Learning lots of songs fast

[CT Corvette]

Hey y'all.

First, I bet this has been discussed before, so if there's an obvious thread that I missed, please share the link.

I got a new gig in a band that plays dance-able rock, classic country, blues, and a funk song or two. The band has been together for a long time, so their song list is huge and I have to learn a lot of songs fast (at least two sets+ for a gig on April 19). I started with about 15 tunes, but I have what may be an unhelpful instinct. I end up focusing too much on getting a great bass line down for each tune and spending 30 minutes on a 3 minute song. I wonder if now is not the time to do that and if I should instead be cranking through the list right now just getting song structure down.

I'm sure many of you have been in this situation. What was your approach and how'd it work for ya?

Thank you!

 

[KenSmithFan]

Get a definitive list of the tunes you have to learn. Two sets shouldn’t be more than 30 songs. Presumable you know some of them. Start with the hardest first, write out chord charts so you know what you’re working with. Then start writing out the signature licks that you need to learn. After that, just start knocking them out one at a time. Put together a play list and listen to them.

30 minutes a song for 30 songs is only 15 hours. You have three weeks to learn them.

You’re right, there are plenty of threads on this. There is a search feature you can use to find them.

 

[Lobster11]

The answer might be different depending on whether you are expected to play the bass lines exactly (note-for-note) as on the original recordings or just have to be "close enough." If the latter, I'd work first on getting each of the 30-or-so songs you need to learn up to that "close-enough" standard. If you have time you can then rotate back through the list to make further improvements if necessary.

 

[CT Corvette]

Thank you both. It's a unique band -interpretations of covers - so I definitely don't need to learn the songs note-for-note, but there are definitely some tunes that have significant basslines that need to be considered, Like "Stuck in the Middle with You," "One Trick Pony," a Tina-Turner-esque version of "Proud Mary," etc.

 

[LiptonJigglers]

For me, I create a spotify list first and spend a day getting familiar with the songs before I try playing bass to them.
Familiarity is the key.

I get the known songs and the easiest songs out the way first. This creates a sense of achievement, I feel like I've got somewhere and the remaining "to do" list is smaller than before. Revisiting them before I move onto the known but harder songs next. This can take a bit more work and time and once again, creates a sense of achievement whilst reducing the "to do" list even further.

Finally, im hitting the remaining difficult songs last of all where i can spend the remaining precious time to really focus and get things right. Still revisiting the previous songs before moving on.

Once I'm satisfied with my achievements, I'll play through both sets taking notes on the little bits that require attention.

This is usually done Monday to Friday with a dedicated 2 - 3hr time slot, leaving weekend for relaxing.

 

[Gravy4001]

Good advice from LiptonJigglers. Assemble your playlist on Spotify or whatever, if possible I like to put in actual set list order. You'll probably be learning 30-40 songs and you have 22 days until show. So let's say you run through and really work on 5 tunes per day, make your charts and don't worry about perfect note for note just yet on the more difficult tunes. This is not too unreasonable, I've done it and I'm sure many others here have too. Once you've given everything a run, made charts as needed, run through the list from the top. The key is chipping away a little bit every day. You can also make cheat notes on your set list for the show. You got this!

 

[DaveParker39]

Start with chord charts, load all the songs up in a playlist. Come up with something basic and rudimentary that works for each one, listen for anything distinct and make note of it... you can get the nuance later, right now you just need to get by. You can focus on detail later.

 

[JC BASS 91]

The band I am currently with (I think...not sure what is going on there right now) started off by handing me about 40 songs to learn. I just built a playlist on Spotify of the songs and set it to repeat and started working through them. I spent about an hour a night playing and working on different songs until I got them as close to down as possible. I'm still not perfect, but I play them well enough that the audience doesn't hear when I screw up. LOL

 

[J Wilson]

3 weeks? That's plenty.

I'd listen to all of five or six sets' worth. You could be there for five sets. Then pick out any of them that seem difficult or have some signature bass line that's GOT to be in there.

Kill the hard ones first and fast, then fill in with the easy stuff.

If this is an audition kind of thing, get fluent with the songs but a bit short of letter perfect. Nobody else will play this just like the record, plus you don't want to sink 40 or 50 hours on this and then they hire the drummer's brother-in-law.

Pretty close is good enough. You want for them to see you're prepared and obviously able to make the gig right now.

 

[bigjames]

In situations like this, I go basic EXCEPT when the specific song has an iconic bassline or break. If there is nothing really special in the bassline, I play it very simple to make learning easier.

 

[logdrum]

3 weeks is plenty but how many hours or minutes each day and how many days a week do you have?

Bin the songs you know and work on the ones you do not. Then work at them based on your truly available time. Based on this plan factor in 25% unforeseen events that will cut with your budget time and then increase the effort because you likely overestimated your skills. Been there and done that, Before you know it 3 weeks may be actually too short.

 

[Piranha]

Good advice above. One thing I would add is create a playlist of the songs and listen to nothing except those songs for the next three weeks. I find that drilling the songs into my brain by just listening to them adjusts my reflexes when I eventually play them. I hammer that stuff into my subconscious.

 

[Fynn]

I would listen to all the songs and then take notes on how important the original bassline is. If you have a song where the bassline is very clearly a signature feature of the song, then I would definitely try to get that down. But if it's a song where the bass is playing a pretty simple line, or where the bass just isn't very upfront, then I would put those into the lower priority list. Though you'd have to learn all the basic chord structures anyways. So maybe just get all the basics down, and then try to get into details on the songs which you deem deserve more attention.

 

[mdogs]

Did this last year, it was 60 songs for a band that had been together for about 5 years, I had 3 weeks. Maybe half of them I had a pretty good idea about. We did three rehearsals. For the songs I did not know, I got the basics down along with song structure and any key lines. For the songs I did know, I just ran them a few times to make sure I had the structure down. At rehearsals, we just worked on the ones that had critical changes and ones that they were doing their own way. We hit the ground running on Memorial Day weekend and did 34 shows over the rest of the year. I did not use charts, they actually hinder me from memorizing the song, too much of a crutch. I made a few notes on the set list, but that is it.

 

[JRA]

....end up focusing too much on getting a great bass line down for each tune and spending 30 minutes on a 3 minute song.

dude, if you can get a memorable bassline down in 30 minutes (for a 3 minute tune) you're a god! don't stop what you're doing.

you have roughly half of the program already --- ~7-10 hours to go. big whup! just do the work, you got this!

good luck!

 

[factory presets]

Lot of listening. In the car, at work, eating, turn off your phone, cancel Netflix. And dedicated as much brain power as you can safely spare to predicting the structure of the songs. Make the most of your time away from your bass.

I don't know your domestic situation, but you might need to spend your first paycheck on flowers and a dinner.

 

[dvdtlsn]

Practice suggestion for what its worth. I believe that frequency is helpful i.e. 4 15min sessions separated by 1 hour is better that a 1 hour session and/or 4 one hour sessions on different days is better than 1 4 hour session.

Might depend on your learning style or aptitude, but I find my retention better for the same time spent with more intervals vs cramming. Theory is your brain keeps processing in the back ground during the in between times.

In 2022 I subbed for 4 bands and probably learned and gigged close to 100 songs (all memorization...no skills development was needed)

As my friend used to say "this advice is probably worth what you paid for it".

 

[Jimmy Howe]

Hey y'all.

First, I bet this has been discussed before, so if there's an obvious thread that I missed, please share the link.

I got a new gig in a band that plays dance-able rock, classic country, blues, and a funk song or two. The band has been together for a long time, so their song list is huge and I have to learn a lot of songs fast (at least two sets+ for a gig on April 19). I started with about 15 tunes, but I have what may be an unhelpful instinct. I end up focusing too much on getting a great bass line down for each tune and spending 30 minutes on a 3 minute song. I wonder if now is not the time to do that and if I should instead be cranking through the list right now just getting song structure down.

I'm sure many of you have been in this situation. What was your approach and how'd it work for ya?

Thank you!

What’s always worked for me when learning a repertoire for pickup gigs or I need to learn in a hurry is focusing on three or four songs at each practice session. Just run through each one and on to the next and so on. Just play those 3-4 songs over an hour or two and break. Sometimes I’ll loop a section to get the notes under my fingers for a few minutes and back to the top and on to the next tune when it’s done. I absorb the songs quicker when I have a few songs to work on rather than hammering one tune over and over and over again.

 

[Jimmy Howe]

Good advice above. One thing I would add is create a playlist of the songs and listen to nothing except those songs for the next three weeks. I find that drilling the songs into my brain by just listening to them adjusts my reflexes when I eventually play them. I hammer that stuff into my subconscious.

I do this too. Listening and visualizing is very beneficial. Great advice!

 

[Rumble Thunder]

My thought is, will the drummer play the same patterns, builds and stops that are on the record? I like to lock in with the drums rhythmically. Therefore if the drummer is “winging it” or playing a different drum pattern than the record then all that work might be for naught. It might help to know how the drummer is going to play it. If this band has been around a while he might play his own parts with differing kick pattern and such.

Also, do the singer(s) do these tunes in the original key? It might be helpful to know the key the band is playing in or else you will have to transpose things.

Generally I like to listen on Spotify first and then get the pitch, key and notes down. Then I focus on the rhythm and connecting with the drums. After that I look at effects.

my two cents anyways