TopDog
Well-known member
This came up at one of our groups last meetings before Lockdown. I often start to play/sing a song from our group 'songbook' without reference to the songsheet. I know the song, I like the song and we have played it as a group, many, many times.
One of our group was astounded and asked 'How did you know that?' I pointed out all of the reasons I have given above. He was amazed that I 'knew' the song. I explained that as a younger man, like most folk, if I liked a song, I sang along to the record, and the song was lodged into my memory, lyrically; later, as I learned the chords, the whole thing was there in memory for me to access.
He asked how many of our 200 plus songs I could do this with; I replied in all honesty, that I had never counted, but certainly the majority of our songs, if not actually all of them.
The idea of playing/singing 'Off the book' really seemed to freak him out, as though I were doing something magical. I asked if he assumed that live performers always used a songsheet (aside from Classical players who of course, generally do!) He pondered this and decided that he could maybe play half a dozen songs 'from memory'.
I said that it was something most players could do, simply love a song and learn it for future use; he was still sceptical and I think he believes I have a pact with the Devil or something!
So offhand, am I right, that most of you can play a good number of your favourites 'off the book'? It's something I just take for granted!
One of our group was astounded and asked 'How did you know that?' I pointed out all of the reasons I have given above. He was amazed that I 'knew' the song. I explained that as a younger man, like most folk, if I liked a song, I sang along to the record, and the song was lodged into my memory, lyrically; later, as I learned the chords, the whole thing was there in memory for me to access.
He asked how many of our 200 plus songs I could do this with; I replied in all honesty, that I had never counted, but certainly the majority of our songs, if not actually all of them.
The idea of playing/singing 'Off the book' really seemed to freak him out, as though I were doing something magical. I asked if he assumed that live performers always used a songsheet (aside from Classical players who of course, generally do!) He pondered this and decided that he could maybe play half a dozen songs 'from memory'.
I said that it was something most players could do, simply love a song and learn it for future use; he was still sceptical and I think he believes I have a pact with the Devil or something!
So offhand, am I right, that most of you can play a good number of your favourites 'off the book'? It's something I just take for granted!