Gig Talk: Is there musical 'ADD'?

Subject: Gig Talk: Is there musical 'ADD'?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 24 Aug 05 - 06:09 PM

So... I carry around a LONG list of song titles to put in front of me when I'm at my gigs... a bit of a mental goose when I hit that "O.k.... Now what" point in the night... (acutally, 9 times outa 10, when that happnes Ijust aks the audience, "O.k... now what?" heh That way it's THEIR fault, not mine!)

So the new three piece has a private party to play on Saturday, and to try to avoid that, I thought I sit the list down and thin it out... 4 hours... 3 sets... about 40 songs or so, just to be on the safe side...   Well, the "Thinned" list is 130 songs long (down from 170-80 or so) and I can think off the top of my head of 5 or 10 that the other 2 in the band are gonna wannna add to it...

Should we pull 'em outa a hat maybe? LOL

Am I not ruthless enough? (ME!?!?! Not Ruthless ENOUGH!?!?! HA!)

Subject: RE: Gig Talk: Is there musical 'ADD'?
From: Ebbie
Date: 24 Aug 05 - 06:13 PM

Someday, Clinton, I want to get to one of your gigs. I hear you are good (in a musical sense *G*) and your persona should be most interesting. I know you sometimes play in the US. Do you ever come to Alaska?

Subject: RE: Gig Talk: Is there musical 'ADD'?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 24 Aug 05 - 06:16 PM

Why oh why would you EVER want to do that to yourself Eb? Unless it's a pennance sorta thing...

"Alaska"

A HELL of a drive from Windsor Ontario...   But if you wanna pay for gas, I'll play anywhere! :-)

"persona"?
I yam what I yam... ug-ug-ug-ug... heh

Subject: RE: Gig Talk: Is there musical 'ADD'?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 24 Aug 05 - 06:35 PM

I would think that you'd have to use a completely different approach to "memory aids" and "set lists" for a small group than you would for yourself as a solo act.

It's all well and good for you to have that way-too-long list when working alone. We all have our own mental "shorthand" and each of us knows the short reminders that will jolt our memories, helping to bring back entire arrangements and full sets of lyrics.

The same approach couldn't possibly work for a trio. Even though you might be old friends who share similar backgrounds and memories, you have three separate minds. Even if you seem to experience mental telepathy on some level when you're playing, you really can't read each other's minds when you're trying to figure out what to play next.

Why not restrict your set list, or "reminder" list, to songs that you've actually rehearsed together ~ recently!

Subject: RE: Gig Talk: Is there musical 'ADD'?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 24 Aug 05 - 06:44 PM

"you have three separate minds"

I'm not totally convinced we even have ONE between us!

Subject: RE: Gig Talk: Is there musical 'ADD'?
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 24 Aug 05 - 06:45 PM

Post your list of 130 Mr. C
Curious to see
A no doubt someone here
will find many they don't want to hear
And help you along the shorter route.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Gig Talk: Is there musical 'ADD'?
From: Ebbie
Date: 24 Aug 05 - 06:59 PM

Well, Clinton, you're right. You see, it's like this: I haven't done penance yet for a LOT of things in the past, and I figure if I come to see you most of that will be wiped off the record... :)

As for it being a longish drive, I was in Windsor just last winter and I got home without strain. 'Course, I was on the train.

Seriously, if I get over to the east coast again, I'll be checking out your gig schedule.

Subject: RE: Gig Talk: Is there musical 'ADD'?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 24 Aug 05 - 09:18 PM

"no doubt someone here will find many they don't want to hear"

Then they better not come to any of my shows....

Subject: RE: Gig Talk: Is there musical 'ADD'?
From: Cluin
Date: 24 Aug 05 - 09:27 PM

You know how to do a set list, man.

Pick your first and your last for each set. Then fill the in betweens, getting a good mix of tempos, keys, instruments, traded leads. And an acapella a set is a good attention-getter (keep those fairly short and upbeat).

Subject: RE: Gig Talk: Is there musical 'ADD'?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 24 Aug 05 - 10:00 PM

Ya... we're not actually making a set list...   I got away from that whole idea whe I started playing regular... MUCH better to have just the reminder list... that way you can ebb and flow with the crowd (or lead them to ebb and flow...)

I know you know what I mean!

:-)

Subject: RE: Gig Talk: Is there musical 'ADD'?
From: Cluin
Date: 24 Aug 05 - 10:31 PM

Oh, I know. We never ever plan that last set at all. We just call it "Fudgin' for 40".

Subject: RE: Gig Talk: Is there musical 'ADD'?
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Aug 05 - 10:36 PM

Always knew you were gut-less

Steal Steel

nylon

who's to guess.

Subject: RE: Gig Talk: Is there musical 'ADD'?
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 24 Aug 05 - 10:40 PM

Holy - F*&^ing - Sh*&$ - M007873

Now I know why MAX suggested we be in the same set in Deleware!

I'm going to go back.... and reform my ways!!!!

Jumpin Jehosephat!

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

I know of a self-proclaimed Morris Dancer that is looking for a partner of your type.

Subject: RE: Gig Talk: Is there musical 'ADD'?
From: M.Ted
Date: 25 Aug 05 - 01:11 AM

My idea is to forget the trouble of making up a list and have the audience write requests on little pieces of paper and put them in the hat--just keep pulling em out til you find one you want to play.
Then chew the other ones up for spitwads--

Subject: RE: Gig Talk: Is there musical 'ADD'?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 25 Aug 05 - 10:41 AM

My audiences write their requests on the backs of 10 and 20 dollar bills...

:-P
heh

Subject: RE: Gig Talk: Is there musical 'ADD'?
From: Bill D
Date: 25 Aug 05 - 11:23 AM

...so you WILL play "Fox on the Run"?

Subject: RE: Gig Talk: Is there musical 'ADD'?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 25 Aug 05 - 12:56 PM

Nope... but you're welcome to request it...

(If I knew it, I'd play it for ya... if I sorta knew it, I'd happily fake it for ya... I simply don't know it at all...)

So, sat down with 'The Kids' last night to further thin... we knocked 20 or so off, on the grounds that the fiddler didn't even know them (some she'd never even heard...) Then they rounded on me, and started listing stuff that was MISSING from the list...   so at this point, we have enough material for 3 full shows (figuring 40 songs in a 'show'... which is -way- generous)

So, I guess better too much material than not enough... But it leaves me to wonder if one 'should' be more... ummm... focused than this...

Subject: RE: Gig Talk: Is there musical 'ADD'?
From: Cluin
Date: 25 Aug 05 - 01:06 PM

"But it leaves me to wonder if one 'should' be more... ummm... focused than this... "


Not till after your first CD.

Subject: RE: Gig Talk: Is there musical 'ADD'?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 25 Aug 05 - 01:19 PM

First solo CD?

Cause I've been on 3 or 4 now....

Subject: RE: Gig Talk: Is there musical 'ADD'?
From: Cluin
Date: 25 Aug 05 - 01:29 PM

No, with the group you are doing the show in question with.

Subject: RE: Gig Talk: Is there musical 'ADD'?
From: Cluin
Date: 25 Aug 05 - 01:32 PM

See how I dangled my preposition there? See how I trust you?

Subject: RE: Gig Talk: Is there musical 'ADD'?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 25 Aug 05 - 01:35 PM

Ahhh... well, hopefully THAT'LL happen too...

The CD I mean, not the dangling...

Subject: RE: Gig Talk: Is there musical 'ADD'?
From: M.Ted
Date: 26 Aug 05 - 12:08 AM

My other theory (not smart-assed, this time) is that a band can never know too many tunes--I have painful memories of gigs where the crowd wanted more of a certain type of thing and the band didn't know anymore--and then, I've had friends whose bands played exactly the same songs in the same order for every show(not me, though, I get bored real easily)--three full shows seems like a comfortable start--