Tomorrow I need to learn 10-15 songs and be able to play them as I play them all the time. I’m not stressed about it because I have a system for learning.Learning songs is like learning anything - first principles.What is this song about? What is it supposed to do to the listener?How does this song fit into the big picture of the show? How do I contribute to this song? I have to answer those questions before I even touch the instrument. Then, I listen again and ask:What is the form of the song? Verse, chorus, verse? What can I recognize just by listening? Familiar chords? Familiar musical lines? Familiar sounds? What sounds different? Where will I need to focus my attention? What will stretch my skills?Then , I listen again and write.Write out the form.Write out the chords.Write out important notes.Then I learn and play my part.The framework I use helps me learn anything new - music or not. What is this business? How does it make money? How does I help this business generate revenue? How do I help its customers?… you get the picture.Preparing for a gig, for me, is like preparing for work and life. Start with first principles.Understand how things work.Learn and play my part.

Last modified on 2023-01-08