When you play Covers...

[Marko]

Do you play it exactly as the original, or...

 

 

PS. talking 80s rock, here, if it matters.

[Les_Izzmor]

yes

 

and

 

no

 

and

 

somtimes yes and no

[The Insomniac]

 

Do you play it exactly as the original, or...

 

 

Sometimes I play as close to the original as I can get - sometimes I have never even heard the original version.

[Bigfiddle]

yes

[Thumper]

Depends on the song. If there's a signature riff like 'My Sharona' I try to keep close to the original line. If there's room to breathe but keep the spirit of the original feel, I'll stretch my legs a bit. The drummer and I play around with 'Listen to the Music' but it still grooves. It boils down to whatever works best for the song.

[Marko]

Depends on the song. If there's a signature riff like 'My Sharona' I try to keep close to the original line. If there's room to breathe but keep the spirit of the original feel, I'll stretch my legs a bit. The drummer and I play around with 'Listen to the Music' but it still grooves. It boils down to whatever works best for the song.

 

That make sense to me.

[no-logic]

We play as close as possible. I play as close as possible to my ability.

[RIC N BACKER]

I play it note for note.

 

however find a guitarist who will do that ...

[georgestrings]

First I learn it exactly as played originally, then I sometimes have to adapt it to fit my preferred band format - the 1 guitar type band... That sometimes means I have to fill in some spots, so that we don't miss a 2nd guitarist... Other than that, sometimes I'll add to the original, but am careful to avoid too much wankery... I nearly always stick to the original key, otherwise I'll drop the song...

 

 

- georgestrings

[BTBBass]

Alot of times I won't use the same fills unless I really like them, but I haven't come up with any brilliant song changing ideas to this day.

[Incubitabus]

I would say that it depends on the band. If I were playing in a tribute, cover or wedding band, I would probably duplicate the original, but in my original and original/cover bands, I like to apply my own style to the cover songs.

[Hotblack]

 

I would say that it depends on the band. If I were playing in a tribute, cover or wedding band, I would probably duplicate the original, but in my original and original/cover bands, I like to apply my own style to the cover songs.

 

+1

[jannda]

I try to keep the same feel but note for note no.

[T. Alan Smith]

 

Depends on the song. If there's a signature riff like 'My Sharona' I try to keep close to the original line. If there's room to breathe but keep the spirit of the original feel, I'll stretch my legs a bit. The drummer and I play around with 'Listen to the Music' but it still grooves. It boils down to whatever works best for the song.

 

 

Well put. This was always my approach when I was doing covers.

[pbass_groovin]

I've never played a cover note for note....thats boring. The audiences now days want something new.

[Rowka]

I play it more exactly like the original than the original.

[Pyralus]

I play covers as a cover. When you hit the first note of that song, everyone in the audience knows what it is, a cover. They expect something that they have heard the recording of a million times before, so i normally stick pretty close to the original... of course when you throw in a different fill or something different here and there, it's fine. the only time when you DON'T play close to the original is if you are trying to give the orginal a huge twist.

 

Cover bands don't normally twist their covers, original bands that are covering someone else twist their covers.

[Incubitabus]

Haha, I just remembered a show I did with my last band when we turned a weezer track into "back in black" during the bridge, then went back to weezer. {censored}ing rocked.

[PrestiaRules]

I would say that it depends on the band. If I were playing in a tribute, cover or wedding band, I would probably duplicate the original, but in my original and original/cover bands, I like to apply my own style to the cover songs.

 

+3.7

[Marko]

 

Cover bands don't normally twist their covers, original bands that are covering someone else twist their covers.

 

 

I see the differentiation, a few of you have mentioned this. Makes sense to me.

 

I

[Phantasm]

If you're playing covers for money, I feel that you need to approximate the song as closely as possible with the personnel/instrumentation available in your band.

 

If you're an original band covering a song, you've got a lot more lattitude to either play it straight or try to deconstruct/reinvent the song.

[Incubitabus]

Some good re-worked covers (IMO):

Alien Ant Farm - Smooth Criminal

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Pillar - Sunday, Bloody Sunday

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Nickelback - Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)

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Yeah, I know the last one is Nickelsuck, but I actually like that cover...

[GreaserMatt]

I play it note for note. however find a guitarist who will do that ...

 

LOL

[GreaserMatt]

 

+1

 

 

Hotblack, your avatar rules! "I'll be too busy looking good..."

[basste]

Most of time, i listen to the bass part, to get the feel of it. Then i will keep riffs i find it necessary (for example "money". i can't imagien play it without the original riff). Then, when i have structure, chords, i play it like i feel it. And often change it little by little.