Learning Songs on the Fly

[Kestral]

I'm primarily a songwriter that writes my own songs but lately, I've been playing keyboards and some guitar for friends who are songwriters.

 

The problem is, they're not as organized as me where I write down lead sheets (even just rough sections with the chords) so I pretty much have to figure them out on the fly. It'd be stressful enough doing this in a studio but to do this live just makes it all the more difficult.

 

My problem is twofold:

 

1. Yes, I can watch the guitar player's hands and figure out the chords but sometimes I'm not fast enough, are there other ways (ie. ear training, The Chord Wheel) or tips and tricks to better do this?

 

2. The memorization. My songs tend to be a lot simpler, like U2 songs where there aren't four gadzillion chord changes. Is there a trick to this as well?

 

Reason I ask is because I've seen pro musicians who do it, they'll walk up on stage cold, watch the guitar player and nail it the first time, and then months later they'll come up again not having heard the song and nail it even better.

 

Trying to fill this hole in my musican abilities in hopes of improving as a musician.

[Eddie]

I would say that ear training and familiarizing yourself with many 'typical' chord progressions will help.
I would focus on developing both relative and perfect pitch.
That's one of my goals within the next 2 years.

[VSpaceBoy]

If they use a lot of unconventional changes you'll never be able to anticipate where to go next on the fly.
The only way is to have him at least write down or tell you every chord going to be used ahead of time so you have a head start.

[CS]

Skip this if you know it...

Most simple songs use the root, fourth and fifth chords with a relative minor being quite common (3 semi tones down, Am for C, Em for G etc).

Most songwriters tend to use common patterns (to their own style). So once you get used to a certain songwriters style it gets easier to guess what's going on.

Playing a fretted instrument it's easier to think in term of patterns rather than actual chords.

Watching a guitarist hands can be helpful if that's not the only thing you are doing. Get the player to tell you what the chord is. When you see that shape again you'll know what to play.

Most people who learn a song on the fly 'back off' until they know the pattern. I played bass in a Gospel Choir and I'd just mark the root until I was confident.