How many songs can you play?

[Joe Nerve]

Most of my life I envied those who could play just about anything thrown at them. Almost 40 years into this, and working with a steadily working band (Well, up until now)... Eureka!

I'd say I've learned and performed many thousands of songs (covers and originals) over my life time.

I'd say I could play a couple of hundred off the top of my head right now, and maybe close to a thousand with a real quick review. And if I really thought about that, maybe I'd say 500 . That's probably more accurate and honest.

 

[dramatwist]

Not sure I could list them. Hundreds of them.

Ditto.

 

[HG1180]

Not enough!

 

[juancaminos]

The answer gets harder as I age. After 55 years of playing it's more like how many songs can you remember!

 

[MegaSwing]

Not enough!

Never enough.

 

[FenderB]

I knew I shouldn't have clicked on this thread.

 

[fhm555]

Three, i just use them for everything.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Not sure I could list them. Hundreds of them.

Same here.

 

[otp57]

Hello all,

Just out of sheer boredom I decided to list all the songs I can play with passable proficiency (amazing what you can do when you're bored out of your mind during quarantine). Perhaps it can come of use whenever things open back up when I'm trying to get into bands, kind of like a resume. Granted I have probably forgotten more than a few basslines here and there over the years been at it since I was in Middle School but here it is.

Blitzkrieg Bop- Ramones (Dee Dee Ramone)
Come Together- Beatles (Sir Paul)
Feel Good Inc- Gorillaz (Damon Albarn)
Fix Me- Black Flag (Chuck Dukowski)
Float On- Modest Mouse (Eric Judy)
Jump Into the Fire- Harry Nillson (Herbie Flowers) (work in progress)
Little Green Bag- George Baker Selection (George The)
London Calling- The Clash (Paul Simonon)
Longview- Green Day (Mike Dirnt)
Low Rider-War (B.B. Dickerson)
Money- Pink Floyd (Roger Waters/David Gilmour)
Only In Dreams- Weezer (Matt Sharp)
Paranoid- Black Sabbath (Geezer Butler)
Pump It Up- Elvis Costello (Bruce Thomas)
Should I Stay or Should I Go- The Clash (Paul Simonon)
Smells Like Teen Spirit- Nirvana (Krist Novoselic)
So Lonely- The Police (Sting)
Stir It Up- Bob Marley and the Wailers (Aston Barrett)
Sweet Emotion- Aerosmith (Tom Hamilton)
Time- Pink Floyd (Roger Waters/David Gilmour)
With or Without You- U2 (Adam Clayton)

Main Riffs from
Evil-Interpol (Carlos Dengler)
Journey to the East Bay- Rancid (Matt Freeman)
Love Will Tear Us Apart- Joy Division (Peter Hook)
New Years Day- U2 (Adam Clayton)
Self Esteem- The Offspring (Greg K)
Super Freak/U Can't Touch This- Rick James/MC Hammer (Rick James)

Now I don't know what this accomplished or what is accomplished by posting this, but it's day 22 without the ability to go anywhere. So, yeah. Thanks for the click and hope y'all are staying safe and healthy.

If I know what Key the song is in and the beat I can fake almost any song. I am too old to know how many songs I can play.
ABBA to ZZTOP some may think I am GREAT others my think I STINK
I play for the love of playing.

 

[MVE]

Ok, follow-up Q, how many songs are you ready to stand up in front of an audience and perform solo?

Obviously, bass isn’t typically a solo instrument, but everyone needs to have a few songs to play for friends and family and yer’ dear ol’mum right?

I probably have 10 or so, I could entertain a few folks with if I had to.

 

[2112]

I've learned well over a thousand, but I'm certain I "can play" many, many times more than that.

 

[dan1952]

Without bragging, probably 10,000, without music. I was blessed with a good ear and really good relative pitch, and a good memory.
I can't remember 3 things at the grocery...

 

[LBS-bass]

I have no clue and no way to know. In rehearsals we'll frequently start playing songs that aren't on our list and they'll often be songs I've never played before, but I can do a passable job of playing them by ear. So I don't think there's a way to answer that question because there are probably tons of songs I "can play" that I've never played before.

 

[Raman]

I can only play one song. It's called "Sarikareumprai" and it's a Thai traditional song. I play it really, really well.

 

[2F/2F]

I don't "learn songs," and never have. I've never approached it that way. I learn music, I learn how to use my ear, and I learn my instrument. It's not like I pick a song, study it, and then chalk it up as a song I have "learned," and can't do anything else. Doing it that way, you are pretty much incompetent as a musician. You can't listen, improvise, or transpose, which is 90 percent of real-world playing (unless you are a studio musician or orchestral player).

 

[lokikallas]

I’m certainly not going to list them as my song book is around 250 songs after years of cover and tribute bands.

 

[J Sudjian]

All of them

 

[2112]

I don't "learn songs," and never have. I've never approached it that way. I learn music, I learn how to use my ear, and I learn my instrument. It's not like I pick a song, study it, and then chalk it up as a song I have "learned," and can't do anything else. Doing it that way, you are pretty much incompetent as a musician. You can't listen, improvise, or transpose, which is 90 percent of real-world playing (unless you are a studio musician or orchestral player).

I just want to be clear: is one of those, "if you don't do it my way, you aren't doing it 'right' posts?"

 

[Ggaa]

150 or so gig ready, couple hundred passable.

 

[bassstrangler]

I can play any song. Whether or not I come close or if it even sounds good is the problem.

So for the songs I know...The whole Joy Division songbook, everything by The Cure from their first songs all the way through to The Head on the Door album and Just Like Heaven. I know the first three Love and Rockets albums, 95% of the Bauhaus catalog and some songs by The Smiths, Echo and the Bunnymen, New Order, The Church, R.E.M., and half of Tom Sawyer.