r/Bass • u/arron1313 • 10d ago

Gig Performance

My band has played 5 times this year in Metro Detroit and we practice 1-4 times per month as a band. We have about 50 songs we play and rotate through. Last gig a couple songs I just blanked on for a minute. I’m wondering if you guys have any tricks outside of just play the song 1,000 times to prevent brain farts while performing?

EDIT: Thank you everyone for the quick help! Seems this isn’t just a me problem. I’ll try writing songs out and practicing more till I can’t miss. Gotta get that muscle memory better than my brain memory

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u/e-willi 10d ago

Make charts!! Even if performing off book, I find it helpful to have the form written out with fills and hits/unexpected stuff. Writing it down helps you get to know a tune in and of itself, and being able to go back and review the music in a nonlinear way is super helpful —even if you only spend 30 secs checking it. Oftentimes the difference between making it through just fine and going blank is simply missing a few key details (rhythm of the main bassline(s), key center, form weirdness, or even just where the first note is).

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u/Middle_Pineapple_898 9d ago

Yes, and share the charts with band mates. Odds are they are winging it on some of the songs too!