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RE: So your a street musician huh?

FarKurnell — Mon, 05 May 2008 00:29:01 GMT

[quote][b]Olimpass (5/2/2008)[/b][hr]That's a great system you have. Is it possible you could post a sample of say a simple popular tune of what the sheet may look like? Obviously you're experienced in this matter and I think seeing one would help me understand it better. I know you've explained it and each song may be different as far as its structure, speed, intro,verses,chorous...etc. It would be really informative and educational.[/quote]

Yep, can do. I'm at work right now so will need to get one out at home and maybe scan it and upload it. I print the basic page out from Word and then simply write on it by hand during practice. I am lazy enough to not go back and type it up neatly but it works for me. :rolleyes:

It's similar to Fugga's system but just some more columns across the page.

RE: So your a street musician huh?

Amrawco — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:01:11 GMT

Hmm, very interesting ideas here. What was the 1/8 F.D.?. I had my notes on the floor to my left with a flashlight over them. It was irritating for me to have to look at them during the tune but they were a crutch. We have horn players in the band that STILL need charts after years of doing tunes. I had to write out my own version of rests and half rests not knowing how to write them correctly. Youve got a clean system there fugga.

RE: So your a street musician huh?

fugga_dugga — Sat, 03 May 2008 06:35:52 GMT

Hey guys!!! Great topic!

I ran into this exact problem almost a year ago. I had been inacive for a long long time! Then a local band that was very popular approached me and I said yes. Problem was, we had about two weeks to learn a crapload of songs and be ready to perform them in front of 10,000! SO, I created the below system. It works for me... What I do for tempo is, you can see the BPM at the top? I bought a beat bug/tempo ref. I tape a lead from the bug to my snare. Every time I hit the snare, it displays the BPM so it makes it REAL easy to play at the exact tempo.

Enjoy fellers!

RE: So your a street musician huh?

FarKurnell — Thu, 01 May 2008 20:58:52 GMT

I use a single sheet with a table on it for each song to write out what I need to do. For example down the left hand side I write the basic structure (one row per section) such as intro, verse1, verse2, chorus, verse3, bridge, chorus, etc.

In the columns to the right of these I put specific notes about what I need to do, e.g. half-time feel, cross-stick, even a bar or two of notation to show the type of rhythm I need to play. And so on for each section of the song. This can be as detailed as you need it.

If I am starting the song I'll also write notes at the top such as speed (bpm), the count-in (e.g. 1&a 2&a 1-2-3-4), type of fill if that's how it starts, etc.

I have a small BOSS metronome which I set to flash to give me the bpm for the first song and have been thinking about getting one of those TAMA ones where you can program the bpm for every song in the set and then just hit a "next" button as you progress through the set.

The hard thing can be putting this where you can see it. I prefer a music stand but sometimes that is not always possible in which case I prop it on the kick in front of me. If two songs are run end-to-end then I have to have both sheets visible and begin thinking about the next song before I've finished the first. And if the lights are dim it can be difficult to read so it can't be too small.

RE: So your a street musician huh?

ET — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 14:55:29 GMT

Seeing posts such as this one makes me realize how easy I have it. I play weekly at my church and I never have to count off any song at all. The worship leader always starts us off and we all join in after a bar or two. The only bad thing is I have no idea what songs we are playing until I actually show up at church that very morning. We don't have a practice time during the week except on rare occasions. So, if there is a tough song that is unfamiliar with odd times in it or something, I have to figure it out during our Sunday pre-service practice and be ready for it by service time.

RE: So your a street musician huh?

Amrawco — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:16:04 GMT

Oly, yes, i did play it out quite a few times to be honest and the rest of the band did get together a couple times but i was rehearsing these tunes to instrumental rehearsals!. The best i could do was make out a verse chorus bridge sheet to each tune with side notes as to rim clicks during a verse, snare chorus and note any breaks, rests etc. When you dont know what your doing your notes can mean something different the next day unless you remember whole rests, half rests, etc. There were alot of instro intros and it was a bi*ch! as to thee correct count off such as would it be 1-2-1.2 or 1234 1.2 or 12341 bup ba ba into the tune.

Ive been playing awhile and have NEVER had any difficulty with tune count offs in my life!. THEN, the set list was changed at the gig! with a tune ommitted so my little notes had to all be rearranged. The gig actually went off well but i was nrevous as hell!. Studio musician im NOT!!.

So your a street musician huh?

Amrawco — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 13:56:27 GMT

I dont have two years of Berkley under my belt, no teachers have mentored me etc. I grew up on the street of hard knocks musically. Simple question here, youve got two weeks to learn 20 tunes and your on stage doing them. OK, its not Steve Vais band nor is it replacing Vinnie for a Jeff Beck tour. The tunes are simple enough but breaks and instrument intros are scattered throughout the list. My plan was the only one i had and that was intense listening and complete memorization for the most part.

Not knowing even basic reading became my personal hell during this period. The gig is tonight and ive felt like ive taken a postal exam each day for two weeks. How do YOU write things out if under this situation. Thanks for some company in my misery.