Preparing for the Stage: The Tools and Tricks I Rely On

Disclaimer:

Every musician has their way of preparing for a gig. This is just mine — not the only way, not necessarily the best way, but the way I’ve figured out so far. And like anything in music, it’s still a work in progress.

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Most of the time, when I get called for a gig, I usually have a couple of weeks to prepare. A typical gig lasts around 90 to 100 minutes — which means about 10-12 songs if it’s jazz with improvisation, or around 15-20 songs if it’s pop music without solos. Lately, I’ve been trying to play with different people in different setups just to get more exposure to new stages, artists, songs, and styles. Because of that, I sometimes end up preparing for a show on short notice — like in the following story.

Noodlesauce's Show at Swig:

Recently, I got called for a gig with Shreeyash a.k.a Noodlesauce. I was stepping in as a replacement keyboardist — just four days before the show. The setlist had around 12-13 songs, a mix of covers and original compositions. I had scratch recordings and rough chord charts shared by the band, but no proper scores.

The first thing I did was create lead sheets on MuseScore for every original composition. Writing the music down gave me a clear visual map of the song and helped me lock the structure in my head.

Shreeyash has beautiful and creative compositions. Once it's out, I'll share links here!

I wrote in the chords and 'notes to myself', which included what tones I needed to use during a song.

It especially helped in songs where there were a lot changes in time signatures.

I also used another trick to help me learn the songs faster. I’ll mention that in the next part, when I share my experiences about another gig.

Of course, I practiced on the keyboard too, and the rehearsals with the band helped glue the songs together. The gig went well, and the music was well-received.

Performance with Noodlesauce and band on 25th Feb at Swig KP

A few weeks later, another gig came my way — this time with a band called Artemis. I was once again replacing a keyboardist who was not available on the show date. I had 8 days to prepare about 16-20 songs. Some I knew, most I didn’t.

I know two things: 1) I can’t sit at the piano all day, and 2) I love podcasts.

So here’s a little trick that helps me when I have a lot of songs to learn in a short time — I make audio notes. I record the song in Audacity and add my voice over it with reminders like, “This one’s in F# minor, it modulates to A later,” or “Key change coming up,” or “Solo section next, be ready.” Then I just keep listening to these notes on repeat — while walking, eating, or doing chores. It helps me memorize the music even when I’m away from the piano.

Making audio notes helps me memorize songs faster

Sometimes, if there are a lot of songs to learn, these audio notes can stretch to over an hour!

How other musicians learn songs:

I always ask other musicians how they learn songs.

One guitarist shared that he takes his time with each song, figuring it out slowly and deeply.

That makes sense. I've done the same with classical pieces and when transcribing jazz solos. So, why not apply the same approach to pop songs? The more time you spend with the music, the more it becomes a part of you.

Over the years, I’ve realized a lot of good, seasoned players rarely depend on charts once they’ve internalized a song. Playing from memory gives you freedom — it’s more musical, more expressive.

That said, I still value charting, especially when time is tight. Just this week, I was speaking with a musician who is recording an album. He reached out to discuss new chord voicings for his song, so I quickly charted the changes and shared the sheet with the other session musicians. It saved everyone time and was appreciated.

A simple chart explaining the chord voicings in a song

Learning tools like 'MuseScore' and 'Audacity' has made managing this aspect of my musical life much easier. Whether it’s preparing for gigs, sharing ideas, or memorizing pieces, these tools have been incredibly valuable.

Also,

Nothing makes me work faster than the pressure of a deadline and an upcoming show.

Panic really does help sometimes!

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Conclusion:

Here are the tricks that can be used to prepare effectively:

1. Create Lead Sheets: Writing down the music helps lock the structure in your mind and provides a clear visual map.

2. Make Audio Notes: Recording songs with voice-over reminders allows you to memorize music even when you're away from your instrument.

3. Ask for Insights: Learning from other musicians' methods can inspire new approaches to preparation. Rehearsals with the band help a lot.

4. Embrace Deadlines: A little pressure can be a great motivator to get things done efficiently.