playing songs

[Stuart Douglas]

Hi everybody, I have recently started playing with a band. I played for years just practicing on my own and I am finding that I lose where I am in the song sometimes.
Was looking for suggestions. ie. cheat sheets, use the lyrics etc..

[PattyJack]

It all comes with practice. A little thing that helps me, is I get my lead guitar player to nod or look back at me when there is a change.

[Banzai]

When I'm not familiar with the song I print out the lyrics and scribble down useful notes, also I write down the breaks or difficult parts in formal notation.

But what works the best for me is: Listen to the song 100 times and then play along with your hands and feet another 100. Then practice the grooves and brakes on your kit and finally play it at progressive speeds with your band.




note: you don't have to really play it 100, just enough to let you memorize it.

[Wavelength]

When I'm learning new material, I like to do a little transcription of it by

- listening through the song to get the overall picture
- writing down the song's tempo, time signature, form and the amount of measures in each part of the song
- writing down the essential "hooks", or rhythms that are played by the entire band
- writing down the drum grooves, fills and any signature licks that are important to the song.

This is a fairly analytical approach and it will familiarise you with the song quite thoroughly even before you've picked up a pair of sticks. Play through the song a few times with your cheat sheet, and then try to do it without looking at your notes. The notes help you learn the intellectual aspects of a song, which in turn makes it easier to learn to play it by feel.

[paul c]

chart out the whole song on a piece of paper, start to finish for yourself..start with writing "intro" then into "verse 1", Prechorus","chorus" or whatever. If there are any confusing drum parts write that out too. Thats what I do when Im in your shoes it really does work! it prevents a lot of embarassment!