes.
Try to enjoy yourself and look positive. If you're nervous, get in control, don't compensate with drugs.
Good luck.
A song list of all the material, the key, the artist and the version is essential. An album cut may be 3 minutes and a live version 9 minutes.
At the gig, a set list will help, but songs may be called out of order, so be prepared.
Assemble all the material you can get on a playback device and index where everything is. Good band leaders might have the material already and be willing to share it. Ask questions, if you need to.
Figure how much time you need to learn the material, and delegate your time appropriately, and work!
Make notes and ask for help, look for help if needed.
Recording rehearsals is helpful.
Pay attention! Someone in the band may cue you, or warn you of changes.
Try to enjoy yourself and look positive. If you're nervous, get in control, don't compensate with drugs.
Good luck.
Congrats on the position and the gig. I can't speak to the best way to approach this, but I'll talk a little about what I do.
I've always been an ear player, and so I can pick stuff out without charts and such. However, I find that I'm not always good about remembering changes until I play the song with the group. So sometimes, what I'll do is import a track into my DAW of choice to count out the measures if each part. This lets me know that a verse is 16 bars, a chorus is 8, there's a 32-bar bridge, etc. It also allows me to figure out any transitions. In some cases, I have paired this with nashville numbers to get a part right. All of this helps me to memorize a song so that I can play my part from memory without the other instruments present just by counting. I find, personally, that after playing the full song with the group, musical memory takes over and instead of having to count my way through a verse to know when the transition happens, I'll be hearing the other parts in my head as I'm playing. This, for me, is what makes it possible to memorize a large number of songs.
One thing that I might suggest, in your case, is to ask the band if they have any recordings of them playing the songs in question. Blues isn't complex, but there can be different arrangements for the instruments and the song itself (for instance, an extra verse, an extended vamp, etc). It'll be good to learn the general song, but if your band can provide you with past recordings of their arrangements, you can work using those as a base and avoid some surprises.
This is what I do. It works for me; it may not work for you. However, it's an option. Good luck!
You guys are great. Such good advice. Makes me feel good about this forum. I’ve played with them at practice roughly 10-12 times. Half the songs are always new. I do have the final set list (with keys) and he says we’re going in order. I forgot to mention the gig is at a yacht club Friday night. Day after tomorrow! I’ve been listening to artist versions during the day and he gave me some past recordings of the band doing many of these with former bassist. I played rhythm guitar in bluegrass groups for fun, so I’m familiar with Nashville system. Just need to get past Friday night so I can implement these great ideas from you guys.
