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Author Topic: Approach to playing new songs on the spot  (Read 5345 times)

Offline Jonnyboyprime

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Approach to playing new songs on the spot
« on: October 15, 2015, 01:53:43 PM »
I think I gave my background before but here it is again. I'm Pentecostal and often in our churches especially that people will just start singing a song the musicians may or may not know. Anybody been in this position? If so how did you respond?
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Offline mplsbender

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Re: Approach to playing new songs on the spot
« Reply #1 on: May 05, 2016, 02:19:47 AM »
 to me the answer is the question. try mp3 on shuffle and try playing new songs all the time. when i watch tv i emulate what ever the actor is saying when my wife talkes to me i play and emulate what she says on guitar .try playing to a singing preacher and try to emulate. So when someone jumps up and grabs a mike like a visitor and plays a song we dont know. i just play off the singer. and i think every one waits till the  head keyboardist and drummer get a good foundation before doing anything more.

Offline Prody

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Re: Approach to playing new songs on the spot
« Reply #2 on: May 24, 2016, 09:49:39 PM »
Good topic because I would like to learn how to do this as well.  I've been places where people would show up without all their band as ask for different musicians to sit in with them.  I try to avoid that because I can't seem to be able to find the key fast enough or the proper progression.  I've seen other musicians that can sit in with anybody and sound pretty good at it.....What ear training exercises can I try that might help out?

Offline funkStrat_97

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Re: Approach to playing new songs on the spot
« Reply #3 on: May 26, 2016, 01:51:39 PM »
I think that I can pretty much sit in on a moment's notice as long as we are dealing with more or less standard chord progressions.  As far as being able to find the key of the song, I don't really have any specific suggestions other than, play along with a lot of songs and develop your ear as you go.  The thing is, though, that it is probably not the most efficient way of doing this.  But once I'm in the key, I can hear my way through your basic chord changes...it's just a matter of order and timing.
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Offline mplsbender

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Re: Approach to playing new songs on the spot
« Reply #4 on: May 30, 2016, 12:49:18 AM »
 had a guitar teacher said keep trying to figure out the key your self. got fooled alot at first and thought 5th was key cuz 6 of seven notes correct turns out jazz folks do that  just play a 5th  up. so key of a you can get fooled into thinking  e is the correct key. found this out later that you can take the 5th and go a 5 th up again gives you b scale. so like am7 chord play a min pent then and 5th of 5th = b minor licks you just adding missing notes of a dorian  and tooss in the 5th up e min pent and its all good it  all comes out dorian mode i think?  I just play a couple of notes if note sounds bad your only 1 note away from from a good one and if you think you found that home key check your not just play a 5th up. song sweet home alamba on the o ther hand one of the three guitarist did play a 5 th up band laughed at him playing in the wrong  key but they ended up keeping his playing on the record in wrong key up 5th cuz mabe close to correct and gave maybe an edgier sound ?

Offline funkStrat_97

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Re: Approach to playing new songs on the spot
« Reply #5 on: May 31, 2016, 07:16:42 PM »
There are couple of things to keep in mind.  One is to beware of modal progressions.  This is one where the "I" chord is not the tonic. 

Another thing to keep in mind is that the bass is not always the root. 
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Offline jonesl78

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Re: Approach to playing new songs on the spot
« Reply #6 on: June 01, 2016, 09:07:28 PM »
try playing new songs all the time.

I agree with this statement.  Learn new songs. A good exercise is to simply turn on the radio and play along.
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