How do I continue learning a song?

[Wasnex]

I feel like my problem is me not sticking to a song. I can learn alright, but not play a new song on the spot while following the tabs (which is also another problem of mine I believe)

Learning music takes discipline. If you use TAB regularly you should become very fluent in reading it. However, TAB along does not contain everything you need to play a song unless it is written with rhythmic notation.

I am not fluent in tab. I can peck my way through it, but I don't tend to use it. I read standard music notation and chord notation. I was normally expected to know cover tunes by memory.

To learn and memorize a cover tune my process is something like this:
1. Listen to the song to become familiar. Figure out the first note and key.
2. Figure out the bass line note for note. I do this by listening to short segments and trying to figure out the rhythm and notes. Sometimes I think in intervals and patterns, and sometimes I think in terms of notes. If the bass line is simple this goes very quickly. If the bassline is technical and fast, learning the part can take considerable time. If it's super difficult I may need to write all or part of the bassline out. Once I get a pretty good handle on the rhythms and notes, it's a matter of knowing where I am and sort of imagining what comes next. Learning to this level requires considerable repetition (dedication).
3. Figure out the form and write it out if necessary. Usually something simple like AABA usually doesn't require a note.
4. Review any notes I have made and practice along with a recording. This is used to learn the song as well as refresh my memory if I am expected to perform a song I haven't played for awhile

At some points in my career I wrote out bass lead sheets. Lead sheets show the melody, form, and chords in standard notation. A bass lead sheet usually only show the form and chords. It can also include sections of the bass line written out out, or cues for vocals or other instruments that are used to help keep my place or know when to start playing.

Some players think by numbers. Numbers are used a representation of the chords and notes. I can sort of understand how this might work, but it's not something I am fluent with. I suspect I may not have certain natural abilities required for this approach. People that are highly fluent tend to have the ability to learn new material very quickly. However it's more like recognizing parts of songs they already have committed to memory. for example, say you are learning a song with form AABA. The A section may consist of chords from two songs you know. The B songs may have the same chords as a third song. Once you figure this out, you can use a memory trick to recall the chords rather than having to learn them. Some people can listen to a song once or twice and have it figured out.

 

[mambo4]

3. Figure out the form and write it out if necessary.

I prefer writing out what I am learning

if I am serious about learning a song for performance, my preferred process is to chart it out in as much detail as possible
long before i could read I would chart each measure on the staff, what chords, where sections began and ended , the whole thing.
As I learned about notation for Repetition, codas, and other direction symbols my charts became more efficient
As I learned more about how chords and chord progressions work, the amount of information those charts gave me grew
eventually i started learning and using actual notation

I did not write charts to stare at while performing, I wrote them to understand the material, and eventually memorize.
But at the end of the process, it's going to be repletion until you achieve recall.

So my advice is ditch tabs, figure it out and write it all down yourself,
in whatever way actually works for your level of literacy
and practice, practice, practice

 

[Spidey2112]

could you please elaborate on what you mean by better 6 or 7 means?

Lack of focus... 'better 6, or 7?' is what an optician usually asks when narrowing down a patient's prescription.

I'm just here for the sophomoric sarcasm, so no apologies necessary.

 

[klokker]

My take on it is that you know a song when you can play, or play and sing etc. the song on your own and feel the groove. You don't key off other people or a recording etc. No metronome or helps. Recording yourself helps. When it sounds good and grooves you know it.

Then there is the reality of thinking you know it, and the next day you don't. You don't know it yet then. I think I know a song when I don't play it for a while, but when it comes up it's no problem. Then once in a while you have to brush up on it again.

You can play games like naming each note on the fretboard, or doing it in a different key.

IME it's a lifestyle for a cover player like me.

 

[Bunk McNulty]

As Mr. Dumb-Ass Rock’n’Roll bass player tackling jazz in my old age, I got my copy of “Kind of Blue: The making of the Miles Davis masterpiece” back from a friend I lent it to a year or so ago. This bit near the end struck me:

“The term shibui has no simple equivalent in English. It translates as “restrained elegance.” But it means more. It is an effect, not an attribute. It refers not to a canvas or a piece of music, but to the act of appreciation itself. “When artistic talent creates a work that achieves a timeless balance of opposites, perfectly merging the yin of the emotional and the yang of the analytical, it evokes shibui, recognizable by the strong emotional response it draws forth.”

And now I’m slogging my way through some standards. It’s always nice when you find something new to you and put in the work to master it. And a huge hat tip to my jazz guitarist friend (it is hard not to be intimidated by a guy who can sight-read) who has encouraged me by finding music that is difficult but not too difficult for a player who still rides the “special needs” bus.

 

[DrBnz]

I have a pattern I follow.
Without the bass I pull it up on the internet and watch / listen to them play thru once. Don't try to play it at all. LISTEN
Get your foot working and pay attention to the counting
The second time I have the bass fingering along - stopping at difficult spots and working thru the fingering and shifts.
I'll start to write out my shorthand notes at this point. Try to get yourself away from the computer notation and shift to being dependent upon your notes and/or memory.
Not to dwell on it too much.... But be aware of what key your in.... what notes your playing...... counting out the bars
Now play along a couple times with the online source. Try to use your notes more than the computer.
Its important to shift your focus away from the computer and to your notes, your counting and playing.
Now play it by yourself. Just you, the notes and your foot.
As you get to know the song you'll rewrite the notes and they get shorter and shorter. I often play the exact same notes as the song. I may use a different way to get there this time. Not on purpose, it just happened to work out well at the time. In my mind I heard the song I should be playing. But my mind is following along with bars and notes. And if you start to get the panic attack as something doesn't go well. Doesn't matter.... you're aware of where you are in the song (by your counting) and you know what key you're in. Just get back to to the root and continue on. Now you're play the bass vice playing karaoke with the internet.

 

[micguy]

Hi, I know this seems like a bit of an obvious question, but I've been having issues with trying to pick and fully learn a song in a while, I personally feel like I'm forming a bad habit whether it's from lack of focus, comfort, or lack of discipline. Have any of you ever had an issue like this and managed to pop out of the loop? Thank you.

When I'm learning a new song, it's for a gig that weekend at church (I memorize everything). It's a real hard deadline - at 9 AM on Sunday, our first service starts, and if I'm not ready, I'm going to suck in front of a bunch of people. That motivation makes me follow through. I learn new songs most weeks; after a while you do get better, and you learn faster, but you have to keep at it to get to that point.

 

[rogerb]

I have this problem sometimes especially when time is short and multiple tunes to learn.

Learn the parts verse, chorus tricky bits, that may take the lomgest time an hour or so? Then just play along with the "whole" tune maybe restarting if things go haywire. Songs are 3 or 4 minutes don't jump around, so 10 times full tune and some adjustment another hour.

Depends on the tune, a few hours may be the minimum these days for something I consider good enough to play the tune with others. Then more hours to work on nuances, different fills, and feel if it seems like the peice is going to be added to the repetoire.

By ear if possible. The first part might require some bass cover version, music, I stay away from tab. By the time I'm running the tune I've got the varioua parts memorized.

 

[DirtDog]

Hi, I know this seems like a bit of an obvious question, but I've been having issues with trying to pick and fully learn a song in a while, I personally feel like I'm forming a bad habit whether it's from lack of focus, comfort, or lack of discipline. Have any of you ever had an issue like this and managed to pop out of the loop? Thank you.

Break it into smaller chunks.

Find the main repeating pattern (usually a verse). Learn that. Then learn the next most prominent repeating pattern (usually the chorus), the learn whatever else (bridge/middle 8/ending/variations/etc). Then work on putting it all together. Some call these the A,B and C parts of a tune.

Learn the first two main repeating patterns and you’ve learned most of the tune. For most stuff.

 

[roccobass]

If the song is more than your standard 1-IV-V, then learn the song by sections. Write it down as you go. If you have your own code or language then use that. Whatever gets you through the learning process.