Learning Cover Sets Quickly

oops

Silver Member
So i've been offered a wedding gig, playing percussion with a trio (guitar, bass and vocals). They play with lots of backing tracks (mainly keys, and drums I guess).

I've 69 songs to learn for the 22nd of November. Any clues?

I'm going to chart everything, most likely even play with charts, but I really hope to impress, as that will set me up for some more work (especially as Christmas and New Year's set in).

Here's my biggest dilemma: I've been given midi's of all the songs which have midi drum sounds, basically standard rock beats throughout. But I've been asked to play percussion: mainly congas, some tambourine and possible some snare stuff, but not my kit as such. Any tips for keeping it interesting through several hours of conga playing? I don't want it to be all the same. I'm tempted to take my hats as well.
 
I've been in that position myself ..

Try to familiarise yourself with the original recordings & get a general feel for the tunes (groove etc) and think of each song in sections - add a tambourine backbeat to chorus's, a shaker for a verse, brushes on a snare for a ballad or brush ostinato on snare with a cross stick backbeat on a few songs. I use a variety of shakers/maraccas & tambourines for variety in pitch etc from song to song. I tend not to get too hung up on charting everything these days but understand where you're coming from, sometimes you only need a song structure written down (intro/vs 1/Chorus/tag/Chorus/solos etc etc) or maybe chart out the head or specific hits ...

If there are drum tracks already present on the tracks, then you may only need to add a little colour to the songs - you won't be relied on to provide time or a beat as such which frees things up a bit for you to have a bit of fun & get creative - have fun!!
 
Surely you don't need top know all 69 by the 22nd. Thats about four and a half hours of straight music. I'd find out which tunes you need for the 22nd then obviously get prepared for them first.
As for learning all the tunes, they are cover tunes so they technically there probably isn't going to be much that you'll struggle with, so i would just chart them out, then listen to them lots, lots and more lots.
 
I'd pondered that myself: whether I'd need to familiarize myself with all the tunes, or only a core set, but I've decided I probably have enough time to do all the tunes.

Then if any gigs come out of this I've already got the material down.
 
Congrats on the gig, if your going to learn all 69, I'd Start with the ones you're least familiar with. That way at least those you already know, you'll have an idea anyway and could probably play without much practice. My $0.02

And Yes, I'd bring some hats, maybe a splash or crash, Rainstick if you have one, chimes. Give yourself a variety of options to mix it up.
 
Congrats on the gig!

I'm in that spot now, although not with a wedding. The group I'm in now, we rehearse on Saturday afternoons and play on Sunday. Sunday mornings are early rehearsals and we play late Sunday mornings. For new songs, all I have time for is to learn the basics of the song, pick a good groove, and maybe note some breaks, solos, etc. What I've found that is a MUST, for me at least, is to write the order of the songs, what beat, groove, or syle I'm playing in: jazz beat, basic rock beat, swing, march, etc. and any special notes, like come in with the singers, or use brushes, or cymbal rolls, play softly, etc. It's a pain and not how I've been taught, but it's the nature of the venue and it's good training for improvisation.

And like someone said, get the easy songs out of the way first by learning those first, then concentrate on the ones you don't know as well. And bring lots of toys with you for different sounds, pitch, etc.

Good luck and HAVE FUN!!
 
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