How many songs do you currently know?

[tapper mike]

I'm not going to make it a poll.

When I was younger I was much more dedicated. Think about this. If you can learn two new songs a week at the end of a year you will have 104 songs in a setlist. Yes it will mean focusing attention and not watching as much tv or other passive things. Just put the name of the song on a setlist and move on. After ten years that's 1040 songs. Yes you could learn more per week. If you regularly work through them they will stick. So long as the snow wasn't on the ground I'd go out and play in parks or bring the guitars with me everywhere and even when I wasn't getting paid I'd perform in front of as many as I could.

These days my memory is going and many songs I used to perform via route I need backing tracks and or sheet music. As an example right now I've got guitar pro open and I'm relearning Breakdown by Tom Petty. A song that I would regularly play out. Many songs I just need to remember the title and I'm off and running such as Beatles, Led Zepplin and Rolling Stones songs. Though it's always nice to have backing tracks to play along with.

Do I need another LP or LP copy in my life to play LP songs I know and love? No but it wouldn't hurt. Sure it would be great to get the latest IK media Alex Lifeson.

So my question becomes what are you doing with all of your stuff? Are you making the most of it?
For me it's much more satisfying to play covers I know and love from beginning to end.

[morelia]

I have a setlist of around 130 but that doesn't really include the songs I like playing. If we are talking other songs I can play right through, maybe another 150. And songs I knew but could now only play bits of is in the hundreds. Song that I learn the main riff, or a chorus or part thereof, in the thousands I reckon. Of course, even the ones I know I will sometimes forget a next chord or note in a riff.

[tapper mike]

I have a setlist of around 130 but that doesn't really include the songs I like playing. If we are talking other songs I can play right through, maybe another 150. And songs I knew but could now only play bits of is in the hundreds. Song that I learn the main riff, or a chorus or part thereof, in the thousands I reckon. Of course, even the ones I know I will sometimes forget a next chord or note in a riff.

The mark of a professional. Nice

I've been trying to get setlists back into my daily practice regiment. When struggling with new stuff it's better to walk into it with a sense of confidence that only comes from playing songs well that you already know. I've been trying to get back into busking and just playing in parks to perform in front of people as well. Those songs are all dumb and strum as I like to call them as I don't have a band behind me and I don't want to challenge my playing anymore than I have to by singing on top of it.

[TechHaus]

Just Wonderwall and Green Day's Brain Stew.

[Cuauhtli]

As far as other people's songs go: A few as far as strumming chords on an acoustic. Zero as far as solos and so on. I know parts here and there but I can't be bothered to learn entire songs. Maybe it's to do with having a short attention span as I end up doing my own thing when I try to learn a song.

I could never be a gigging musician. Playing the same songs over and over. No wonder they're all drug addicts.

[tapper mike]

Nope quite the opposite. Playing songs all the way through requires more focus and dedication especially when performing live. Some have figured out how to manage both. Doing drugs and performing well. Not that I encourage that type of behavior.

Right now I've got a protege. He's 24 years old and is an amazing bass player as well as a solid guitarist. While in college he and the band would get standing ovations from the audience. He's out of college and honestly it's hard as heck trying to get competent musicians to play out live. They don't rehearse they are late for gigs. They are sloppy. If it weren't for the fact that I'm an alcoholic I'd get him involved in the local blues circuit which is where musicians network with other musicians who have to prove themselves on stage. This cuts the wheat from the chaff quick. It also would allow him to play with older more serious musicians in a band setting.

[pekbro]

Hmm, I dunno. Generally, I don’t play other people’s music these days. I only need hear something to learn it, so there’s a lot.

TBH, since 99 % of the stuff requires more than 1 guitar player, I don’t really consider them playable songs. No desire to be in a band.

[mountainmaster]

I guess about 40 songs. Half of them my own and the other half from the set list of the band I joined last year.

With the band we play covers and 2 songs written by the other guitar player. We are rehearsing 2 of my less complicated songs but so far nothing playable has come out of it.