Learning a new song before you play it live

[e021708]

I'm interested in what you may do in general before you play a song live with your band or at an open jam / mic.

 

Here is basically what i do.

 

1. learn / chart the basic structure of the song for intro, chorus, verse, break, etc. (either look up chords on internet, figure them out by ear or look in a book, whatever i can find.)

2. learn basic main riffs, sorta wing the solo but try to capture the feel in general.

3. memorise lyrics,

4. practice playing / singing along with the original artist version until i know it resonably well.

5. practice playing along with backing track if i can find one.

6 practice playing the song slowly with just the metronome.

7. then i go live and blow it several time until i get it right

 

It's the last step here i wish i could skip sometimes...

[piesore]

I use the program Transcibe to learn new songs, it can slow songs down and keep the same pitch, as well as loop small sections that I need to practice over and over.

I'll write the song out this way, slowly speed up until I reach 110 percent tempo comfortably, then go and record the song once I think I'm ready. I'll usually spend 20 to 30 minutes doing different takes because I'll either get nervous recording or won't know the song as well as I thought I did. I think recording is really key, because it's a similar kind of pressure as playing live, so I think you won't be as nervous the first time you play it with your band, and you'll really improve hearning what you really sound like. Sometimes it's a big confidence builder because some songs I'd reach full tempo with but felt uncomfortable playing would sound really great after I recorded it, and I'd relax from then on out.

I can send you transcribe if you'd like, just PM me.