How Many Songs Does your Cover Band Know?

wow, I'm impressed with the memory you folks have. I play 1-2 times a month with only 1-2 practices and only about a week's notice on the songs for the gig and sometimes only a day notice on the songs or changes to songs. We get together a few days before to run through the songs and then perform live.
 
wow, I'm impressed with the memory you folks have. I play 1-2 times a month with only 1-2 practices and only about a week's notice on the songs for the gig and sometimes only a day notice on the songs or changes to songs. We get together a few days before to run through the songs and then perform live.
I am constantly playing a cat-and-mouse game to make sure I'm fresh on the songs we want to do for the next gig. It's work, for sure.
 
We have a set of about 45 or 50 ..... I know 30 or so ..... the bass player knows about 8 .... the keyboardist knows about 25 ..... the drummer usually doesn't know where the gig's at
 
The weird thing is, I can remember songs and zumba choreographies, but for the life I can't remember the names of people I meet, things my girlfriend said or just plain birthday dates. Anyone else like that?
 
The weird thing is, I can remember songs and zumba choreographies, but for the life I can't remember the names of people I meet, things my girlfriend said or just plain birthday dates. Anyone else like that?
Yes. I remember the car they drive or guitar they play but names of people and songs forget it.
 
I think most of us are like that. Selective Memory?

And what about this?: Ask me in which key is a song and I'll have to think. Say one, two, three, four... And the hand goes straight to the right place.
 
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In my opinion as a gigging band having 4 solid sets of tunes is way more important than cranking out new ones all the time. At my academy I coach weekend warrior bands and find them constantly adding songs yet mastering none. Using Ipads for lyrics and chords and whatnot.

Cover bands are entertainment, if you are buried in the IPad or don't really know the tunes, how is that entertaining?

Until that group of 4 sets is mastered, adding songs detracts from the whole. Once this is established it's much easier to rotate tunes in and out.
 
Going back to something you 'used to know' is always interesting. 80% comes back right away. Of the remaining 20%, you have to relearn half, and you discover that you never knew the other half correctly. :p
 
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I think it's also interesting to let songs rest for a few months. When you go back to them, they ask you for different things.

In an interview with Jimi Page, he said he used to absolutely stop playing guitar for a few months because it helped him to stop doing always the same and to make new things. And, above all, It helped to set "guitar vices" apart.

I think that's very true. Sometimes I go on holidays for one or two weeks and, when I go back to the guitar, it feels very fresh and I do different things.

Same with the band. I've found it's very healthy to stop rehearsals for two or three weeks once or twice a year.

A lot of energy and good things when we are back.
 
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