Sweet Home Alabama

[chris_b]

[quote name='thebrig' post='1046714' date='Dec 3 2010, 07:19 PM']....I've worked out a few of the trickier bits, but would like to play them all. Any help would be much appreciated....[/quote]
Don't make too much of Sweet Home Alabama. It's not complicated, only a sing-a-long 3 chord strum. Most bands play it too loud, too fast and too many notes. They play it as a rock number but it isn't.

If you play it and feel that you're not playing enough, then you're probably playing it right.

[wateroftyne]

The last covers band I was in did it hopelessy wrong... it drove me nuts.

[thebrig]

[quote name='allighatt0r' post='1047166' date='Dec 4 2010, 10:40 AM']One part I didn't think of yesterday, is the solo bass riff that [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8rnFKo4PAE#t=2m22s"]starts at 2:25[/url] and repeats during the outro:

[font="Courier New"]
G ||-------------------------------------------|
D ||------------------------2-2--3-3--2--------|
A ||-5-5-0h2--3-3-----------------------5------|
E ||--------------0h2--3-3---------------------|[/font]


Regardless of whether we personally like the song, I think the most important and fulfilling aspect of playing in a band in front of an audience is seeing them enjoy themselves.

I still wouldn't play 500 miles again though.[/quote]

Thanks, this is most helpful.
We are a new band, and I have only been playing for a short time, but when we do it live, it always goes down well,
and I think we do get the feel of the song right, but I just wanted to learn the trickier bits to see whether it improves the song still further.
Personally, I don't like the song either, but all the audiences love it, and that's what matters.

[thebrig]

[quote name='JTUK' post='1046910' date='Dec 3 2010, 10:41 PM']Not sure if you are a new band or not... but the idea is to make a song work with what you have.
You may find on certain songs the drum part is very difficult .. (for example )
which many semi pro drummers have not a hope in hell of getting to grips with in terms of feel etc etc ..

You then have to work as a unit/band to get the parts of the song you want to get across...in this case you have 3 chords or bass notess which should only really follow the accents of the gtr chords which is mirrored by the bass drum. The only place you want a frill is the second half of bar 2..but should not clash with the gtr.

If in doubt, leave it out..less is more, and just accent the chords, as many bands will over play a simple progression. Less means it has a chance to breathe and not clash.

But yes..if you can't make this work as a unit...you may as well give up... to put it bluntly, as it is all in the ears of the whole band and this is not an advanced song to try and get to grips with.

For sure....many bands butcher it and make it a over played din.[/quote]

Yes we are a new band, and I have only been playing for a short time, but when we play it live, it always goes down well,
I think we do get the feel of the song right, but I just wanted to learn the trickier bits to see whether it improves the song still further.
Personally, I don't like the song, but all the audiences love it, and that's what matters.

[mrtcat]

I play this with my band and can only do our own version because much as it appears a simple song on paper Leon Wilkeson was an incredible player with an amazing feel for songs. Sweet home is very subtle and clever in places and it is 110% about feel. Sometimes it's the simplest stuff that's hardest to pull off. I would give my left nut to have his skills tho.

As a pub song it's a winner though because punters love it and ultimately they pay the bands fee.

If you think this one is tough to get sounding good try Freebird. It's a monster. We do it regularly but I always feel we don't really do it justice. There's an isolated bass line on the tube that highlights how unique Leon's playing was

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WJBBW1Kl94"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WJBBW1Kl94[/url]

[thebrig]

[quote name='allighatt0r' post='1046911' date='Dec 3 2010, 10:42 PM']There's a couple of different bits that give the line a bit of an edge.

e.g. at [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8rnFKo4PAE#t=0m45s"]0:45 on this video there[/url] is my favourite riff in the song:

[font="Courier New"]
G ||----------------5-5----------------------------|
D ||--------------5-----5------5--------5----------|
A ||-5-5---0h2--3-----------------5----------------|
E ||------------------------3-3-----3-3----3-------|[/font]

and there's that quick bit at the end of one or two of the verses that goes:

[font="Courier New"]
G ||-----------------------------------------------|
D ||-----2-5-2-------------------------------------|
A ||-2-5-------5-2-3-------------------------------|
E ||-----------------------------------------------|[/font]

and the C on the way back up during the chorus is very important. It's the difference between sounding tight and sounding sloppy. Follow the drummer's cymbal at the last minute the first and third tie round, and on the 2nd and 4th, you need play the C on the last two offbeats (hard to explain because I'm not a rhythmical terminology buff! Sure someone can correct me.

As for constructive advise. Disregard TABs, they are useful for getting things across quickly as i have tried to do above, but you will get MUCH better results with a pair of headphones on and the song on repeat while you play along. Headphones are the best method i have found to hear a bassline clearly!

Hope this helps.[/quote]

Thanks, this is very helpful.

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='mrtcat' post='1047259' date='Dec 4 2010, 12:52 PM']I play this with my band and can only do our own version because much as it appears a simple song on paper Leon Wilkeson was an incredible player with an amazing feel for songs. Sweet home is very subtle and clever in places and it is 110% about feel. Sometimes it's the simplest stuff that's hardest to pull off. I would give my left nut to have his skills tho.

As a pub song it's a winner though because punters love it and ultimately they pay the bands fee.

If you think this one is tough to get sounding good try Freebird. It's a monster. We do it regularly but I always feel we don't really do it justice. There's an isolated bass line on the tube that highlights how unique Leon's playing was

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WJBBW1Kl94"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WJBBW1Kl94[/url][/quote]
I fink Ed King played bass on Freebird.... great playing, though!

[FlatEric]

I see this thing is still going

The youtube Free Bird thing illustrates that there is a lot going on
behind all the guitar playing.

I'm not sure if this will make me guilty or innocent. . . . . . . . . .

I'll be doing BOTH Sweet Home and Free Bird tonight!!

Not telling you where but if you see a band this evening doing both, where ever
it may be . . . run up to the bass player and shout "Flat Eric, I claim my free pint!!!"

I'll gladly buy you one.

Cheers.

[AntLockyer]

I played SHA just the one time in public. It was however in Nashville, Tennessee so I think that's OK.

[bigash]

One little thing that i do during the intro
guitar goes through chord sequence twice.
Then do 0-2-0-4-057 on the G string. then straight into
the D.
Pretty much all the other fills have been covered previously.

Ash.

Edited December 6, 2010 by bigash

[Hot Tub]

I love SHA. Easy to play, downright hard to get spot-on.

My 2p..... Tempo is critical; too fast ruins it. And just as important, you have to be absolutely LOCKED to the drums. It's the bassline of this song that makes people want to dance. If you ain't feeling it, then you ain't playing it right. (Probably applies to a lot of things, aksherly! )

[thebrig]

[quote name='bigash' post='1048982' date='Dec 6 2010, 07:17 AM']One little thing that i do during the intro
guitar goes through chord sequence twice.
Then do 0-2-0-4-057 on the G string. then straight into
the D.
Pretty much all the other fills have been covered previously.

Ash.[/quote]
cheers

[Stag]

I was in a band doing Rush, Zep, all that kind of stuff.

Im now doing Sweet Home Alabama, Teenage Kicks etc. Enjoying it alot and every pub we play is RAMMED with people singing and buying lots of beer. This makes landlords like us too.

[casapete]

Ah yes, but is it in 'D' or 'G' ?.............!!!

[tauzero]

Rule of thumb - the final chord of the song is the key that it's in. See "'i' after 'e' except after 'c'".

[warwickhunt]

Well I'll be doing this one tonight and I'll get our resident expert opinion (keys player) because I'd have said D BUT I can see how it could as easily be read as G!

[casapete]

Mmmm.. I thought 'D' too, but sounds (to me anyway) like the guitarist plays the solos as if it's in 'G'???
When we play it we always do a big rall and finish on the 'D' though!

[warwickhunt]

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='1061772' date='Dec 17 2010, 04:43 PM']Well I'll be doing this one tonight and I'll get our resident expert opinion (keys player) because I'd have said D BUT I can see how it could as easily be read as G![/quote]

It's in G... 'I' think!

[ezbass]

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='1062443' date='Dec 18 2010, 01:38 PM']It's in G... 'I' think! [/quote]
'Tis G. A [i]V, IV, I[/i] progression.

Edited December 18, 2010 by ezbass

[tauzero]

[quote name='casapete' post='1062442' date='Dec 18 2010, 01:35 PM']Mmmm.. I thought 'D' too, but sounds (to me anyway) like the guitarist plays the solos as if it's in 'G'???
When we play it we always do a big rall and finish on the 'D' though![/quote]
That means you're finishing the song with the wrong chord...

[Soliloquy]

[quote name='JTUK' post='1046870' date='Dec 3 2010, 09:53 PM']Wouldn't bother with listening to it, personally..it is a 3 chord groove which you should really..as a band..be able to make it worth listening to.

If you can't do this...the band should give up.[/quote]

I have to admit I agree with this sentiment, to a point.

I played it for the first time this year, after 20 plus years of playing, and 10 as a professional musician. It came up on a set list for a 'dep' gig. I listened to the track once through, to see what the chords were. Then I think probably once more to make sure I hadn't missed anything first time through.
It's a very, very simple song, just three chords. You should just go for the 'feel' of the song. I really doubt there would be much to gain from working out the original bass line 'note for 'note'. I doubt the original band played it the same every time, it's a groove thing. Just play what you feel with your band, and have a good time with it.

The only aspect of the original statement I don't agree with is about giving up. Don't do that !

[KevB]

Best way to play it:
Start Doing SHA, part way through morph it into Werewolves of London and then finish by combining them together as All Summer Long (Kid Rock)

[ezbass]

[quote name='KevB' post='1064463' date='Dec 20 2010, 12:00 PM']Best way to play it:
Start Doing SHA, part way through morph it into Werewolves of London and then finish by combining them together as All Summer Long (Kid Rock) [/quote]
I've been on at my band to this, albeit the other way round, for ages.