Play A Song 100 Times?

[TheRedMageGuitarist]

Hey everyone! I was just curious if any of you have heard of the "play a song 100 times to get it performance ready" idea. I have found it really helpful that instead of bouncing around from song to song, and trying to learn 10 songs at once, I focus on one song, learn it, and play it 100 times before I move on to the next one. It's really allowed me to calm myself down, feel the beat of the song, truly sit in it and get comfortable, and improve my technique.

For example, I'm learning Enter Sandman right now, and I played it pretty well about 15 times, but it wasn't until the 22nd time that I was like "Wait, I HEAR something now I'm leaving out! I'm gonna go back, delve into it, and learn it!"

Right now I'm working it up to 50 times sitting down, and then I'm gonna play it 50 times standing up.

Have you tried this before? It really has helped me not have to think about the song, and my muscles know what to do automatically, and I also don't have to worry about how long I've actually practiced it.

PS: I'm making molasses cookies for @megalizzie 's performance tonight.

 

[Ed Seith]

I've never heard specifically "100 times," but repetition is the mother of perfection, so it makes some sense. I think each brain works differently, but repetition is everything in guitar, or any instrument, with the goal being getting to a place where you don't need to think about the MECHANICS of what you're doing and can instead just feel the flow of the music and just MAKE IT HAPPEN.

I definitely click with your "WAIT! I hear something I'm leaving out!" The way I learn songs has evolved over time, and when I had to cram a dozen Stone Temple Pilots covers for my last band, that's how I did it - I'd learn the major riffs and notate the arrangement, and the more I played along with the recording, the more nuances I'd hear, and the more additional parts between parts I'd hear and want to work out.

 

[k.robert]

Have you ever heard of the “play the Afterlife solo 20 million times and still not get it right” ? D

 

[William B.]

I'm going to try it and write keep track how many times I played it up to 100
Probably Unholy Confessions first
starting to forget some stuff cause not keeping up practicing

 

[TheRedMageGuitarist]

Have you ever heard of the “play the Afterlife solo 20 million times and still not get it right” ? D

AAAHHH I laughed way to hard at that hahahaha!!!! I haven't heard of that but I HAVE heard of "Playing Hail to the King intro for 30 hours sitting on the kitchen floor while your room mate cooks and still can't get it two years later"

 

[Calvin Phillips]

I agree in fact my set list would never change when I jammed. So of always go through the same 10 or so songs.

 

[TheRedMageGuitarist]

I'm going to try it and write keep track how many times I played it up to 100
Probably Unholy Confessions first
starting to forget some stuff cause not keeping up practicing

Keep it up William! You got this buddy!

 

[William B.]

I want to go busking sometime again but I kind of want to have at least 3 songs I can play without worry
Probably That song I Started a Joke from BeeGees as one

 

[Calvin Phillips]

When I learned a new song I'd add it 2nd or 3rd in my jams. That would be because the first 2 usually warm you up so it's good to be confident there before going to the challenge.

 

[RoaringRowanThunderBender]

Hey everyone! I was just curious if any of you have heard of the "play a song 100 times to get it performance ready" idea. I have found it really helpful that instead of bouncing around from song to song, and trying to learn 10 songs at once, I focus on one song, learn it, and play it 100 times before I move on to the next one. It's really allowed me to calm myself down, feel the beat of the song, truly sit in it and get comfortable, and improve my technique.

For example, I'm learning Enter Sandman right now, and I played it pretty well about 15 times, but it wasn't until the 22nd time that I was like "Wait, I HEAR something now I'm leaving out! I'm gonna go back, delve into it, and learn it!"

Right now I'm working it up to 50 times sitting down, and then I'm gonna play it 50 times standing up.

Have you tried this before? It really has helped me not have to think about the song, and my muscles know what to do automatically, and I also don't have to worry about how long I've actually practiced it.

PS: I'm making molasses cookies for @megalizzie 's performance tonight.

I never really keep count of how many times I play a song, tbh. But I do definitely repeat one a lot until I feel comfortable and confident with it. So it seems like that’s a pretty good saying. I usually practice a few at a time. That being said, a few old and maybe one or two new at a time to not take on too much and focus better.

 

[Mauro FILHO]

Hey everyone! I was just curious if any of you have heard of the "play a song 100 times to get it performance ready" idea. I have found it really helpful that instead of bouncing around from song to song, and trying to learn 10 songs at once, I focus on one song, learn it, and play it 100 times before I move on to the next one. It's really allowed me to calm myself down, feel the beat of the song, truly sit in it and get comfortable, and improve my technique.

For example, I'm learning Enter Sandman right now, and I played it pretty well about 15 times, but it wasn't until the 22nd time that I was like "Wait, I HEAR something now I'm leaving out! I'm gonna go back, delve into it, and learn it!"

Right now I'm working it up to 50 times sitting down, and then I'm gonna play it 50 times standing up.

Have you tried this before? It really has helped me not have to think about the song, and my muscles know what to do automatically, and I also don't have to worry about how long I've actually practiced it.

PS: I'm making molasses cookies for @megalizzie 's performance tonight.

I think is a good idea, but depends of the song. For example, play "beast and the harlot" 100 times is a cause for a tendinitis. I like more reasonable play less, and played SLOW, but play correctly.

 

[Shawn Lennie]

This is an interesting concept! As others have said repetition is the king of all learning, creating that muscle memory and not needing to think too much about what is next. I guess my thoughts are it depends on how much time you have to learn a set, you might be given a covers gig and it's "here's these 20 songs, your show is in a week" but you know none of them. In that instance you would have to learn all of them simultaneously to a point where they are performance ready but maybe not perfect, then the next week might be an entirely new set so you out those songs down and start the others. Then there is the "musician's block" where you've practiced a song so much to get it when it's not quite there, you end up in an endless loop of stuck on the same part because the mind isn't fresh. A different song might teach you a technique that aids with a song you are stuck on maybe?? So I guess overall 100 times for a song would definitely give you lots of time to perfect and it obviously wouldn't hurt, just some food for thought on practice ethic and "focussed practice" which I learnt a lot about

 

[Calvin Phillips]

I think is a good idea, but depends of the song. For example, play "beast and the harlot" 100 times is a cause for a tendinitis. I like more reasonable play less, and played SLOW, but play correctly.

Play it once everyday for 100 days be the same as 20 times a day for a week. Infact you'll.probably get better results due to your point of tension to the wrist if you stretch it out.

 

[Calvin Phillips]

This is an interesting concept! As others have said repetition is the king of all learning, creating that muscle memory and not needing to think too much about what is next. I guess my thoughts are it depends on how much time you have to learn a set, you might be given a covers gig and it's "here's these 20 songs, your show is in a week" but you know none of them. In that instance you would have to learn all of them simultaneously to a point where they are performance ready but maybe not perfect, then the next week might be an entirely new set so you out those songs down and start the others. Then there is the "musician's block" where you've practiced a song so much to get it when it's not quite there, you end up in an endless loop of stuck on the same part because the mind isn't fresh. A different song might teach you a technique that aids with a song you are stuck on maybe?? So I guess overall 100 times for a song would definitely give you lots of time to perfect and it obviously wouldn't hurt, just some food for thought on practice ethic and "focussed practice" which I learnt a lot about

If refuse a gig who told me I had to learn more then 10 new songs In a week. You cant learn a song that quick off the album let alone to your buddy drummers rhythm. That's not enough time. A month is doable. But not a week.

 

[Shawn Lennie]

If refuse a gig who told me I had to learn more then 10 new songs In a week. You cant learn a song that quick off the album let alone to your buddy drummers rhythm. That's not enough time. A month is doable. But not a week.

It is a big crunch that's for sure and sometimes not remotely possible! So I'd agree depending on the set list. When I was studying music at university though things got brutal and sometimes you'd have to do it just to pass a class. That's when focussed practice becomes really important

 

[Calvin Phillips]

I'd rather do a 25 minute set perfect the first time then try to do a 45 and sound off beat cause you couldnt get the rhythm down in time together

 

[Chris Johnston]

This is a great idea! It sort of reminds me of a condensed version of the 10,000 hour rule.

Doing anything 100 times will make you much more familiar with it, so you should feel really comfortable with the tune.
I actually used to do this when practicing arpeggios and it really does help Because you've got such a high number to concentrate on you don't feel any need to rush the progress of what's going on, and because of that you relax more and the muscle memory has time to settle in naturally. It's quite meditative in a way!