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Playing in a covers band


Floyd
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Never. That level of authenticity is for tribute bands not cover bands.

You'll never sound like the original so just sound like you.

My brain isn't big enough to remember all the notes in the right places so the band gets my take on the number. Sometimes its close other times it's not. It doesn't matter because we've all got a spark of originality and are just a bunch of guys playing a number, in our own way.

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[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1349341492' post='1824837']
Never. That level of authenticity is for tribute bands not cover bands.

[/quote]

Ahem ... with certain exceptions. There are some basslines that you mess with at your peril. B)

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I learn any critical bits note for note and any other bits are a bonus if I get them note for note too, as long as it swings like the original and any memorable bits are right I don't worry too much, over time I develop 'my way' of playing the song which generally still involves any 'don't mess with it' bits an the rest may be tweaked to suit the way we play it...

Edited by andydye
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I get the main parts exact, especially signature lines, but otherwise, they're slightly tailored to our style.

I try to force the guitarist to play the solos to the note, mainly because we play songs I LOVE (mostly), so I like to hear them like the record!

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I used to try to get as close to the studio version as possible, but then as I listened to more live albums featuring the same player, the more the bassline varied. My conclusion? much like the others above, get the general gist/feel, then play around a bit till it suits your band/mood/the moment.

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Yes nail it every time, on songs that the bass line is the hook or is very distinctive it is a must. Especially if its something like call me al or town call malice. ( the first that came to mind)

Same goes for every instrument I hate to see a band play a classic song where everybody can nearly sing the solo note for note but the guitar player couldn't be bothered to learn it.

It's not original it's lazy. If you want to be original then write your own songs.

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Yep, I learn them fully, but then I'll make the line suit the band and how we play the song if it's different to the original. Couple of cases in point for the function band: just done This Charming Man note for note, but I play Sweet Child o Mine (apart from the iconic first lines) to fit the vibe/groove on the day.

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Sometimes yes...sometimes no. Quite often we will work on another arrangement if the song drags on or change the key of the song to suit the singer. But, the guys give me quite a bit of freedom to add my own flavour to a cover. I'll decide if the song needs to be played in the pocket or could be spiced up a bit.

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agree with the drummer comment Hobbayne, i generally learn note for note then adjust to suit if something changes elsewhere. Apart from the singer i seem to be the only one to properly learn the song.
Some song we might funk it up or rock it up a bit but there are ones that you just don't/can't change.

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As close as I can to the original, but then adapted slightly to fill out our guitar-bass-drums trio & usually rocked up a little.

However after a few months of playing a song it has usually taken on a life of it's own, with various accents, stops, etc. that have evolved between us. Listening to the original after a few months is always fun, as usually that 'kicking' rock track we all learnt now sounds weak & feeble :)

We don't try to slavishly copy the original - which is difficult to do in a trio anyway, and concentrate more on a good rock sound and having fun.

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With the majority of the songs I play very close to the original, especially the Cliff Burton basslines! I usually improvise a tiny bit on mellow sections like the interlude in Master Of Puppets though with a bit of a chorus effect (nothing distasteful though!)

Some tracks I feel the bass could offer a little more in locking the drums as guitar together, and grooving, rather than just playing root notes on the 1st and 2nd beats... So I do alter them a bit. Partly to improve the overall sound and feel, partly so that I don't get bored (and that I don't look rubbish/lazy :lol:)

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I like to try and copy the original as close as my talent will allow. On some songs this is easy, on others I can't match the talent of the original player, so I will get as close as I can. When watching/listening to other cover bands, I like to hear it as I remember it from the original.

Jas

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[quote name='Floyd' timestamp='1349340991' post='1824827']
Those playing in covers bands, how many peeps try to nail the authentic bass lines for every number?
[/quote]

pretty much go for 95% plus

unless of course its a crap bass line then i improve it <_< ;)

btw am i the only person who thinks rihanna tunes just dont work ?? especially the bass lines

>>>>> 1:55 :D

[url="http://youtu.be/-ciFTP_KRy4"]http://youtu.be/-ciFTP_KRy4[/url]

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Not interested in learning the vast majority... so I'll go with what the drummer gets and between us we make it feel good and working..then the rest pile in on top
and they may pay close homage to a key part or not.

As long as the track works and you can hear the way we have put our sound onto it, then that does us.
This way..we have our own set of gears to go through rather than ripping this and that and hitting a brick wall..which is what so many bands round here do.
It is so easy to FAIL that way, IMO

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[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1349350913' post='1825062']
With the majority of the songs I play very close to the original, especially the Cliff Burton basslines! I usually improvise a tiny bit on mellow sections like the interlude in Master Of Puppets though with a bit of a chorus effect (nothing distasteful though!)

Some tracks I feel the bass could offer a little more in locking the drums as guitar together, and grooving, rather than just playing root notes on the 1st and 2nd beats... So I do alter them a bit. Partly to improve the overall sound and feel, partly so that I don't get bored (and that I don't look rubbish/lazy :lol:)
[/quote]

And if you cover anything off AJFA you have total freedom to create your own basslines, as nobody knows what the original ones sounded like :rolleyes: <_<

Edited by bluejay
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