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how many songs in your repertoire?
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how many songs in your repertoire? |
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Subject: RE: how many songs in your repertoire? From: GUEST Date: 02 Sep 04 - 11:26 AM Stumbled into this forum, through a search on the net... I suffer from an affliction that most of you apparently have never had to deal with. I don't know if memorization and recall is a genetic thing - or a technique I was never made aware of or - at best unable to master on my own. Having read a number of the messages posted here - I have to say, you guys have impressed me, and rekindled my hope. Now, don't disappoint me. Help me discover how to memorize and recall the words to the songs I want to learn. The silly grin I have mastered when I forget the words does have entertainment value in that it seems to make people giggle. But it has never been able to give me any sense of accomplishment or satisfaction. ok ...your turn. What's your secret? And thanks for any responses. Tony |
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Subject: RE: how many songs in your repertoire? From: GUEST,MMario Date: 02 Sep 04 - 12:02 PM Tony - hope you stick around - there's a lot of discussion of 'CRS' (Can't remember For me the big thing is if I flub lyrics or forget a verse - just keep on going! in the immortal words of my theatre group motto 'Dare to Suck!" |
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Subject: RE: how many songs in your repertoire? From: Dani Date: 02 Sep 04 - 12:30 PM I've had that disease all my life. I learn a song, know it, sing it, then promptly forget I've ever heard it until someone else starts it! It's tunes I remember, from deep inside, but words must be written in front of me. That must be why I have a hard time singing 'to' people rather than 'with' people. So today I started a notebook. Thank for the inspiration! Dani |
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Subject: RE: how many songs in your repertoire? From: GUEST,MMario Date: 02 Sep 04 - 12:42 PM it seems I know a lot more songs then I actually sing - mainly because when it is time to sing I can't remember ANYT of the suckers... - but in the car - I can whip them off left and right. |
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Subject: RE: how many songs in your repertoire? From: dick greenhaus Date: 02 Sep 04 - 01:23 PM My songbook is rapidly approaching 10,000. And it's available to anyone that wants it. It's called The Digital Tradition. I think it would be nice if some of y'all would also share the contents of your own private collections with the rest of us. |
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Subject: RE: how many songs in your repertoire? From: PoppaGator Date: 02 Sep 04 - 02:19 PM When I was in school, I did well in subjects where I could figure out the answer on the spot (e.g., math), but was terrible at memorizing (poems, dates in history, etc.) When I finished school, I spent several years trying to become a professional singer, and eventually developed a repertoire of 200-300 songs, all of which I could almost *always* sing correctly and completely, with all the verses in the right order, etc. Plenty of my songs were short, simple and/or long-familiar, of course, but a good number of others were long and wordy (e.g., Dylan's "Just Like Tom Thumb Blues," "Like a Rolling Stone," etc.) My newfound ability to learn by rote must have been partly due to a better attitude -- doing something I enjoyed rather than being coerced to learn -- but *repetition* had to have been the key -- just doing a lot of singing, hours and hours every day, every song I knew over and over. Also, of course, I didn't learn all those songs at once, but gradually built up an ever-larger repertoire. I was working almost exclusively on streetcorners -- busking -- plus one or two evenings a week at "basket clubs," and I was putting in *long* hours. As soon as I felt completely confident that I had learned "x" number of songs, I couldn't wait to add a few more, just to avoid boring myself. I was more-or-less driven to become able to go for longer and longer periods of time without repeating myself. I would put in close to 12 hours (noon-midnight) some Saturdays, repeating only a few favorites. Even though I haven't done it myself for years (or, indeed, done much public performance at all), I still recommend streetsinging as an ideal way to develop one's skills as a singer, player, and performer. Once you get over the initial "stage" fright, it's a very low-pressure context in which to practice working in front of an "audience." If you forget a line or get some verses out of order, who will know or care? Just do it over again until you get it right! (Inasmuch as I even *have* a current repertoire, it's still heavily skewed towards 60s/70s hippie culture, and consists of no more than half the numbers I once had at my fingertips, plus a very few additions since 1973.) |
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Subject: RE: how many songs in your repertoire? From: Bert Date: 02 Sep 04 - 02:25 PM You rotten sod Dick! *GRIN* You probably sing most of that damned things too. |
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Subject: RE: how many songs in your repertoire? From: dick greenhaus Date: 02 Sep 04 - 05:51 PM Words faileth. As does memory. |
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Subject: RE: how many songs in your repertoire? From: Ebbie Date: 02 Sep 04 - 09:52 PM Tony, I tend to memorize any particular song by context. (The most difficult type for me to learn is the kind of song where any one of the verses can be plugged in at any spot. But that type is not typical.) The first verse presents the introductory idea- that's an easy one because it tells you what the song is about. Many songs develop their themes line by line. Memorize the very first line and when you sing it, "read along" in your mind's eye. See how it develops in the next several lines. The chorus often repeats the essence of the theme, and it's often lively or perhaps mournful or just fun. In any case, it's an interesting four (or whatever) lines. Then go to the second verse. The first line will often let you know in which direction the song is going. Read the next lines as though they were telling a story. Because they are. Rhymes help tremendously in memorizing and most songs use rhymes a lot. Notice how many lines rhyme at the end- sometimes first and third lines or second and fourth lines or sometimes all four lines. Or sometimes they have internal rhymes instead of or in addition. For example: "Beneath the light of a bright starry night Sat a lonely little Indian maid "No lover's sweet serenade has ever won me" As in a dream, it would seem, down the stream Gaily paddling his tiny canoe A chieftain longing to woo sang her this song:" Or they may have no rhymes at all or very few or just rhyme vowel sounds and be pretty hit or miss about it. Take 'You Are My Sunshine". (Incidentally many people think of it as a happy song but if you read the words, you'll see that it is not. First verse The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping I dreamt I held you in my arms When I awoke, dear, I was mistaken And I held my head and cried. (Some sing "I was peeping through the bars." Wrong song imo.) Chorus: You are my sunshine, my only sunshine You make me happy when skies are grey You'll never know, dear, how much I love you Please don't take my sunshine away Second Verse: I'l always love you and make you happy If you will only do the same But if you leave me to love another You'll regret it all some day Third Verse You told me once, dear, you'd always love me And no one else could come between But now you've left me to love another You have shattered all my dreams. That is basically the process I use. Hope I haven't used a bludgeon when a teaspoon would do! Ebbie |
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Subject: RE: how many songs in your repertoire? From: Cluin Date: 02 Sep 04 - 11:48 PM You mean the ones I already know cold, or the ones I don't know I know yet? Seems like every night we try 1 or 2 new ones that are requested and we've never done before. We give `em a shot anyway and never had an audience react badly to our attempts yet. Sometimes they even sound pretty damn good first time out and we end up rolling them into our regular sets. |
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Subject: RE: how many songs in your repertoire? From: Cluin Date: 02 Sep 04 - 11:50 PM Oh, and as far as ones I've figured out and done before at one time or another, I have several big binders full, plus many in my cranium. Tons of 2 and 3 chorders especially. |
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Subject: RE: how many songs in your repertoire? From: Shimbo Darktree Date: 03 Sep 04 - 11:39 AM I'm on Hamish's side. I was out of the folk movement for around 30 years, so I have only had about 10 years plus childhood active. Yet I can sing hundreds of songs if I have the words in front of me. Not remarkable, when you consider a competent chorister can sing anything at all, provided the words and music are available. Memorised for instant performance? Probably less than 100, and I find my memory lets me down these days on songs I thought I would never forget (and I haven't hit 60 yet ... quite). Also, my guitar work is best described as "basic" (and that by folk who are being kind) which means I don't have to remember intricate accompaniments. So I am also envious of those who can sing hundreds of songs from memory. Maybe I should put in a bigger effort at learning? Nah ... bad idea! Shimbo |
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Subject: RE: how many songs in your repertoire? From: GUEST,Russ Date: 03 Sep 04 - 12:16 PM Two. The one I can always remember and the one I can never remember. |
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Subject: RE: how many songs in your repertoire? From: dick greenhaus Date: 03 Sep 04 - 01:10 PM "..Soaring from Earth like a fly in molasses Take to the skies like a slug on the wing; Seen only dimly through mists as time passes Where are the words I am trying to sing? Almost remembered. Almost remembered. Almost remembered from what I have sung.. La da di da di di da di di da da Almost remembered from what I have sung." |
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Subject: RE: how many songs in your repertoire? From: GUEST,Crystal Date: 03 Sep 04 - 05:45 PM Erm... 46 which I have been able to pin down on paper. at least another 50 which I havn't either due to lazyness or not knowing/remembering all the words (or indeed the tune)! |
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Subject: RE: how many songs in your repertoire? From: jack halyard Date: 04 Sep 04 - 08:35 AM After verse one comes that miserable feeling, I grit my teeth and I look to the ground, I mutter "Shit" and look up to the ceiling, It's odd that in neither place words can be found. Only remembered, only remembered, Only recalled when the crowd has all gone, This ballad only has 96 verses, Only remembered, the chorus and one. Who'll sing the anthem from start to conclusion, Who will advance old Australia fair, Memory for me is a wispy illusion, I grasp for words, but the buggers ain't there. Oh Jack Halyard seems to know about 500 songs, and seems to be able to recall lines from ones he didn't know he knew, which makes him a pain in the butt at sessions, since he tends to help people out who are looking dazedly at the ceiling. This is not always a desired outcome for the memory challenged. |
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Subject: RE: how many songs in your repertoire? From: Eric the Streetsinger Date: 11 Sep 04 - 11:02 AM I don't know the actual number- but as a street singer I play an average of 8 hours a day- a few years ago a friend of mine challenged me to play a full 40 hour week without repeating a single song, and I did it with many songs to spare! I think the count is around 1000 (in easy access memory) and another 500 or so that I can dredge up, if I have a half hour to think about it! |
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Subject: RE: how many songs in your repertoire? From: Clinton Hammond Date: 11 Sep 04 - 11:17 AM "how many songs in your repertoire?" Too many... if that's possible... There's not a gig that goes by where I can play everthing I want to... not even the St Pats day marathons are long enough for me to get it all in... I always think of something (usually a LIST of somethings) in the car on the way home that I meant to play but didn't get to... |
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Subject: RE: how many songs in your repertoire? From: Keith A of Hertford Date: 11 Sep 04 - 12:06 PM I used often to struggle to think of a song to do, and would overdo some, so a couple of years ago I made a list of songs. It took a while before I stopped thinking of more to add. I have about 200. |
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Subject: RE: how many songs in your repertoire? From: GUEST,Mike, Halifax UK Date: 11 Sep 04 - 01:35 PM Oh dear.... why not discuss quality not quantity |
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Subject: RE: how many songs in your repertoire? From: Clinton Hammond Date: 11 Sep 04 - 04:55 PM Aren't you capable of both Mike? |
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Subject: RE: how many songs in your repertoire? From: GUEST,Anne Croucher Date: 11 Sep 04 - 06:03 PM Well I only asked. By songs I sing I was meaning the ones I can do well enough to leave on my cassettes when I am checking up on what I sound like. I find that the humble cassette is a great help in getting a song to sound right when acompanied. I gave up recording songs I sing without the guitar as it seems they always work, but with the guitar they require a bit of tweeking to atain the level of perfection I require. One of these years I must get suitable equipment and go digital. Having found casettes from a few years ago which are all gone strange - and recordings on casettes from commercial sources which now sound really dreadful after a few decades - they really don't make things to last - so digital is the only option. Anyway - cassetttes will probably be obsolete in my lifetime. My DH brought home one of those little memory plug ins - about the size of a dufflecoat toggle. Amazing. Wish I could interface. Anne |
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