Members portnoyfan84 Posted July 26, 2006 Members Share Posted July 26, 2006 I have some problems with remembering songtempos . Sometimes I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tangman Posted July 26, 2006 Members Share Posted July 26, 2006 memorise the tempo? hum the groove in your head and count the quarter notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members portnoyfan84 Posted July 26, 2006 Author Members Share Posted July 26, 2006 Originally posted by tangman memorise the tempo? hum the groove in your head and count the quarter notes It`s the memorising that doesn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fastplant Posted July 26, 2006 Members Share Posted July 26, 2006 I kind of sing the song in my head for a few seconds while everyone is getting ready for the tune and get the tempo ready. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members portnoyfan84 Posted July 26, 2006 Author Members Share Posted July 26, 2006 Originally posted by fastplant I kind of sing the song in my head for a few seconds while everyone is getting ready for the tune and get the tempo ready. Ok that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kingnome Posted July 26, 2006 Members Share Posted July 26, 2006 Originally posted by portnoyfan84 It`s the memorising that doesn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fastplant Posted July 26, 2006 Members Share Posted July 26, 2006 Originally posted by Kingnome Get the bass player to click your sticks together.... 1,2,3,4. Actually, it's not a bad idea to have the guitarist or bassist count off a song if they are more familiar with the tempo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 47milesbarbwire Posted July 26, 2006 Members Share Posted July 26, 2006 Singing the song in my head for a few seconds has always worked for me... but if you're not comfortable counting off certain songs, don't be afraid to ask someone else. I hate it when someone counts off too fast or too slow and then you're stuck with that tempo for the whole song... so then does anybody know of an acceptable way to correct the tempo after the song has started? Change it immediately or gradually? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zeromus-X Posted July 26, 2006 Members Share Posted July 26, 2006 I still screw up the tempo of covers from time to time, since the band has to know so many and it's a genre of music (country/classic rock) that I really don't listen to. I try to pr actice the songs but there's usually 5-10 new ones per week, so if we have a few shows during that week, it really cuts down on that available time. It's usually pretty easy to cover up as long as the band realizes what you did and still comes in at the appropriate time (if I'm starting the song, I'll be counting off with the sticks... and if I count off quick, I'll get a glance from someone, guaranteed... and I'll slow down or speed up as I feel appropriate). If I'm way off, I'll just kick in at the speed I'm at, and do some kind of drum fill thing to slow it down to the right speed. For the originals band I'm in... just know your {censored}, no excuses there. If you don't know the tempo of the songs, you're obviously not practicing them enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FitchFY Posted July 26, 2006 Members Share Posted July 26, 2006 I have to agree with the above post; yeah, just know your tempos and get them right! In the past, when I was younger, I would think of a song I knew inside and out that had the same tempo and feel... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members portnoyfan84 Posted July 26, 2006 Author Members Share Posted July 26, 2006 The band I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Old Steve Posted July 26, 2006 Members Share Posted July 26, 2006 I usually just hum a few bars of the song in my head until I get it. Also, instead of trying to pick up the tempo from the start of the song, hum along to the most recognizeable hook in the song (i.e the chorus, etc.) as the most memorable parts will probably have left a deeper impression on you. Don't be afraid to let somebody else do it if you're totally stumped. Finally, I love my Rhythm Watch and use it fairly often. Instead of programming it, just let it run with the lights blinking (one battery should last a whole gig), keep the volume down so you just get the lights. Write down the tempo of every song on your set list, and just turn the big dial to get the right tempo between songs. Count along to the blinks for a couple measures, and you'll get the band rolling perfectly every time. If you just let the thing run without it making any noise, nobody will notice the tiny LED's blinking. Other advice: there's probably only a couple songs that are actually causing you problems, so just focus on those and the problem will probably disappear with practice. Also, if you don't have a metronome, but have a watch with a second hand, you can use this as a "rough" metronome to count off a song. One beat per second is 60bpm. Double that (two beats per second) is 120bpm, and three beats (triplets to the second hand) is 180bpm. With a little math, you can dial in almost any tempo. Need 90bpm? Follow the directions for 180bpm, and start tapping those out in alternate strokes. Then drop one of your hands, keeping the other one going....there's your 90bpm. A little creativity and subdividing can get you to ranges where you'll be in the ballpark for any tempo...at least enough so that nobody will notice a difference. Not always the easiest thing to do on the fly (at a gig) but if you're rehearsing and don't have a metronome handy, you can at least get things counted off close to the correct tempo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JSimms Posted July 26, 2006 Members Share Posted July 26, 2006 I am wondering if you are talking about a big difference in tempo or a little difference. If a song is supposed to be 120 bmp and you count it off and play it at like + or - 5 bpm or so, then no one is really going to notice, and these types of tempo variances are really no big deal. However, if the song is supposed to be 120 bpm and you count it off at 90, then you have a problem. In other words, don't sweat the small stuff. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zeromus-X Posted July 26, 2006 Members Share Posted July 26, 2006 Originally posted by portnoyfan84 I`ve had a conductor for many years so I guess that might have affected me slightly You know what 60bpm sounds like. Therefore, you know what 120bpm sounds like. Sit down with a metronome and write down the tempo of the songs that you do -- at least at the very beginning of the song, since once you start you're likely to pick it up no problem. When you write out the set list, write this number next to the song name. If you're sitting at a show, you might not know exactly how fast 92bpm is... but you know it's between 60 and 120. Worked perfect for me while learning our initial cover set; I had about a week and a half to learn a 4-hour set, and it saved me for the first few gigs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members portnoyfan84 Posted July 26, 2006 Author Members Share Posted July 26, 2006 Originally posted by JSimms I am wondering if you are talking about a big difference in tempo or a little difference. If a song is supposed to be 120 bmp and you count it off and play it at like + or - 5 bpm or so, then no one is really going to notice, and these types of tempo variances are really no big deal. However, if the song is supposed to be 120 bpm and you count it off at 90, then you have a problem. In other words, don't sweat the small stuff. Good luck. I don`t know exactly but I would think it`s like 10bmp wrong..... The guitarplayer always says " Yeah this song works BUT I think we played it a bit too fast" . I don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JSimms Posted July 26, 2006 Members Share Posted July 26, 2006 Originally posted by portnoyfan84 I don`t know exactly but I would think it`s like 10bmp wrong..... The guitarplayer always says " Yeah this song works BUT I think we played it a bit too fast" . I don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Old Steve Posted July 26, 2006 Members Share Posted July 26, 2006 The guitar player is complaining? Hmmm....maybe HE's the problem. Wouldn't be the first time a guitarist is rushing or dragging the beat. Two solutions: 1.) Record your next show...even if it's with a crappy tape recorder or camcorder. Then listen to the song in question and see if it's REALLY being played at the right or wrong tempo. 2.) Bring the Rhythm Watch to rehearsal and plug it in the PA. Then have the band agree to the actual tempo of the song. Then have everybody play the song along to the metronome at the agreed-to tempo. I've personally found that guitarists in particular are notoriously bad at keeping a consistent tempo throughout a song, especially if their parts are complicated. My guess is that it's quite likely that the guitarist is unconsciously changing tempo throughout the song, and that's the problem. If that IS the problem, then you can go in one of two directions (neither one is necessarily wrong). Either have the guitarist practice on his own with a metronome to even out his part, or agree as a band to speed up and slow down during specfic parts of a song. Bottom line, you need to clearly identify the problem before you can try to fix it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WillyRay Posted July 26, 2006 Members Share Posted July 26, 2006 Originally posted by portnoyfan84 I don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ArtVandelay Posted July 26, 2006 Members Share Posted July 26, 2006 In the big band era it was the bandleader who counted off the songs - the drummer would only do it if he was the bandleader although I imagine it's possible Tommy Dorsey would let Buddy do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members manoeuver Posted July 26, 2006 Members Share Posted July 26, 2006 Originally posted by Old Steve 2.) Bring the Rhythm Watch to rehearsal and plug it in the PA. Then have the band agree to the actual tempo of the song. Then have everybody play the song along to the metronome at the agreed-to tempo. This is a great tool for finding out who's doing the rushing, but use it sparingly! Run a problem tune maybe once with the click in the PA to get an idea of what's happening, then turn it off. A great way to work on your meter muscles is to use the click during rehearsals in headphones, not in the PA. It can be difficult if your band is used to surging and backing off tempos. You'll be forced to keep them in line. It's like powerlifting for your mind, seriously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members portnoyfan84 Posted July 26, 2006 Author Members Share Posted July 26, 2006 Ok. I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WillyRay Posted July 26, 2006 Members Share Posted July 26, 2006 Originally posted by portnoyfan84 BTW does it look weird to you americans when I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JSimms Posted July 26, 2006 Members Share Posted July 26, 2006 Originally posted by portnoyfan84 [...]JSimms I just want to do a good job WITHOUT the rhythm watch.....thats all. BTW does it look weird to you americans when I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members portnoyfan84 Posted July 26, 2006 Author Members Share Posted July 26, 2006 Originally posted by WillyRay In general, the quality of the written English on this forum is so poor that I didn't even notice . We've got plenty of five-year-olds around here, too. You're doin' fine. /willy haha thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members portnoyfan84 Posted July 26, 2006 Author Members Share Posted July 26, 2006 Originally posted by JSimms I see. So you see the rhytmn watch as kind of a crutch, and you don't want to be a cripple. Makes sense to me. As far as the English goes, I hadn't even noticed that it is not your first language. Yes I see the rhythm watch as a crutch I think it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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