Trouble Learning Songs

The best way to cement things in your memory is to try and remember them without your notes.
Using only your internal memory, try and play along to each song and be able to anticipate the next section. If you don't know what's coming, stop, check your notes, put away your notes, and start over from the top.

Learning the lyrics to the different songs will help each song become a unique and distinct entity in your mind. You will be able to remember which beginnings/endings go with which set of lyrics, rather than having a bunch of beginnings/endings floating through your mind on a sea of similar sounding basslines.

 

Learning the lyrics will help because you will also learn the melody. While the chord/harmonic structure of many blues tunes is nearly identical, the melodies are often unique. Learning them will help you to remember the song.

I read an interview with Jaco a long, long time ago. The interviewer asked him, "What is the best advice you have for younger players?" His answer: "Learn melodies."

 

I am NOT one to provide advice.
In saying that, maybe I'm more asking the experts to provide a YES or NO as to this approach:

Learn the chord changes and play within the them (small fills, etc...) that flow with the song - not too much on the fill dept though. Just enough to know the root notes and any accompanying notes, within the chord, that may help fill-in.

I'm hoping that memorizing the chord progression per song is easier and a good first step, as opposed to a note-by-note memorization. Once the chord progression in each song is nailed, maybe hit each song with a small piece of each fill as written in the song. After that, progress to the whole song and every note.

Maybe just learning the chord progression and providing your own fills will only come with knowledge and comfort.

OK, open season....

 

you can use certain phrases as cues.....learning to watch the bandleader for visual cues works.....when you see them straighten up and raise the guitar neck,or bring the arm around in a big windmill that is often what they are doing...a soloist will often bring you back with a certain phrase at the end......art tatum was reputed to be capable of solo tangents for 24 bars,and still land perfectly on the one,and he was one of the greats,so don't feel bad if you need a cue here and there

 

Heh sounds like a real trial by fire. Sometimes that's the best way to learn though.

 

I had the same problem a couple of years ago when I was in an “old school” blues band that had started from scratch. Not to demean blues bands, but to me, it was like floating on a featureless ocean. I very much enjoy a blues tune or two, or three, but not 30 in a row! Once the tune got started I was fine, until the ending. I am not a musician that hangs on the lyrics of a song either, so I was at a big disadvantage.

I made a list of the tunes with key, feel, and any…features… I could pick out. Very brief.
The band had a good, printed set list for each gig, which I kept on my amp and kept one tune ahead of in my head.

I am no longer in that band and doubt that I’ll ever be in a similar one.

 

ALSO tell the Bandmates hey fellas lets just PERFECT maybe 25 Songs instead of 45, with 25 songs or so that will be good for a few GIGS to get you guys in the door to a lot of places, and what you do is try and work on 6-8 of those songs a week, you know cut back a little till you get them perfect, atleast you wont feel like you are climbing mount Everest, i am sure you will do fine, keep at it.

 

I just looked at this post quick but did see some good advice as to live that a lot do not pay enough attention to or learn young which is - paying attention to what is going on around you on stage especially as a bass player listening to the drummer. Just that should be enough to lead you into fills, in and out of solos, endings etc. Watching the movement of singers or lead players, it will all help knowing what and where to go.
Quick advice from 30 plus years and having to learn at times to memory 2 or 300 songs in a month.

 

I have had problems knowing the song by name.
I jot down the chord progression on the set list and if I don't have it by the time 1 comes around.... fake it.

 

I think someone mentioned noted on the set list. That certainly works great also. Don't feel like your doing yourself a disservice because you have some notes in front of you. If that is what you need to do to help and you. One thing, rehearsing is great (hate it myself) but a few nights out and you will be surprised how quick it sticks in your head. That is when you will remember the mistakes you make and not do them again. For me, the stage is the best rehearsal because you can't just go - opps can we do that again. Get them down, keep sheets if need be and get out there.

 

learning 45 songs at once is a tall order, especially blues songs that all sound alike. if you can learn by ear, that may be your best bet because you can just figure out what key the guitarist is starting on and jump in and play. then visual or drum cues can help signal the endings. I've learned maybe 30 songs at once for a brazilian pop cover project last summer, and I did that by playing along to a CD over and over. the more you play them, the more you will notice the subtle distinctions. what I would suggest is to ask the band to carve out a reasonable set list from there that you would likely play at your 1st gig and learn those first (unless you're expected to play all 45 at a gig?) And then I try to get a recording of the set in the same order of how I would play it at a show. as I familiarize with that, I will then start to notice connections like anticipating how the next song will start because the transition between songs will help cue me in to knowing what key the next song is in.

 

Just do it. If you can record the songs and listen to them whenever you're not playing.