I can hardly remeber my pin numbers so I'm also massively impressed with musicians
Happy stuff: I have tomorrow off and my I-POd has just shuffled to Europe Final Countdown, which is both ace and shit!

EDIT: Glad your a happy little bunny this week! Last week was shit maybe it was nationwide.
( Naked Ape call me Caitlyn, Thu 25 Feb 2010, 14:15, 1 reply, 16 years ago)

You'd be surprised...
If you've been an integral part of writing the song it's incredibly easy to remember.

You must be able to remember lyrics to songs, right? It's the same as that.

As far as I'm concerned, when I've learnt a song, it's there for life. I currently play in 3 bands, each with over an hour's worth of giggable music and I don't generally forget any of it. I can still remember all the stuff from my old band's sets too...
(Colonel Santiago Introduced surprised kitty to the world., Thu 25 Feb 2010, 14:49, Reply)

it's often puzzled me
that it is (mostly) only bands in this sense of the word that don't have music in front of them.

The part for an individual in an orchestra, provided they are of an appropriate standard, can't be any harder to remember, so why do they need music? You can argue that it is because of the dynamics or whatever, but I can remember when I need to play louder or quiet or fast or slow or whatever.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Thu 25 Feb 2010, 15:09, Reply)

Because orchestral musicians have absolutely no rhythm or feel whatsoever.
They're trained to be machines that only do what they're told, in much the same way as one of those old organs with the punched paper music roll things... They're essentially covers bands don't forget, and we all know that they're generally the ones who couldn't make it with they're own ideas.

There's no arguing how incredibly good some of them are are playing what they're told and of course there will be exceptions to the rule but it think that's what it boils down to. They don't have to think about what they're playing so would have no idea how to if it was ever required.

That and the fact that every conductor/whatever probably has a slightly different arrangement of the same piece so even if they did 'learn' the stuff it would never sound any good all together as they'd all be playing differently. Also quite difficult to have a 'band practice' when each song is an hour long or whatever...
(Colonel Santiago Introduced surprised kitty to the world., Thu 25 Feb 2010, 15:28, Reply)

nicely explained
however, an hour long song is easy!

try doing it when you are stoned as a mofo!
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Thu 25 Feb 2010, 16:57, Reply)

Miles Davis
was flabbergasted to discover that Hendrix couldn't read music.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 25 Feb 2010, 15:36, Reply)

I used to be able to read music
but I forgot how when it became of no use.

I can sight read and play tablature pretty well, but don't even do that much any more, since my ear developed.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Thu 25 Feb 2010, 16:58, Reply)