Learning songs and structures

[bill_banwell]

Hi Justin, hope you're well!

I was hoping you could answer my question on this:

I play in around 8 bands/projects currently (all different styles, which is fun) as i'm sure you may do aswell? or have done at some point in your career??

Having so many set's and songs to learn/listen to and practice it can get a bit hectic! what would be your best advice to learning songs and structures without losing the freshness of the song, for example.. listening to a track 50 times over.. sometimes can work backwards i've heard? what is the easiest way to learning songs start to finish and keeping the structures really memory tight! let me know what you think, any advice is welcome..

Thanks in advance

 

[jmjbassplayer]

I don't think there's any secret to this but experience. I don't have any fantastic tips, but i do agree that too much practice takes the "urgency" away, and you want some of that urgency so that when you play the song down with other players for the first time, you have that adrenalin and aren't too comfortable. This subject has been brought up before and if I remember correctly, tons of other guys chimed in on the thread with all kinds of tricks and strategies. They're all fine, but you just have to work hard at this stuff.

 

[JimmyM]

Ya, if it were easy, everyone could do it. As for keeping it fresh, I find that's all mind over matter, and that's why some bands are awesome even after playing the same songs for 20 years.

 

[bill_banwell]

Thanks for the replys guys, all great information! Some of it which I already seem to be doing but also some nice realisations!