Well.. I think it's from practice and forcing yourself to think about it.. I remember a long long time ago.. in a galaxy fa.. I used to struggle with counting the band in right away after the last song.. problem was, I'd finish a song and be pumped with adrenaline and couldn't think of anything else but the tune I was neck deep in.. then the band would look at me waiting to be cued in for the next song and I'd be the deer in headlights.. 'drawing a blank - how does that go again??' I couldn't even remember the melody to get a clue.. all I could think of was the last song Lol.. just clouded my brain. SO I started working on strategies.. like looking ahead on the setlist as you approach the end of a tune.. getting prepared.. finish the tune.. then calmly relax, clear your head and think of the next tune fast .. dial it up and away you go - with confidence, that this is the tune, meter and groove.Two seconds to dial in a tune? Sounds like superhuman territory to this beginner...
The other thing that forced me to nail this is playing medley's - where you have to lead the band seamlessly into the next - springboarding from one tune into the next.. usually with a slightly faster or slower tempo etc. no time to stop and think.. you just have to remember the transition as part of the tune.
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