How many mistakes do you make on average per set, song ?

[dbsfgyd1]

I am practicing a lot and seem to hit a wrong note about 2 or 3 times in a song is this normal or should I strive for perfection

Having AADD, I make a few now than again due to lack of concentration, but usually it’s not a big fat clam, it more like there might be a better choice with a series of notes. Well, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Don’t beat yourself up over mistakes, but learn from them. Record and study yourself. Love what you do well and repeat. Best wishes.

 

[SteveCS]

...
...
if you are practicing repertoire, you should strive for zero. if zero is unattainable, you may be going too fast.
...

^^

 

[Dirk Diggler]

Hahaha, love the Pete Puma vid!

My answer would of course be:

 

[lbbc]

1 or 2 per set... we're back to performing as a trio (no drummer and s new guitarist) so, there is a learning curve. But the audience didn't/doesn't seem to notice.

 

[Bunk McNulty]

Depends. Some nights I play enough clams to open a seafood shack.

 

[Davebass77]

I'll still screw up once in a while, whether from unfamiliarity with the material, or not being present in the moment. When I first started playing bass live, another bass player told me "when you screw up, don't telegraph it to the audience, just smile." I smiled a lot back then!

 

[Dave Siff]

After 30+ years, I still hit a couple of clams per set, or as someone else said above, right note but fell off the string or something. Over the years I've found the less I worry about messing up, the less it happens.

 

[arbiterusa]

Usually none. I’ll sometimes blow it every now and then. Don’t sweat it if you do; I had a band mate who would get this look of absolute agony on the few occasions he’d blow it, my girlfriend at the time told me “you gotta tell him to stop doing that, it looks really bad”. And it did. Looked way worse than it sounded.

 

[lowendrachel]

I never had a perfect set. But then when I play the songs "right"..I just don't feel happy..

 

[Bonafide]

Don't sweat it, sounds like you are doing great. It's not the mistakes that matter, it is the recovery time, recovery style and knowing the moment it happens. If you want to know how well you know a song, video yourself.

 

[J_Bass]

in practice, it depends on what you are practicing...
are you practicing a new, unfamiliar technique? Perfection takes time and many, many -correct- repetitions.
if you are practicing repertoire, you should strive for zero. if zero is unattainable, you may be going too fast.

'An amateur practices a song until he can play it correctly; a pro practices until he cannot play it wrong.'

I was thinking of that exact quote. It's often attributed to Chick Corea.

"Amateurs Practice Until They Get It Right; Professionals Practice Until They Can’t Get It Wrong."

Amateurs Practice Until They Get It Right; Professionals Practice Until They Can’t Get It Wrong – Quote Investigator

 

[logdrum]

If I count - I am bound to make more

 

[g-dude]

You’re never more than a half step away from a note that works.

 

[JRA]

I am practicing a lot and seem to hit a wrong note about 2 or 3 times in a song is this normal or should I strive for perfection

strive for perfection, always. settle for "the best i can do" at any given moment. practice more.

good luck reducing the occurrence of clams!

 

[bassdude51]

A better question might be.............."How many notes do I get correct?"

 

[Dynacord]

How many mistakes do I make?
Less than I used to but still too many.

A good piece of advice I got early on (from Jim Messina, a family friend), "no matter what note you play, you're only a half step away from one that'll fit."

 

[newwavefrank]

I am also singing lead, so i am not looking at my bass most of the time. I am sure I hit a few wrong notes every set, but in a 4 hour night maybe one or two that other band members notice.

 

[SteveCS]

How many mistakes do I make?
Less than I used to but still too many.

A good piece of advice I got early on (from Jim Messina, a family friend), "no matter what note you play, you're only a half step away from one that'll fit."

Which is true, but some of those half-steps can be really sour.

 

[ArtechnikA]

You’re never more than a half step away from a note that works.

Yes - but there is no backspace for when you miss the 1...
Notes is only half our job - timing is at least as important - maybe moreso...

 

[MisterFabulous]

You may be playing all the correct notes, but be out of time. Or inconsistent time. Practice that.