Learning new songs for gigs

[J. Dan]

I already know what I'm going to do, but I'm curious what others would do.

 

Many of you may recall that for a couple years now I've been occasionally filling in with a band, and beginning January, I'll be splitting the gigs 50/50 with the regular guy. In the past, once I got a bunch of them out of the way initially, they mostly picked songs that I had done with them before and would occasionally ask me to add some new ones. Usually I didn't need to learn more than a few for each gig (though last time I ended up AT the gig having to pull out 3 I had never played before due to a fill-in singer).

 

I'm filling in this Saturday and the BL didn't realize it until after he made the list. He emailed it to me and said let him know anything I want to swap out. Being Christmas season, there are some Christmas songs as well - one of which I played with them one time last December. So given that I need to learn 3 Christmas songs, the tempting thing would be to swap out any of the other songs I haven't done with them before for songs I have. Quick glance would reveal Sister Christian and Come Sail Away. However, once I start doing the 50/50 thing, I want to know all the songs the other guy does so they can just make the list and not worry about who's playing, so I figure no time like the present to start knocking these out. The only twist is that they'll also have a fill-in singer, drummer, and bass player (yeah, so the guitar player's the only actual band member - this is not unusual). So there is the element of doing these songs for the first time with people who have never played together. But I think I'm going to go for it.

 

What would you do?

[timwat]

I'm not sure I'm clear on the total number of new songs you have to learn by Saturday.

 

But since today is Wednesday, I'm in the middle of grading case studies, and I have at least six tunes to learn before my Saturday PM gig with the "no set list" band, my vote is for you to go for it.

 

Hey, at least you have a set list!

[J. Dan]

Hey, at least you have a set list!

 

I know, right? It's more than I've had the last couple times with these guys - which is why I had to pull 3 songs out of my ass 2 weeks ago.

 

So looking closer at the list, there are 4 Christmas songs, knew of which I played one time last year. Then there are the 2 I've never played: Come Sail Away and Sister Christian. There are 2 more that I had played with them a couple times long ago, but need some work including some patch tweaking, and there's one of the songs I pulled out of my ass 2 weeks ago that I should actually listen to and learn for real. I suppose you could call that 9 besides brushing up on the rest. But that wasn't really what this was about, it's more about taking the easy route or maybe about procrastination. I could just do the 4 Christmas songs and swap the rest out with songs I've done with them and nobody would judge me and it would be a lot easier. My thought is that I need to do it eventually anyway, may as well do it now. (Which is what I'm doing - this is rhetorical). Just wondering if you'd all do the same thing or if you would lean more to the side of playing it safe and do songs you know will go smoothly and learn the others later.

[Josh Paxton]

In theory I would learn everything now, because it's the most efficient thing to do in the long run.

 

In practice, depending on what else was going on in my life, I might very well take the "do as little as possible" route.

 

It's funny, just today I had the idea of making some sort of graphic or short video depicting "How people think musicians learn songs," with shots of a musician in a spacious, well-organized practice space, with multiple editions of sheet music and recordings, carefully listening and practicing and recording and comparing and taking notes and making corrections over a period of weeks until they have it down perfectly; versus "How musicians actually learn songs," with a shot of a musician looking at his phone and yelling, "Wait, that gig is today?? Fuuuuuuck!!", and then frantically downloading the song and listening to it on repeat in the car on the way to the gig. But then I thought twice about how publicly I wanted to admit to that...

[cphollis]

If you have the time and inclination, I'd learn all the songs. It's good practice, and your BL will love you for not swapping out songs which might create other problems.

 

I think we also have to be honest about the thousand shades of grey when it comes to defining "learn". As I'm using it here, it's being able to get through the song live and nailing the signature components without sucking too badly.

 

A few years back, I agreed to sub for a country/western band that shipped me a list of 50 songs I had never heard. Not my genre.

 

But I was able to "learn" almost all of them in less than two weeks as, well, it's rather simple stuff. I made a mixtape and listened to it perpetually until I was sick of all of them. The gig went great. And I haven't played a single one of those songs since.

 

I wouldn't try that with other genres.

[Barryjam]

Given all the subs, I'd bet you won't be the weakest link that actually determines the songs that get dropped. I still work crazy hours to get the right sounds keyboard mapped and learn the tunes.

[ProfD]

If you have the time and inclination, I'd learn all the songs. It's good practice, and your BL will love you for not swapping out songs which might create other problems.

Same here. I would learn and know everything on the setlist and also ask what they might pull out on the spot too.

 

It is a great idea to know all of the songs if your time permits. Also, makes it easier to sub at any time regardless of the musicians on deck.

[Stokely]

If there were any subs at all on any instruments, I'd be inclined to replace songs like Come Sail Away with something simpler....none of the parts in that are hard to play (at least to some similar point) but there are a lot of them and it requires the band to be in sync more than a lot of songs...part of my attitude is coming from the realization that as much as I like to play challenging songs, our audiences don't care...they want to dance. Yours might be a different flavor. So something simpler that the band can feel confident on without any kind of rehearsal would be my preference.

 

That said, I'd learn them so that eventually you could play the set list.

 

 

[Joe Muscara]

It's funny, just today I had the idea of making some sort of graphic or short video depicting "How people think musicians learn songs," with shots of a musician in a spacious, well-organized practice space, with multiple editions of sheet music and recordings, carefully listening and practicing and recording and comparing and taking notes and making corrections over a period of weeks until they have it down perfectly; versus "How musicians actually learn songs," with a shot of a musician looking at his phone and yelling, "Wait, that gig is today?? Fuuuuuuck!!", and then frantically downloading the song and listening to it on repeat in the car on the way to the gig. But then I thought twice about how publicly I wanted to admit to that...

[MotiDave]

Sister Christian is pretty easy and we've heard it beaten into our brains enough times you'll catch it quickly. maybe not every variation on each riff but its easy to catch a few variations to make it interesting to the crowd, they won't know the difference. CSA piano part is pretty easy, but i don't recall what the synth parts are in the song so not sure.

 

I had to learn 7 "new" obscure old Bowie songs this week as our BL wants to expand the next show from the usual uber-long 25 song set to do two sets of about 16 songs each (cut out the opener act, we pocket their fee).

 

Most of them were easy, except TVC15. That guy (who I'm sure people here know by his legend) is an epically skilled pianist, he just blows me away. I'll muddle the basics but tonight is first rehearsal and its still quite stiff. got another 2 weeks before the show, i'll tighten it up by the next/final rehearsal. i'll have to.

 

if anyone here is aces on TVC, feel free to mount a video cam above your piano and play/record it and send to me lol! nobody has to know ...

[Bill H.]

If there were any subs at all on any instruments, I'd be inclined to replace songs like Come Sail Away with something simpler....

 

Yeah that's what I'd do too. Rather than go totally "all in", I'd modify it to "all in... up to a certain point" and scratch the really difficult stuff until there's time to really work up the parts and rehearse.

 

Based on videos you've put up Dan, I'd have no problems putting putting subs behind that guitar player, and just turning him loose singing and playing his way through the set for now.

 

Then getting back to normal with the regular crew.

[J. Dan]

I don't think I've put any videos up of this band. You're probably thinking of That 80s Band which I left almost 5 years ago.

 

These guys are very talented though and always bring in the best musicians in town for subs. I played with them before when the lead singer was the only actual member and nobody knew the difference.

[richforman]

For me, the set list for a sub or short-notice gig is usually a negotiation, what I'll do is ask for the complete potential list, then mail it back color-coded, basically grouping them into categories based on how much time and effort it would take me to have the various songs prepared (maybe some I already know in my sleep, some I have to brush up on, some I know but have to program setups for on my current rig, some I've never played but seem easy enough, some that strike me as potentially challenging, some I'm not familiar with at all). Then we'll go from there depending on how many songs he needs, which are the most important or expendable to him, and other factors. Usually they'll be pretty accomodating and flexible and give you a lot of credit for showing up and making it through. "When in doubt, lay out" will always get you a long way!

 

[Bill H.]

I don't think I've put any videos up of this band. You're probably thinking of That 80s Band which I left almost 5 years ago.

 

Yep, wrong band Dan... oops. I thought you recently mentioned getting back with those guys...sorry.

 

Edit: Come Sail Away doesn't fit the format of an 80s band I guess that should have been my tip-off.

[J. Dan]

Yes I did fill in with them recently, but I've been playing with these guys more over the last couple years and 50/50 next year. It's mostly classic and 80s rock with some modern stuff thrown in.... Journey, foreigner, Bon Jovi, etc but then also uptown funk, blurred lines, moves like Jagger.

[J. Dan]

Coincidentally, BL (assuming after looking through past set lists) texts me " have you ever played come sail away or sister Christian with us?" To which I reply no. Asks if I want to swap. I say, up to you, I've learned them in the past but never played with you. He says struggling to get enough songs together for the fill in singer. Problem solved! My response "I'll be ready to play them". Note my wording.

[Bobadohshe]

In situations like this I usually make my life a living hell (but a fun kind of hell) charting and programming the snot out of every tune possible so I can blow them away on the gig. When they talk about me to other working musicians, I want them to say good things. Things that get me more gigs.

 

That said, if there's some tune there that's incredibly involved and your spidey sense tells you they prob wont do it, I usually lob a text to whoever is in charge and say 'how likely is it that we'll do this tune?'. Often leaders like this. It shows you're putting in the time and getting sorted.

[MotiDave]

Good on you, JD. my TVC "audition" last night went better than I expected. Still alot of embellishments and variations I need to try to add but it went well, BL was stoked with my offering.

 

Still accepting expert advice

[David Loving]

Just find out what key the singer wants and let 'er rip !

 

[J. Dan]

Well, did the gig tonight. Learned all of the songs including the sax parts (on sax) for the Springsteen tunes, 2 of the 4 Christmas songs got cut as well as come sail away. On one hand it sucks putting in a bunch of time to be prepared only to not do it, but it was a good night and the choices made sense,

 

For any of you following the singer situation with this band, a young guy sat in for 2 songs who completely KILLED it! Even the guy who was filling in on vocals tonight said "there's your singer". Hope they get him.

[Bobadohshe]

Awesome. Hope the singer works out. And as for 'Come Sail Away' now you have that beast under your belt. Nice.

[J. Dan]

Yeah, it wasn't really the right place for it - people wanted to dance. I put a lot of work into it and felt like I really nailed it, but in all honesty it just didn't fit the crowd.