How much practice before you perform?

[MrLenny1]

Average Pop/Rock approx. 1-2 hours.
Now a RUSH tune takes 10 x longer, ha.
My routine is to learn the bass lines 90%
accurate then take liberty overtime when performing.

 

[TigerInATrance]

I don't think I've ever played a song the same way twice, so maybe not quite what the OP was asking, but to learn the changes and any major note for note riffs is probably 15 minutes to a half hour. I'm comfortable playing anything if I've got time to listen to a recording for 20 minutes while looking at a chord sheet.

I think I'd rather sight read something on the spot than try to memorize a part note for note, though.

 

[catcauphonic]

As much as I can get alone, and get the band(s) together for the 2 weeks leading up to the show!

I am indeed a slow learner on it (didn't start learning till my 40s), so the more I run thru the material prior to it, the more effortless it will be at the gig... so I can concentrate on having the best time and be more engaging with the audience.

 

[Mantis Tobaggan]

Does this count all the time I spend listening to it on repeat in my car before I even pick up my bass?

More than once I have struggled playing along with a song only to listen to later and go "ohhhh....."

 

[RichardW]

My band rehearses once a week (or we did, before the world turned upside down).

It's all about reps. You have to do enough until the band is locked in to the tune. As others have noted, some songs come quickly and some take a lot of reps. My band played the Abbey Road Side Two Medley, and let me tell you--that took a lot of reps before it was ready. We've also played La Grange. That takes one run through and we are ready.

 

[easyj]

A good topic and a professional discussion. For all of you that are not gigging, but intend to gig one day: this is important stuff. I am in agreement with David on this:

In a perfect world? I rehearse each tune I'm asked to perform until I can play it, without accompaniment, without the recording, by myself within a few seconds of the original recording's track length.

Thing is? There is no such thing as a perfect world. So, I do as much as I can, between the time I accept the assignment and the date of the show. And trust my experience to fill in the blanks.

Echoing this, if you cannot perform the song, by yourself, no accompaniment, with nothing behind you, beginning to end, you don't know it and are setting you and your band up for failure. Members of my band don't do this, most are "listening for queues" or "following". So if a person gets off track or zones out for a second, it can quickly have a cascading effect, and things can fall apart quickly. David's perfect world suggestion should be what one aims for.

I did a multi-band gig where there was trouble with the sound . My drummer was getting off track and said that he couldn't hear the band. I knew all of the songs, as mentioned. It was a difficult gig. I talked the drummer of another band, who just nailed everything. He said he couldn't here anything, so he just counted and played his parts. That's a professional.

Practice so that you are able to do likewise.

 

[Wissen]

Just sayin that if pros are how we measure ourselves? Then do what they do. And that goal is attainable. Even if ya don't become famous for it.

I wouldn't take issue with anything you say here. It goes without saying that everyone's personal experiences are different.

I began my life as a musician in the academic, "professional" world. My school had a great music program. So that meant auditions for first chair, solos, District, Regional, State Band and Chorus, all that stuff. And guess what. Despite living, breathing, and dreaming music as a teenager, I never, and I mean not once, passed an audition. I put in the work, I went the extra mile, I was a leader. Didn't matter. Never made first chair, never made any of those higher level ensembles, never got the solo. Even failed my college entrance audition. I used a loophole and the generosity of the professor leading the trombone studio to sneak in the side door and pursue my music degree.

If that was the only experience I had in music, I would have given it up fifteen years ago. I couldn't get past the stage fright, the performance anxiety. As soon as you told me I was being judged/graded, I froze up. Choked. You'd think I just started playing last week. But in the context of the entire trombone ensemble, I could sight-read better than the fourth year star players.

I picked up bass along the way, and eventually I learned that you could, like, actually make music without having someone conduct you or show you a sheet of music. I didn't really learn this lesson until well into my college career. After years and years of failure, I learned that I could make music without being judged.

So I started playing bass more. Started bands, played gigs in empty rooms and basement parties, and got used to being uncomfortable on stage. Eventually I shook off that performance anxiety and gained the confidence I have as a musician.

If I hadn't stepped out of the "professional" world when I did, I would have left it all behind. Now, I've built myself back up there again. I take my music seriously, I treat it as a job, and I am a professional in every sense of the word. But I guess my short rebuttal to your story is that the snowball effect can be extremely gratifying. Have fun first, and that will motivate you to spend more time on your craft. Which will pay off and help it all grow.

Different strokes for different folks, to be sure. Hopefully my story helps someone.

 

[David McIntire]

I wouldn't take issue with anything you say here. It goes without saying that everyone's personal experiences are different.

I began my life as a musician in the academic, "professional" world. My school had a great music program. So that meant auditions for first chair, solos, District, Regional, State Band and Chorus, all that stuff. And guess what. Despite living, breathing, and dreaming music as a teenager, I never, and I mean not once, passed an audition. I put in the work, I went the extra mile, I was a leader. Didn't matter. Never made first chair, never made any of those higher level ensembles, never got the solo. Even failed my college entrance audition. I used a loophole and the generosity of the professor leading the trombone studio to sneak in the side door and pursue my music degree.

If that was the only experience I had in music, I would have given it up fifteen years ago. I couldn't get past the stage fright, the performance anxiety. As soon as you told me I was being judged/graded, I froze up. Choked. You'd think I just started playing last week. But in the context of the entire trombone ensemble, I could sight-read better than the fourth year star players.

I picked up bass along the way, and eventually I learned that you could, like, actually make music without having someone conduct you or show you a sheet of music. I didn't really learn this lesson until well into my college career. After years and years of failure, I learned that I could make music without being judged.

So I started playing bass more. Started bands, played gigs in empty rooms and basement parties, and got used to being uncomfortable on stage. Eventually I shook off that performance anxiety and gained the confidence I have as a musician.

If I hadn't stepped out of the "professional" world when I did, I would have left it all behind. Now, I've built myself back up there again. I take my music seriously, I treat it as a job, and I am a professional in every sense of the word. But I guess my short rebuttal to your story is that the snowball effect can be extremely gratifying. Have fun first, and that will motivate you to spend more time on your craft. Which will pay off and help it all grow.

Different strokes for different folks, to be sure. Hopefully my story helps someone.

Oh, my experience is the same, mostly. And if you read other posts of mine here, I DO stress the FUN in what I do. Absolutely. I had stage fright for YEARS!! Throw up before gigs stage fright. What alleviated it? Preparation.

I've lost auditions to lesser players. That could be for any reason; nepotism, an ability, or lack thereof, to smile while playing, looks, age, bass or gear. I was reading about heroes losing auditions, and eventually it occurred to me I am not suited for every project. And that is ok. But that fear of judgement eventually drove me to add things that I didn't have that cost me jobs. Chief thing I added? An ability to have fun while performing.

The only reason I mentioned my routine in that context, is intent. If guys just say, "I'm no pro", that distinction never leaves. I've never been famous. I've never worked in big bands, or big shows. At one time I thot I would be. I was gonna be the next big thing. Ha ha ha... Didn't turn out that way. At all. I'm blessed to have the work I have. I worked hard for it. And still do. But all my routine is FUN. For me! I don't hold anyone to my own expectations. In my acts, I know all the songs better than my bandmates. They'll tell ya. If we have to use a sub on occasion, I'm the one calling changes. Keys. Onstage. This is also fun! To know I can do that today amazes me. It's hilarious! I don't treat this serious anymore. Except? In my own preparation and rehearsal. It's just what I do. And it's appreciated by the guys calling me for a gig with 3 days notice. I don't have time always to enable my routine. I gotta cut corners, to be ready on time. But no more throwing up before gigs. Even if I don't know the songs 100%.

I still, to this day, work the same as I ever did. But instead of worrying perfect? I worry fun. Regardless of my performance? I smile and have fun. That is the true secret. And all I do for the sake of a gig or my adding tunes is to get to a point I can have fun.
I get you totally. But it hasn't changed my routines. In fact, it's reinforced them.

 

[Joe Nerve]

Something my first teacher told me, has really stuck with me through the years:

If I can't learn a song in one half-hour practice session, then it's too difficult for my current ability. Set it aside, and come back to it later, when I have more skill. Don't spend multiple days (or weeks, or even months) banging my head against a song that's too hard for me right now!

Honestly, and I'm not looking to be argumentative...

If I had a kid and a teacher told him that, I'd be livid. If I LISTENED to a teacher telling me something like that, I wouldn't have gotten any of the gigs in my life that were totally worthwhile.

Pretty much any gig I had that meant something to me involved playing things I was incapable of playing from the start. My wife laughs at me sometimes because I'll show her bass parts and say, that's impossible... and she says, you'll know it in a couple of days.

What does work in those situations is slowing things down. I have to play things sometimes for hours at half the speed they're played it, and then slowly speed them up in order to get them down. If I walked away from them until I was capable, I'd never be capable.

A perfect example is a very simple seeming little riff - in a very simple song. Late December, 1963. Listen to the riff at 1:44 and 2:58. That riff was not in my crayon box and I had some choices. Fake it? Don't do it at all? Or nail it. Took me many hours over several days, but now I can play it with no problem. Had I waited until I had the skills to do it, I don't think I'd ever be able to play it.

 

[Joe Nerve]

A more advanced goal, is to try to learn the song before the end of the song. So for example, learn a 4 minute song in 2 or 3 minutes. While that might sound crazy to a beginner, it's really not as impossible as it sounds, and doesn't require professional-level abilities. Songs have structures and patterns, and once you learn these structures and patterns, new songs just magically start to "make sense." Each and every song that you learn, makes learning the next song that much easier.

Another thing to keep in mind is that many TalkBassers have the skill set, to play a gig where they've never heard the songs before, and maybe never even met the other musicians on stage! They can accomplish this through various skill-sets, such as beeing good sight-readers, having a great ear, being skilled in improvisation, or just being really experienced.

PS. I'm in a agreement with all the rest of your post . My last post was just the first thing that jumped out at me. And I get it too, if something is really out of my league. I quit trying to learn any Jaco tunes, because it was just pointless. Would have been a waste of time for. Sure, I'd have gotten better as a player, but I needed to put my bass energies elsewhere. I think that might actually be what your teacher was trying to say. A brand new bass player shouldn't be wasting his/her time trying to learn YYZ.

 

[lokikallas]

I'll admit, I don't practice many songs that I perform anymore, but those are the easy ones. Others are always in my rotation. It really depends on the original baseline and my dedication to playing it accurately. I'm always hearing something that I missed previously. If I'm satisfied that my take is "correct" enough, it may just be a part of a song, or just running through a the main riffs to blow the dust off the day before the gig.

 

[Wissen]

I'm blessed to have the work I have. I worked hard for it. And still do. But all my routine is FUN. For me!

If I had to boil this whole discussion down to a single "secret", you've hit the nail on the head. Successful musicians genuinely have fun with the hard work. If the woodshed isn't fun, it'll never sustain itself. At least not if you have actual ambitions.

I don't want anyone to read my story as a lesson in perseverance. At least not in the stubborn sense. If you run into a brick wall ninety-nine times, it isn't going to finally give way the hundredth time.

Instead, stop beating yourself up and look for the gorram door. There are always better things to spend your time on.

 

[Mushroo]

Honestly, and I'm not looking to be argumentative...

If I had a kid and a teacher told him that, I'd be livid. If I LISTENED to a teacher telling me something like that, I wouldn't have gotten any of the gigs in my life that were totally worthwhile.

Pretty much any gig I had that meant something to me involved playing things I was incapable of playing from the start. My wife laughs at me sometimes because I'll show her bass parts and say, that's impossible... and she says, you'll know it in a couple of days.

What does work in those situations is slowing things down. I have to play things sometimes for hours at half the speed they're played it, and then slowly speed them up in order to get them down. If I walked away from them until I was capable, I'd never be capable.

A perfect example is a very simple seeming little riff - in a very simple song. Late December, 1963. Listen to the riff at 1:44 and 2:58. That riff was not in my crayon box and I had some choices. Fake it? Don't do it at all? Or nail it. Took me many hours over several days, but now I can play it with no problem. Had I waited until I had the skills to do it, I don't think I'd ever be able to play it.

Hi Joe, I respect you a lot. I think we are just taking different paths to arrive at the same destination.

I think you've mentioned before, in a different thread that you don't read music? (Apologies if I've confused you with someone else.) Would you be willing to concede, that there are TalkBasser's with the skill set to sight-read "Oh What A Night" on the first take?

And I on the other hand would kill to have an ear as good as yours. You have a valuable skill that I really struggle with, myself. So please don't think I am in any way trying to put myself above you. We all have different skill sets, but we are trying to get to the same place: making great music.

 

[Joe Nerve]

Hi Joe, I respect you a lot. I think we are just taking different paths to arrive at the same destination.

I think you've mentioned before, in a different thread that you don't read music? (Apologies if I've confused you with someone else.) Would you be willing to concede, that there are TalkBasser's with the skill set to sight-read "Oh What A Night" on the first take?

And I on the other hand would kill to have an ear as good as yours. You have a valuable skill that I really struggle with, myself. So please don't think I am in any way trying to put myself above you. We all have different skill sets, but we are trying to get to the same place: making great music.

Agreed, and hope you read my second response. Want you to know I have the same respect for you. Felt uncomfortable posting my first response, but it hit me with a big, WHOAH, and I think Inresponded out of that emotion .

And yes, that was me. I can't read music and may very well have been able to make lots more money in the music field if I had learned how.

 

[David McIntire]

PS. I'm in a agreement with all the rest of your post . My last post was just the first thing that jumped out at me. And I get it too, if something is really out of my league. I quit trying to learn any Jaco tunes, because it was just pointless. Would have been a waste of time for. Sure, I'd have gotten better as a player, but I needed to put my bass energies elsewhere. I think that might actually be what your teacher was trying to say. A brand new bass player shouldn't be wasting his/her time trying to learn YYZ.

Oooh... not sure I completely agree. When I first started, Rush' Moving Pictures and Exit... Stage Left were two huge reasons I wanted to play. I picked up the bass after failing, miserably, tryin to play guitar. After working with a buddy who was excellent at guitar, and performing two songs with him at a High School talent show, and the accolades of proud parents getting to me, I immediately endeavored to learn those two albums and others from Maiden, Queen, Kiss, VH, and Zep. Among others. It took me hours, days, weeks, but I did not stop. Eventually, I was playin those tunes. At 16, a band who rehearsed a few doors down in my neighborhood heard me playin. And asked my parents if I could join em. I pushed and pushed and pushed, eventually I nailed all those tunes, joined that band, with my buddy guitarist, and ended up playin some pretty big shows.

If I'd said I can't? It woulda never happened. That's kinda a double edged sword. Cuz maybe I'd have become a Doctor or someone of importance, rather than just becoming a lowly bass guitarist. But? My love drove me to pushing myself to do what, apparently, is difficult. I never saw it that way. I just loved doin it.

I'll learn Jaco tunes. But I'll never perform em. I don't learn every song to perform. I learn em as lessons. I've performed exactly 5 tunes live off those two Rush discs. In 30+ years of gigging. But learning that crazy stuff helped me later on. Learning a Nirvana song? Compared to Rush it's a cakewalk. But if I hadn't learned Rush, Jaco, etc, maybe I'm not the player I am today. None of my teachers ever said that I couldn't. If they had? I'd have done it just to show em they were wrong. Never say "can't". To a kid. Or anyone. Just say I "haven't". Yet...

 

[Joe Nerve]

Oooh... not sure I completely agree. When I first started, Rush' Moving Pictures and Exit... Stage Left were two huge reasons I wanted to play. I picked up the bass after failing, miserably, tryin to play guitar. After working with a buddy who was excellent at guitar, and performing two songs with him at a High School talent show, and the accolades of proud parents getting to me, I immediately endeavored to learn those two albums and others from Maiden, Queen, Kiss, VH, and Zep. Among others. It took me hours, days, weeks, but I did not stop. Eventually, I was playin those tunes. At 16, a band who rehearsed a few doors down in my neighborhood heard me playin. And asked my parents if I could join em. I pushed and pushed and pushed, eventually I nailed all those tunes, joined that band, with my buddy guitarist, and ended up playin some pretty big shows.

If I'd said I can't? It woulda never happened. That's kinda a double edged sword. Cuz maybe I'd have become a Doctor or someone of importance, rather than just becoming a lowly bass guitarist. But? My love drove me to pushing myself to do what, apparently, is difficult. I never saw it that way. I just loved doin it.

I'll learn Jaco tunes. But I'll never perform em. I don't learn every song to perform. I learn em as lessons. I've performed exactly 5 tunes live off those two Rush discs. In 30+ years of gigging. But learning that crazy stuff helped me later on. Learning a Nirvana song? Compared to Rush it's a cakewalk. But if I hadn't learned Rush, Jaco, etc, maybe I'm not the player I am today. None of my teachers ever said that I couldn't. If they had? I'd have done it just to show em they were wrong. Never say "can't". To a kid. Or anyone. Just say I "haven't". Yet...

I agree. I think I jumped the gun when I first read @Mushroo s response. Took it in a different way than I think it was intended.

 

[Mushroo]

Agreed, and hope you read my second response. Want you to know I have the same respect for you. Felt uncomfortable posting my first response, but it hit me with a big, WHOAH, and I think Inresponded out of that emotion .

And yes, that was me. I can't read music and may very well have been able to make lots more money in the music field if I had learned how.

Mutual respect, and no offense intended or perceived.

I think an important difference between your comments and my comments, is that you are talking about learning a song for a gig, whereas I am talking about learning a song assigned by my teacher for a lesson. In the context of lessons, it is reasonable that the teacher has a curriculum, of progressively more difficult songs, and they don't want the student to get discouraged. But in the context of preparing for a gig, you have to do your best to learn the song, because it's your job. So you gave a great answer to the OP's question, whereas I was drifting a bit off-topic, into "what is the best general educational method, when you're not specifically preparing for a gig, and have discretion which songs to learn?"

 

[LBS-bass]

I've read that hear a couple times. "The Pros treat every gig this or that way." The "Pros" learn in more detail. The Pros learn until they can't screw up.

1st, They were all amateurs at one time. Their work ethic elevated them. The songs I learned yesterday, 5 of em, I learned em in as great a detail as I would any tune for any gig, any jam, any lesson. And I'll never perform these tunes. That's how I work. Folk know this. It's why I get short notice calls. Why I get many calls. If you wanna be a pro, it starts long before you actually become one.

2nd, the 5 tunes I learned yestrrday I checked live videos. All the pros screwed up, changed their own lines or arrangements, missed vocal cues or changes, put a lick in a different measure, changed licks, changed melodies. My tribute bands are closer in accuracy. Pros screw up. They just don't make the SAME mistakes each night. Three guys I'll mention with the worst screw ups? Paul Stanley, Nuno Bettencourt, Mike Portnoy... And there are plenty more. Not to mention all the super bands that do altered versions of classic tunes. What's a mistake? What is "correct"? I just do me.

3rd, I consider myself a pro. Most of my income is from gigs or lessons or workin on bass guitars. I'm just not famous or well known. I don't care bout that. At all. But that does NOT change the way I work. At all. With work, with intent, I can play any line written. And if I choose to add a song, even if it will never be performed, I learn it HARD. With intent. I may never become Famous. Who cares? My jobs, skills, are as important to me as the pros' are to them. My acts, my friends, are important to me, too.

When I first joined my main act 6 years ago, they were all over the place with arrangements, keys, et al. They'd followed an acoustic guitarist/singer leader who'd changed lots to fit his solo acoustic shows. No solo sections, key changes that made no sense, skipped modulations. They were playin Kashmir in straight 4/4, fer gosh sakes. Over time, my work ethic rubbed off. We cured a ton of "mistakes". Which really weren't, cuz they got hired a lot and still worked. But, with some of my ethic, we turned into a pretty good band. The audiences grew, more calls came in. More tunes were added. It was a cycle. Fed upon itself. We coulda just said we aren't "Pros". Nope. We gave a darn. And are havin fun together today.

Just sayin that if pros are how we measure ourselves? Then do what they do. And that goal is attainable. Even if ya don't become famous for it.

And, none of my work is a chore fer me. It's my Zen. My Fun. My education. It's my job. And I love my job.

I was going to say something similar here. We all started somewhere and I think it's important to make the distinction between what we needed to do when we were early learners and how that has evolved over time. But another thing that I want to say is that, even though some things become easy with experience, hard things are still hard. There's no such thing as instant gratification and if you want to be good, you have to practice, you have to spend the time playing your instrument. People come up to me sometimes and start going off about this and that with certain songs, and I tell them that I did that song well because I practiced it, a lot. That's the part nobody sees. There are no shortcuts.

Echoing this, if you cannot perform the song, by yourself, no accompaniment, with nothing behind you, beginning to end, you don't know it and are setting you and your band up for failure. Members of my band don't do this, most are "listening for queues" or "following". So if a person gets off track or zones out for a second, it can quickly have a cascading effect, and things can fall apart quickly. David's perfect world suggestion should be what one aims for.
Practice so that you are able to do likewise.

One thing I have learned over the years is that not everyone has a recording device implanted in their brain. In fact, few people do. I can sit with my drummer and no one else, count off a song, and we will both hit every section in the correct place with every fill where it's supposed to be, because he and I are both hearing the song in our heads as we play along. But the VAST majority of players I have worked with cannot seem to do this and need an anchor to the song structure, such that if we're not rehearsing with our vocalist, for example, someone needs to sing a scratch vocal to keep everyone on track.

I don't know if this is a learnable skill or not; I've always had it. So I'd like to hear from someone who has developed this ability over time because it would give me some reassurance that it should be added to a list of goals. Otherwise it seems like it could be a bit of unobtainium that might be discouraging.

PS. I'm in a agreement with all the rest of your post . My last post was just the first thing that jumped out at me. And I get it too, if something is really out of my league. I quit trying to learn any Jaco tunes, because it was just pointless. Would have been a waste of time for. Sure, I'd have gotten better as a player, but I needed to put my bass energies elsewhere. I think that might actually be what your teacher was trying to say. A brand new bass player shouldn't be wasting his/her time trying to learn YYZ.

I used to be the administrator for a small music school and the biggest issue we had, by far, was students becoming discouraged early on because they could not do things well right away. The early learning period is really frustrating. There's pain involved, you're not making a good sound, and it's very likely students will give up after two or three lessons out of frustration. So I think that maybe the teacher who said this was trying to encourage students to get through this period. We used to sell discounted starter packages of six lessons to keep them in the program long enough to start feeling like they want to continue.

Once they are past this, you can figure who's really motivated and then apply some more demanding standards for those students who are going to do well.

 

[David McIntire]

I was going to say something similar here. We all started somewhere and I think it's important to make the distinction between what we needed to do when we were early learners and how that has evolved over time. But another thing that I want to say is that, even though some things become easy with experience, hard things are still hard. There's no such thing as instant gratification and if you want to be good, you have to practice, you have to spend the time playing your instrument. People come up to me sometimes and start going off about this and that with certain songs, and I tell them that I did that song well because I practiced it, a lot. That's the part nobody sees. There are no shortcuts.



One thing I have learned over the years is that not everyone has a recording device implanted in their brain. In fact, few people do. I can sit with my drummer and no one else, count off a song, and we will both hit every section in the correct place with every fill where it's supposed to be, because he and I are both hearing the song in our heads as we play along. But the VAST majority of players I have worked with cannot seem to do this and need an anchor to the song structure, such that if we're not rehearsing with our vocalist, for example, someone needs to sing a scratch vocal to keep everyone on track.

I don't know if this is a learnable skill or not; I've always had it. So I'd like to hear from someone who has developed this ability over time because it would give me some reassurance that it should be added to a list of goals. Otherwise it seems like it could be a bit of unobtainium that might be discouraging.



I used to be the administrator for a small music school and the biggest issue we had, by far, was students becoming discouraged early on because they could not do things well right away. The early learning period is really frustrating. There's pain involved, you're not making a good sound, and it's very likely students will give up after two or three lessons out of frustration. So I think that maybe the teacher who said this was trying to encourage students to get through this period. We used to sell discounted starter packages of six lessons to keep them in the program long enough to start feeling like they want to continue.

Once they are past this, you can figure who's really motivated and then apply some more demanding standards for those students who are going to do well.

First? Very, very wise words here.

Second? To realize my "recording device" is at LEAST partly learnable, I'll quote some of my bandmates in testimonial. The detail work I do is inspirational to some. They'd come in having half learned a tune, I'd know all ten scheduled. Early. These guys liked that I did that. Even tho they said they couldn't. But the next rehearsal, they'd come in better prepared, knowing more intricacies of a tune, making fewer mistakes. Later on, we played so often, we'd add tunes without rehearsal. Not Rush, of course (although there was that time...), but they got even better at preparation. To the point we trust each other to get the job done. And we do!

They're skills may not be as honed as mine. But, their work ethic has improved dramatically. Proving that old dogs can learn new tricks. And if some 50 something dogs can? I am sure 8-15 year olds in this day can, too.

But it is ALL about motivation. That's the truth. Love of playing, my desire to not let my band or audiences down, a paycheck, lots of other motivation, is what drives me. Not all have the same level of motivation. And that's great, too! Whatever level you wish to attain? Have fun getting there. There is no wrong in expressing yourself on an instrument. Maybe you'll never play a gig. But the fun is still there. For me, anyway. And I try to use my fun to inspire others, bandmates, students, etc, to have fun, too. Even if that song, or performance, isn't perfect. No one is perfect. Not my heroes. Not my teachers. Not my parents. Not me. Perfect doesn't exist. And that's ok, too.

 

[hrodbert696]

I honestly have no idea. It varies immensely depending on the song and the band.

The busiest I ever was gigging was with a classic/southern rock trio. The other guys had been playing together 10-12 years when I replaced their old bassist. They had played hundreds of songs over the years, and didn't use set lists, just calling them as they went.

When I joined, they gave me a list of 20 songs to learn. I asked, "Won't we need more like 40 to play a gig?"

They shrugged and said, "Oh, you'll pick up the rest as we go along."

And so I did. The BL would call a song and say, "Hey Jonny, this one's in A," and I just fell in with whatever seemed to complement whatever he was doing. They called it "throwing Jonny to the wolves."

At first, maybe a third or more of each gig was like that. After a year playing with them, I still got thrown to the wolves maybe once or twice a night, when the BL got a hankering to play some tune they hadn't done for five years.

I've also had sub gigs where I had maybe 10 days to prepare a set list with maybe 25 tunes that were new to me, no opportunity for a band rehearsal. You just throw it together, show up at the gig and watch the BL.