How many songs do you know?

strost

strost

Oct 2, 2008
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Madison, WI
#1
Not sure this is the right thread for this...

Just wondering, for those in bands (especially cover bands), how many songs do you "know" and how many have you "played".

By "know", I mean, if someone shouts it out, you got it right away. By "played" I mean you've played it before (in a band) but might have to check it out before playing it again.

I just made a list (probably not complete). I "know" around 90 and have played another 120. It's not bad but I'm sure some of you can put me to shame.

Thanks for playing!
 
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#4
Absolutely no idea. I stopped counting when bands started getting busy. I just play. Sometimes I pull up my practice playlist from a defunct band to see if I can still play the tunes from it, and it can be hit-or-miss. And there are a lot I remember 3/4 or 9/10 of, but I would want a rehearsal to freshen up before we did it live.
 
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#5
So Anyway, you probably know and can play a lot more than that.

I occasionally work for a Willie Nelson impersonator who knows 250+ songs that WN has recorded. I have to play all of them and on any given night he'll pull out several I've never played/heard before. I can also play most of the 60's radio hits I listened to as a kid, and all the 50's rockabilly. If I don't know it on the first pass, I'll get it the second time through.

Wait until you've been gigging for 50 years. You'll be able to play hundreds of songs and probably look forward to getting a request that you've never played.
 
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#7
Thousands: Just about any punk song, bossa nova or swing tune, I can drop a bassline in. The faster the easier and better. It's the stuff like, "Forget Me Nots" and weird, technical stuff, I will never play...it's just not fun and it don't swing.

I do variations of heavy duty fret hand stretches on this one, but its not technical, just fun, but a little fatiguing. Its a bonafide workout. I can play any bossa, immediately, after doing it for 20+ years.
 
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#8
If you're in a steady band all you really need to know is the playlist for that band, right?

If you're freelancing obviously you need to know more but what if a particular band plays a song differently than what you know? What if they play their songs in different keys than what you know? Are you able to transpose on the fly?
 
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#12
gidbass said:
Less than I've forgotten thats for sure... ;)
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This is a good answer. I tried to create a list of songs I have played and was surprised how small the number was. I listed those songs under each band name and the list quadrupled with ease.

The reality is that it is very easy to forget songs you didn't really like or songs from bands that didn't work out, which doubles the list again.

Most songs don't suit you, your playing or your taste, but once you identify what you really like to play, that becomes a list you really enjoy practicing with.

My practice list is about 12 hours long.
 
#14
KenD said:
If you're in a steady band all you really need to know is the playlist for that band, right?

If you're freelancing obviously you need to know more but what if a particular band plays a song differently than what you know? What if they play their songs in different keys than what you know? Are you able to transpose on the fly?
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Oh man, it's so much more than just transposing. Different arrangements, tempos, bands not learning the signature lick the right way, or doing their "own version" which is totally wrong but you have to play it their way...

Hell, go see 20 blues bands and you will hear a half dozen different places to put the breaks in Pride and Joy.

Freelancing isn't just about knowing thousands of songs, and the structure to countless more that you can fake, but being adaptable, thinking on your feet, and playing what is needed in that moment regardless of the context outside of the gig.

I freelanced for decades, my last working band probably had about 300 songs in rotation, but working as a sub I was prepared for just about anything.
 
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#16
I've forgotten WAY more songs than I currently know off the top of my head. I've tried to play some songs from my previous band (been away for a few years) and was surprised at what I did remember and equally surprised by what I've forgotten. There was one I couldn't remember the middle section at all.

I know I could get it back quick with a lil studying, so I feel pretty good about that. Definitely couldn't play the setlist tonight tho.
 
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#18
I can play about 500 pretty well. I don’t know that many at a time. Less than a hundred.
I can play another bajillion passably thanks to ultimate guitar and so on. Sometimes we do live karaoke, and that works well enough 99% of the time.
 
#19
No idea... you can get called to play anything you've heard but of course you do get the veto on it to avoid a wreck.

This came up last night when talking about a sub...and around here, I just dont know enough guys who can do it.... to a level you could recommend.
 
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