Yeah, thanks. Getting closer. Intentional practicing is helping. Concentrating on the songs I know least. I probably won’t have them all completely memorized but I’ll be good to go with the lead sheet for guide.
2025 Market Goals
- Thread starter Tom
- Start date
I’ve got about 33 songs for my core 2025 repertoire. I can supplement with other songs if I decide to do more than 2 hours. I’ve arranged most of them. I’m organizing many into medleys of 2, generally in the same key.
I will probably arrange Reginella Campagnola to go with La Molisana. Even though one is from Abruzzo and the other Molise. No one will know because Molise may not actually exist. È davvero Ric?
I have about half memorized. I have others memorized I can throw in if I have to (Beer Barrel
). My plan is to get them all so I can play them clean from the sheets by May 1. Then 3 weeks to memorize. Using the “Gebrian” and the “C’est Jeff” methods:
Pick one song from the unknowns. Identify a part or phrase that is problematic. Learn it, and determine fingering. Play it slowly, then to speed, getting to 5 times in a row correctly. Then, take a break, on to another song. Keep the mind fresh while working on multiple, avoiding that situation where you’ve worked too long and you’re flailing mindlessly. We all know what that’s like.
Then, once the song is known, it can enter the “spaced repetition” to firm it in memory.
Then keep on going with learning new songs so I’m not playing the same old shirt every week. Oh yeah, I gotta make new promotional stuff and do a few other summer type gigs. When’s a guy gonna have time to learn the fun stuff like articulation, speed, free bass, singing, green screen, composing? Too much fun, not enough time!!!!!
Meanwhile, check out this awesome rainbow. It’s like a lens in the sky.
Regarding Italian music once again as I go through my repertoire. You know, everyone around here thinks you have to play Tarantella and Finiculi. I played both last year but I’m ditching ‘em! You know, they just don’t flow like a Yankovic polka. I think I’m gonna do Non c’è Pace tra gli Ulivi instead. You can say anything about neo realist films of the 50s. They have their historical place in history don’tcha know. Anyway, I think it’s a more interesting song than those other two. Some people think the tarantella is best left to the organetto anyway, I don’t know. You can find the original film on YouTube.
Here’s the always wonderful Noemi Gigante playing her beautiful white and yellow byMarco (rest his soul) and what is this red one? Is it an Excelsior?
Here’s the always wonderful Noemi Gigante playing her beautiful white and yellow byMarco (rest his soul) and what is this red one? Is it an Excelsior?
….and here’s the sheets if you get a hankering to check it out…
Almost to the end of April. Gebrian method is going well. It’s actually an exercise in self awareness. It’s harder than you think to commit to getting 5 in a row successfully. and to concentrate on this task for an hour. It’s interesting to see how the mind wanders off track. I’ve got 3 weeks left to polish/memorize all the songs. Setting most up in sets of two or three, in similar keys and feel. Drawn to picking up some old songs I played long ago because they are more in mind than adding new melodies. A few fiddle tunes like Cripple Creek, Old Joe, Arkansas Traveler, like that.
Thanks Giovanni!!!! It’s hard but I am motivated.
Omg this is a lot of work! I'm not like some of you out there that have hundredes of memorized songs. I organized my "core 2025 repertoire" of about 33 songs into sets of two, most of which I arranged. Playing sets gives less "dead time". Since I use the sheets as a guide, I have to keep the sets as two, geneerally same key/feel.. This will give me enough for two hours, I can stretch them or play other stuff too if I have to or want to play more. I've worked through all these, now I just have to memorize them all and work on smooth transitions. Then add and mix up so every week isn't the same. I guess you could really call it "folk/traditonal." Uptempo accordionistic stuff that people like to hear when they go on vacation out of the city. "My Grandma played accordian." Note it's "accordiAn." Use the "jazz sandwich" - tune, arpeggios, tune, solo, tune. A mix of Old Time, polkas, Italian, waltzes, jigs and reels, Stephen Foster, fiddle tunes etc., the only common factor being I like to play them:
Amore Mio non Piangere/Beautiful Dreamer
Angelina Baker/Old Joe Clark
Apples Peaches, Pumpkin Pie/Carnevale di Venezia
Arkansas Traveler/Turkey in the Straw
Ash Grove/Paul paa Haugen
Camptown Races/Little Brown Jug
Cindy/Yellow Rose of Texas
Cripple Creek/I'se the B'y
Jambalaya/Saints Go Marching
Julida Polka/Just Because
Kesh Jig/Swallowtail Jig
Piemontesina Bella/Serenata Aviglianese
Rose of San Antone/Red Wing Polka
Rosabella del Molise/Reginella Campagnola
St. Anne's Reel/Tavern in the Town
Southwind/Tennessee Waltz
You Are My Sunshine
Amore Mio non Piangere/Beautiful Dreamer
Angelina Baker/Old Joe Clark
Apples Peaches, Pumpkin Pie/Carnevale di Venezia
Arkansas Traveler/Turkey in the Straw
Ash Grove/Paul paa Haugen
Camptown Races/Little Brown Jug
Cindy/Yellow Rose of Texas
Cripple Creek/I'se the B'y
Jambalaya/Saints Go Marching
Julida Polka/Just Because
Kesh Jig/Swallowtail Jig
Piemontesina Bella/Serenata Aviglianese
Rose of San Antone/Red Wing Polka
Rosabella del Molise/Reginella Campagnola
St. Anne's Reel/Tavern in the Town
Southwind/Tennessee Waltz
You Are My Sunshine
Getting closer all the time! You will be ready in time and your clients will enjoy!
Thanks Jerry!!!! It’s going to be a good year!
Thanks John, Rosie. Jerry and everyone! I can’t sight read fast enough so that’s out. When I have the song memorized or nearly so then I can concentrate on expression, eye contact and improv, what I like to do.
I like the Ash Grove. It’s one of those songs my mother sang around the house when I was young. I really never knew it was from Wales. These songs are so deep in my head I like to play them. So sue me if the songs are too simple, it’s not the dots, it’s what you do with them. Camptown Races anyone? Hey, look at “So What,” basically two notes.
I like the Ash Grove. It’s one of those songs my mother sang around the house when I was young. I really never knew it was from Wales. These songs are so deep in my head I like to play them. So sue me if the songs are too simple, it’s not the dots, it’s what you do with them. Camptown Races anyone? Hey, look at “So What,” basically two notes.
Ventura
Been here for ages!
having your sets pre-decided and ready to go also frees you
from having to wonder what song to play next
and everyone has occasional brain freeze during a gig !
in combo's on typical 4 hour gigs, the leader "calls"
5 songs at a time so the band could just play for about
15 minutes without having to stop and think.. back in
the fake book #1 days that usually meant 3 dance tunes
1 fast swing 1 Latin tune, and the 3 dance tunes often as a
medley..
i had a "setlist" for awhile that i used when strolling the
Nursing Homes that was done a bit differently:
i used "Shine on Harvest Moon" as the framework, then played
another upbeat song then a few bars of Harvest Moon again
then another song then Harvest Moon again and i could easy go
on like that for an hour without pause.. the in between songs were
in a book i made for studio practice to "remind" me of all the
compatible tunes, and so i didn't need to carry a cheat sheet.
i think it worked so well because Harvest Moon was on
autopilot so i could think "what can i play next" or exchange a
few words with an inmate without the music ever stopping
using lists in whatever way works for you to keep your head
free for the interaction and improv etc. is just part of being a pro
from having to wonder what song to play next
and everyone has occasional brain freeze during a gig !
in combo's on typical 4 hour gigs, the leader "calls"
5 songs at a time so the band could just play for about
15 minutes without having to stop and think.. back in
the fake book #1 days that usually meant 3 dance tunes
1 fast swing 1 Latin tune, and the 3 dance tunes often as a
medley..
i had a "setlist" for awhile that i used when strolling the
Nursing Homes that was done a bit differently:
i used "Shine on Harvest Moon" as the framework, then played
another upbeat song then a few bars of Harvest Moon again
then another song then Harvest Moon again and i could easy go
on like that for an hour without pause.. the in between songs were
in a book i made for studio practice to "remind" me of all the
compatible tunes, and so i didn't need to carry a cheat sheet.
i think it worked so well because Harvest Moon was on
autopilot so i could think "what can i play next" or exchange a
few words with an inmate without the music ever stopping
using lists in whatever way works for you to keep your head
free for the interaction and improv etc. is just part of being a pro
Oh, that’s a cool idea, thanks Ventura. I like the book of sheets, but it would be nice to have say, Vanna White as my page turner. I can really see going digital with a foot switch if Vanna is too busy in Tuesdays. Plus a list of tunes on the side that I could hit to get to that page. Will I ever memorize enough to leave the book at home? It would be nice, but as John says, at a certain age….
Ventura
Been here for ages!
cheat sheets that replace the full "BOOK" can be
whatever gives you the trigger
we used to keep pocket-sized lists that were kind of like
Moon River G/C
moon over miami F/Bb
moon indigo Bb/Eb
left of the slash is the Key
right of the slash is the first chord
and expand on that if necessary with
Moon River G/C /G
moon over miami F/Bb /Bb
moon indigo Bb/Eb /G
the new thing is the actual first note of the song you put your finger on
so on an index card you can have like 20 lines of songs listed
like this and the idea is this info alone is enough to trigger
your memory for the rest of it
you can grab an intro chord on the left (same chord as the key)
put your finger on the actual first mote of the melody
switch to the first chord on the left
press and squeeze and (hopefully) the rest of it just comes to you
so after awhile you might be able to condense to this format or similar
whatever gives you the trigger
we used to keep pocket-sized lists that were kind of like
Moon River G/C
moon over miami F/Bb
moon indigo Bb/Eb
left of the slash is the Key
right of the slash is the first chord
and expand on that if necessary with
Moon River G/C /G
moon over miami F/Bb /Bb
moon indigo Bb/Eb /G
the new thing is the actual first note of the song you put your finger on
so on an index card you can have like 20 lines of songs listed
like this and the idea is this info alone is enough to trigger
your memory for the rest of it
you can grab an intro chord on the left (same chord as the key)
put your finger on the actual first mote of the melody
switch to the first chord on the left
press and squeeze and (hopefully) the rest of it just comes to you
so after awhile you might be able to condense to this format or similar
Yeah that seems like a really good idea. Could even do it on the phone. I have a nice flash cards app. I could put the symbols in like you have above, even a few measures of notes. Next song’s symbols come up randomly when you hit it.
Ventura
Been here for ages!
something came to mind today, and it seemed your thread would
be a good place to mention it.. hope you don't mind..
all of you who have begun to play gig's.. whether free
or paid, markets or nursing homes..
well, playing out is part of marketing yourself, because playing
Music is like giving samples out at Costco or Chik-Fil-e at the mall..
your music catches peoples ears.. then they look your way, maybe
stop for awhile.. you never know who will be within the reach of
your song..
so
it is important that you have an easy way for those that like
what you have to offer, what you do, to be able to find you
again easily.. and
if you havn't yet..
it is time for you (everyone) to craft a business card, order some from
NiftyPrint or Office Depot and keep them handy and available
everywhere always
a phone number used to be all we had to share, though decades ago
i also got a PostOffice box and added the snail-mail address..
eventually i added an e-mail since it was easy back then to get lots
of email accts, so i had an accordion@email.xxx for business use
many of you have YooToob or your own web-page to link to your
music and would be great to have that on a bizCard
maybe little pieces of cardboard and ink seem like relics of a
different era, much like a vinyl record, but maybe that would be
actually why they still have a good chance of working for you
here in the digital age.. if only ONE person then calls you for a gig,
that pays for the whole box of cards..
good luck to all of you getting out there in Public and
sharing your music
be a good place to mention it.. hope you don't mind..
all of you who have begun to play gig's.. whether free
or paid, markets or nursing homes..
well, playing out is part of marketing yourself, because playing
Music is like giving samples out at Costco or Chik-Fil-e at the mall..
your music catches peoples ears.. then they look your way, maybe
stop for awhile.. you never know who will be within the reach of
your song..
so
it is important that you have an easy way for those that like
what you have to offer, what you do, to be able to find you
again easily.. and
if you havn't yet..
it is time for you (everyone) to craft a business card, order some from
NiftyPrint or Office Depot and keep them handy and available
everywhere always
a phone number used to be all we had to share, though decades ago
i also got a PostOffice box and added the snail-mail address..
eventually i added an e-mail since it was easy back then to get lots
of email accts, so i had an accordion@email.xxx for business use
many of you have YooToob or your own web-page to link to your
music and would be great to have that on a bizCard
maybe little pieces of cardboard and ink seem like relics of a
different era, much like a vinyl record, but maybe that would be
actually why they still have a good chance of working for you
here in the digital age.. if only ONE person then calls you for a gig,
that pays for the whole box of cards..
good luck to all of you getting out there in Public and
sharing your music
So very true Ventura , I always have a few business cards with me in my wallet at all times ....on gigs I also have A5 leaflets to give out or put up at the venue notice board ..........you will be surprised who you bump into, people you have not seen for awhile they say do you still do gigs etc
yes i give them my card ........little things like cards and leaflets are not expensive , have good quality leaflets and cards ...take my word they work !!! always have your contact details , email , mobile phone number home phone number etc
on gigs you never know who is in the AUDIENCE !!! good luck and keep gigging !! keep music LIVE !!!
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