Not learning songs! Grr....

First off, I'm very lucky to play with a professional musician. He does all the singing, so I just get up and play rhythm with him.

I started out with 4 songs and have worked my way up to 12. I know allot more songs than this but we don't have time to get together. The only time we really have is maybe 5 to 10 minutes before he starts playing. So I work on the songs myself and if I have questions I'll call him or ask him before he plays. Before I start practicing a song I make sure I have the chords right and if I need to CAPO. Usually, I already know from watching him play. “Paint it Black” was one, before I started practicing it he reminded me that the 4'th verse is a single strum for the first 2 lines.

He has given me a set of CD's of all the songs he knows. So, I always use these in practice. The hardest part is when a song goes into a solo with no verbal queue. That's usually when I have to ask him what to do or how to work it out. If it's not on the CD's I'll go buy the music because he plays it almost exactly (not always though) as the recording. “Saving Grace” was one, a new Tom Petty album (“Highway Companion”).

So I approach it this way:
1. Hopefully I have a correct TAB, and will play with the recording.
2. I always practice the way I'm going to play. For instance, I have a barstool that I always bring with me and play (and practice) on that. I have practiced standing up but I have a problem with the guitar bouncing. Hopefully I'll get past this, because the day will come when I'll need to do this. Since he sits on a bar stool I thinks it's OK if I do the same. If he's standing, I should be playing the same way.
3. I keep practicing with the TAB until I get through the song two or 3 times with no mistakes.
4. Then, I practice without the tab and play with the recording. If I get through the song 2 or 3 times clean then I play it with him.

Having said all this, do I make mistakes playing live, YES, all the time, but nobody notices! Heck, most people aren't paying attention anyway. I can say there have been 2 times where I got through the hole set without any mistakes, That's the COOL part!

Also, when I play with him we don't always use the same strumming patterns but we play in “RHYTHM”. “Knocking on Heaven's Door” and “Margaritaville” are 2 that come to mind. As long as the rhythm is the same nobody notices. Most of the other songs are the same strumming patterns.

There are other little things that we work out, for “ticket to ride” he plays the RIFF twice then I come in with the rhythm. “Nowhere Man” he plays the riff and I just play over it. “Melt with you” when he plays the RIFF I do nothing. And, “Melt with you' is basically C and F and people love it!

I wish I could sing! That would really help him out, if he plays 3 hours Wednesday, Thursday and Friday his voice really starts going. I thing my voice is OK I just can't stay in key?

It's just so much fun! It's fun when I think I nailed a song when we play it! Again, if I can do it anybody can! In the beginning I was really weak with the BARRE chords so I played the easy songs. I'm still a little weak with the A shape chords but once I get that (soon) then it will open up a whole new set of songs – I can't wait!

Bob Jessie

Margaritaville
Knockin on Heaven's Door
Nowhere man (capo 2)
Ticket to ride
In the middle (F Barre)
Melt with you
Browned eye girl
No Reply (capo 2)
Paint it Black
Photograph
Mr Tambourine Man
Saving Grace