Speak up and ask that we lower the number of songs to learn. If you only need 4, learning 11 is a waste of everyone's time. How about 5?
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
How do I make learning 11 songs a week less painful?
- Thread starter Donald Thompson
- Start date
- Oct 7, 2000
- 18,619
- 38,939
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
Put them on a usb, playlist, or whatever you need to put them on to make them your exclusive listening pleasures for the next week - and then listen to that, and only that. I had to learn an entire set of Mountain and West, Bruce, Laing songs earlier this year within the same amount of time. Most I never even heard before. And it wasn't easy material.
I listened to ONLY those songs and put in whatever other time was necessary (for me it was btwn 1 and 3 hrs a day). I have also become skilled in the art of playing through songs when listening, without a bass in hand. Once ya know a song the playing of it can be visualized while listening. I rehearse lots while driving. Its especially helpful in knowing where I need to double check things.
I listened to ONLY those songs and put in whatever other time was necessary (for me it was btwn 1 and 3 hrs a day). I have also become skilled in the art of playing through songs when listening, without a bass in hand. Once ya know a song the playing of it can be visualized while listening. I rehearse lots while driving. Its especially helpful in knowing where I need to double check things.
I tired, but they said they don't want to be locked to a set amount of songs. I guess I'm gonna work on my sight reading skills then.
Good Luck, think of it as an incredible learning experience, just watch the stress it might impose on you. Not ideal but you may find it gets easier down the road. Don't be afraid to bow out after giving it enough time if it doesn't ultimately work out. Glad you talked it out, at least the ground rules are clear. Remember to have fun.
Fair advice but missing one crucial detail. You were able to to learn a set of material in a week. It was work, but you prioritised it, did the homework, and put the hours in to learn it in time.
The OP is being asked to do that EVERY WEEK, unpaid, and his efforts aren't even appreciated, as most of there songs he learned are being discarded. As a one off it's very do-able. On a weekly basis, its just not appropriate.
Had you turned up to the gig having learned the set, and the BL told you thanks, but we're not playing those any more, here's another set of different songs to learn for next week (which we probably won't play), you'd have bailed pretty quick.
"locked in"? You're asking to know what songs are going to be played at the next "gig", a week in advance.
On what basis do they need to have 11 prep'ed? What new information arrives between picking the 11 and picking the 4? (other than you pick the 4 you play least badly at rehearsal... maybe if you picked 4 they'd all be good!). What are they keeping their options open to, other than the BL's ego trip, and covering for the BL's lack of organisation? I'm guessing you don't take requests!
You're being treated badly. You don't want to address it face on because its your church but the BL is not god, and is not acting in a Christian way! They're taking advantage of your good will, and using your faith to do it! I understand you'd feel bad withdrawing your service, because you want to make a contribution - but your contribution is not valued.
That’s ridiculous. And I’m afraid that the only way to demonstrate that it’s ridiculous is to refuse to do it.
if you don’t want to learn all the songs, choose four and let them know that’s what you had time for. They can play those four or they can do something else but I really wouldn’t let myself be pushed around like that.
good luck with it.
- Oct 7, 2000
- 18,619
- 38,939
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
Agreed. I re-read the post after responding (I originally misunderstood) but it was too late to edit my response. I couldn't and wouldn't do the above. I get really pissed when my band tells me to learn ONE song and then we don't play it
.
That's right. The NBA at one time had a 3 to make 2 foul rule. Dumb. Tell the band leader to pare it down to 5 songs.
You're getting paid for this, right OP?
Last week my church BL gave us all the songs we're doing for the rest of the summer. Our pastor will have the option of adding a song here or there, but we're not being ask to learn anything we won't play. Everyone is usually more busy in the summer months, so being able to work on them as we can is a big plus.
This is guy is demanding this because he can and no one balks. It really may be a case where, since he isn't paying you by the hour, he's not respecting your time. Do what you feel you must, but this is not good leadership or a Christian attitude.
A lot of this comes down to your own motivation and what you're willing to put up with. Hopefully you've got the message by now, most of us on TB would consider this management totally unacceptable and not worth continuing to play with. If you feel differently, that's fine, but hopefully it's helpful to be aware that this is not the way a well-run operation works.
I think this is important. A lot of us have had the times we had to cram for a sub gig or a new band with a gig already booked. Some folks on TB are pros who regular take gigs where they need to learn a lot of material fast because that's what they get paid to do and they devote full-time hours to doing it. That's normal enough. But the huge, deliberate waste of a volunteer musician's time on a weekly basis is not the same thing.
Yep. And I'm with Joe Nerve on pointing out that it's annoying if I learn any song that we never play. I don't like having my time wasted, and the older I get the more it grinds my gears, because that's time I'm never getting back and if it's going to be wasted, I'd rather waste it by the pool watching the sunset (or reading Talkbass). Let me waste my own time how I like, don't waste it for me
I don't think many dislike going above and extra but I refuse to do it for someone I'm losing/lost all respect for. And I think that BL deserves all the respect he appears to be giving you.
You must, imv, tell him you are cutting down the numbers you'll take on, and tell him why.
And if he lets you go, you can tell the head church man why too.
You must, imv, tell him you are cutting down the numbers you'll take on, and tell him why.
And if he lets you go, you can tell the head church man why too.
Dude, "they" told you "we don't care about you and the time you contribute to worship is not valued." I don't mean "not valued" as in not paying you, but they don't value what you are choosing not to do in order to prepare 11 songs each week. You've got some praying to do and a decision to make.
I played at a church we attended for a few years. Working 50+ hours a week (not sure what your schedule is like) and learning music well enough to memorize 3-4 songs on the weeks I played was tough for me and having a lead sheet (on the floor, out of sight) was frowned upon. But, of course, the singers having a confidence monitor was no problem.
Maybe it’s worth your time to find another church to serve on the worship team.
Maybe it’s worth your time to find another church to serve on the worship team.
That's dumb, where you at a black church by any chance? We seem to focus on playing by ear a lot.
When will a bass guitar mfg make a bass guitar with a small monitor integrated into the top edge of the bass (or behind the horn)? The audience can’t see it but it would look like someone looking at their strings while playing. A discrete remote foot pedal can scroll through songs.
With a screen name of “Gadgetech,” you can make one , right?
What happened to google glasses?
No, it was more of a smallish church that does CCM or songs the WL had written. I think it was mainly the pastor who had a real issue with anything absolutely unnecessary on stage, like a white sheet of paper laying flat on the floor. When we first started attending there, I noticed there was a fellow who played tenor sax on occasion. I asked about playing my sax, my typical church gig instrument, and was told they didn't have room for anyone else on stage.
When will a bass guitar mfg make a bass guitar with a small monitor integrated into the top edge of the bass (or behind the horn)? The audience can’t see it but it would look like someone looking at their strings while playing. A discrete remote foot pedal can scroll through songs.
With a screen name of “Gadgetech,” you can make one , right?
What happened to google glasses?
- I am unfortunately going to disappoint some folks in this case.
