Members pogo97 Posted March 30, 2014 Author Members Share Posted March 30, 2014 That's why I think it's better to concentrate on 3 or 4 songs at a time rather than 12. Of course there are times one has to learn a bunch asap, i.e. putting a band together from scratch, working into a band that needs a replacement quickly… a gig that calls for a different genre than what you've been doing... I'm sure most of us old timers er... veterans have been through these scenarios. Thank you Bob. I was beginning to feel like a bad person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted March 30, 2014 Members Share Posted March 30, 2014 Not bad - just different. There is more than one right way to do this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted March 30, 2014 Author Members Share Posted March 30, 2014 Anyhow.... The theme of this year's Gananoque Skating Club's Ice show was summertime. I loaned them my canoe and paddles. When I brought it home, I left it on the car. "Leave it for the light of day." I figured. Woke up this morning to 15 cm of fresh snow. Which complicates the job of getting canoe off the van (hardly life-shattering, mind you). It would make for a good photo but my wife dropped the camera last week... My daughter Acacia skated a solo to "Kokomo." and did a lovely job until she fell. She was perfect in the afternoon show, but whatever in the evening and it really knocked her off the rest of the skate. Such a pity. But it's in the nature of figure skating (which is based around competition) to push yourself and take calculated risks. Maybe she fell because the element was too hard and she shouldn't have attempted it. Maybe she hadn't practised enough or effectively. Maybe her skate caught something from a previous skater. She did, though, get some experience in recovering from a public mis-step and that's probably worth something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted March 30, 2014 Moderators Share Posted March 30, 2014 That's why I think it's better to concentrate on 3 or 4 songs at a time rather than 12. Of course there are times one has to learn a bunch asap, i.e. putting a band together from scratch, working into a band that needs a replacement quickly… a gig that calls for a different genre than what you've been doing... I'm sure most of us old timers er... veterans have been through these scenarios. but a band situation is far different from the soloist situation. As a soloist, I am lead singer, backup singer, rhythm guitarist, lead guitarist...in a band I fulfill one or maybe two roles...the level of mastery of each song is far different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted April 28, 2014 Author Members Share Posted April 28, 2014 Funny, I always think of Chet Baker as a horn player*, not a singer...then again, 1956...when this was released, I was going on 3... * fantastic/extremely underrated by modern generations...his glow and lyrical style was overshadowed by Miles' neo-bop in the 60s, and so now few people really know who he is. He was definitely right up there with Satchmo, Dizzy...one of my CJ regulars is a huge...HUGE...Chet Baker fan, btw I LOVE Chet Baker's singing. He sounds like a fourteen-year-old angel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bob Dey Posted April 28, 2014 Members Share Posted April 28, 2014 but a band situation is far different from the soloist situation. As a soloist, I am lead singer, backup singer, rhythm guitarist, lead guitarist...in a band I fulfill one or maybe two roles...the level of mastery of each song is far different. True, but since you already do around 600 songs you aren't in a situation described by the OP. In the early '90s I had to learn a bunch of Jimmy Buffet and Beach Boys songs for a new summer gig. I was recording my background track with a 4-track cassette at the time with a drum machine, synth, elec. bass, and guitar. I also had to record the harmony parts for the two Beach boys songs. I remember listening to the buffet songs over and over on a walkman to memoroize the lyrics. How long it took to put together around 10-12 songs? I honestly can't remember… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted May 17, 2014 Author Members Share Posted May 17, 2014 It's two months to gig time, give or take. Meanwhile, we've accumulated a restaurant gig or two. One's next Saturday. Di wants to include some newer "hipper" stuff. I'm unconvinced that "Love Potion Number Nine" is any hipper than "Alexander's Ragtime Band" but what do I know? So I'll interrupt my learning pre-armistice songs to brush up some more general material. Got two other gigs: pre-repeal (1933) and Great Gatsby (1922). This is perfect for us. A Great Gatsby dinner cruise from Brockville to Rockport up the St. Lawrence River through the thousand Islands. Nice. We'll dress period and play early jazz and pre-jazz and have a simply delicious time. On the practise front, I've expanded our known pre-1919 repertoire from about three to fifty-some-odd. Some are still rough and we're both finding challenges getting the verses for some songs (the chorus is what everyone remembers but the verses matter, too). I have an iTunes playlist for "intense listening" that I have on when I'm doing housework or lying on the couch. Sometimes the listening becomes so intense that I fall asleep. And I have all the chosen songs typed out with chords and I go through them all on piano and sometimes singing, just running them through my brain and fingers and finding and working out problems and opportunities. As much as possible, I went for low-hanging fruit. Like Stephen Foster. And some odds and ends we already perform, like "Some of These Days" or "Danny Boy" or "When Father Papered the Parlour." Anything that might plausibly have been on somebody's setlist in 1919. In the process I've found us a bunch of truly great songs. More than we actually need for one gig, but songs that can stand up anywhere. It can be a lot of work sorting the nuggets from the gravel, but it does pay off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted May 17, 2014 Moderators Share Posted May 17, 2014 It's two months to gig time, give or take. Meanwhile, we've accumulated a restaurant gig or two. One's next Saturday. Di wants to include some newer "hipper" stuff. I'm unconvinced that "Love Potion Number Nine" is any hipper than "Alexander's Ragtime Band" but what do I know? I'll go out on the proverbial limb here and suggest that there are generally a lot fewer people around who remember 'Alexander's RTB', especially as a popular hit tune, compared to 'Love Potion #9'...as to what is hip?.. sorry...but how could I resist? but as to the concept...if you dislike LP#9, don't do it. I say this from personal experience, having had to learn it decades back in a band [that was already in turmoil], the singer wanted the song, I (as the arranger for the band) felt it didn't fit our playlist or our style...and when we finally performed it in front of an audience....crickets....dead crickets. The singer blamed the band for not putting the song across. I quit the band shortly thereafter. And I vowed to never again play songs I knew in my heart were not good for the band. As a soloist, I have no problem trying out different things [hence my ecelctic songlist], because worst case, there is no argument or finger pointing: if a song flops...it goes. BAM! And LP#9 is not in my songlist BTW, LP#9 never made it to #1 (it was a #3 for the Searchers), and to me the only plus to that son was it was a Lieber-Stoller tune....of which there are so many better examples. However, it has been covered by a diverse group of performers, from Dio to Herb Alpert...the Venture to the White Stripes...so... Maybe suggest 'This Diamond Ring' instead, from roughly the same era, but a bona fide #1...a much hipper alternative IMHO. Al Kooper co-wrote it and the music was performed by members of the Wrecking Crew [drummer: Hal Blaine, Bass: Carol Kaye, and Leon Russell played keyboards and arranged the music. The song was produced by Snuff Garrett. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted May 18, 2014 Author Members Share Posted May 18, 2014 nice song! Indeed, what IS hip? Especially now that no-one even remotely hip uses the word. I will say, though, that hip has nothing to do with record sales or whether people in bars are familiar with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted May 18, 2014 Author Members Share Posted May 18, 2014 but as to the concept...if you dislike LP#9, don't do it. Maybe suggest 'This Diamond Ring' instead, from roughly the same era, but a bona fide #1...a much hipper alternative IMHO. Al Kooper co-wrote it and the music was performed by members of the Wrecking Crew [drummer: Hal Blaine, Bass: Carol Kaye, and Leon Russell played keyboards and arranged the music. The song was produced by Snuff Garrett. Actually, I like LP#9 just fine. And we do a nice version, where I sing the guy part and Di plays the gypsy and it goes over well. If I actually disliked it, I'd decline to play it. But I'm trying to push my own agenda, which is for us to become known for early pop and jazz rather than the songs everybody else does. And every time we toss in LP#9 or some damned Ann Murray thing, it dilutes that image. I LOVE "This Diamond Ring" and have thought about learning it several times. But not for this band. A person could do it country. . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted May 18, 2014 Moderators Share Posted May 18, 2014 nice song! Indeed, what IS hip? Especially now that no-one even remotely hip uses the word. I will say, though, that hip has nothing to do with record sales or whether people in bars are familiar with it. ah, gotta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted May 18, 2014 Author Members Share Posted May 18, 2014 . . . and my favorite, 'Van Lingle Mungo'] What a cool and clever song! Never heard it before (and know nothing of baseball) but what a great example of making a song out of anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Voltan Posted May 19, 2014 Members Share Posted May 19, 2014 I'll add that I play mostly wineries and restaurants so using the iPad is normal. I wouldn't do a dozen new songs at any gig where I couldn't use charts. Back to the original premise...I am not going to master 12 new songs in two weeks, and I would likely turn down the opportunity to do so. I have tried to do the 'mass speed learn' thing when I first decided to go solo, and have found that a) I don't retain them well, and need to keep going back to the screen, and b) if I don't stay on top of those particular tunes, I 'lose' them quickly. i'd be more comfortable with half that number but there are lots of variables built into this one ... drums? djembe, tar, bohdran, no sweat, pick me up on the way to the gig, we dont need no stinkin' practice... guitar? i need to know what key youre in... chord structures are usually pretty predictable... ive been playing/learning music for 50 years and yes there is always a curve ball but for the most part if you pay attention, anticipate or read the other performers, pay attention, dont get too lit, pay attention, let go and create, blend in when you need to and shine when it's your turn, you can pretty much sit in cold and still make some semblance of art... ear is every bit as important as reading and both are necessary for a gigging musician to be in demand... YMMV... did i mention you really have to pay attention? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted May 19, 2014 Moderators Share Posted May 19, 2014 yes, you mentioned paying attention some in there ...but...again, as a SOLO...you have no one to pay attention to, no one to cover your late changes...in a duo or larger ensemble there is more leeway...as a soloist, you either do it, or you blew it. Both Blue Strat and I are playing guitar and singing...[he so much better than I]...and we both have 40+ years of experience and both agree that picking up 12 tunes in a few weeks, as a soloist, is pushing the envelope. Since I am still not using a tablet, I would have to have all the changes, riffs and lyrics, as well as vocal harmonizer settings memorized...that is a lot of work for an old man... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Voltan Posted May 19, 2014 Members Share Posted May 19, 2014 please see my " woke up this morning post " yesterday i muffed it three times, once in a major way but i recovered by sliding into another tune i was hearing in my head anyhow so even the two musicians sitting up front thought it was a planned arrangement... i needed to pick up about 10 tunes for this gig and had about a week and a half to put it together...i spent way too much time dl'ing onsong, loading up and learning the app to ultimately leave the thing in the car... there is leeway in solo too... change gears in the middle of a piece, tempo changes, superimpose one or several tunes upon another all without a care about if anyone is paying attention.. *coff*... example i do a finger picked version of 7 bridges road closer to steve youngs (writer) version and a couple of rough changes because "i play that one all the time, i need to work on one of the new ones" so i dropped the bottom out of the guitar and sold the voice and mustered up all the heart o i could give away and it was the second best response i got all night... oh yeah, i fired my imaginary saxophonist again... poor dumb bastard... and hey, lets be careful sling that "Old" idea around, mkay? love,V. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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