Playing AC/DC songs in a different key - Do they work?

[SH73]

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1495375616' post='3303302']


I'm not quite sure what point you are trying to make
[/quote]

They are a bit out of tune

[Cat Burrito]

I play in a CCR tribute and some of those songs are a struggle in the original key for our singer. I learn something up in E just to get to the rehearsal and be told we're doing this in C. Personally I opted for playing higher up the neck. Most people are listening to the vocal and I would rather that was right than the bass part was in the right key. 5 string or down tuning are both viable alternatives and I think it's just a case of whatever works for you.

Does the singer sound great in a different key though or might you want to think about somebody better? Our guy totally delivers in the keys he picks so it wasn't a difficult decision to adjust the band to fit.

[fretmeister]

Tune the guitar D-D and stop worrying.

Drunk punters won't care.

[James Nada]

For what it's worth, AC/DC themselves changed to Eb tuning for the last Brian tour. I doubt most of the millions of punters noticed.

I doubt any punters would notice D tuning either. And in my opinion you can't play AC/DC with different chord positions, the way Malcolm Young used the bottom string for certain inversions is far more crucuial to the AC/DC sound than it being a semi-tone or tone lower.

Edited May 21, 2017 by James Nada

[dannybuoy]

Drop tune rather than use a pedal, it will sound so much better.

[Happy Jack]

If it was just you (on the bass) we were talking about, then this would be easy. Take along a 4-string bass strung BEAD for the AC/DC songs.

If you have to carry two guitarists with you, then best just walk on by and find some other material.

[Guest bassman7755]

[quote name='thebrig' timestamp='1495353840' post='3303091']
My guitarist friend and myself have just formed a new band playing lots of AC/DC material, and he's brought his brother-in-law along as our vocalist because he said he can do the Bon & Brian vocals, as it turns out, he can't do them in standard tuning, we tried tuning down half a step and it was still a struggle, so now we are thinking of transposing them.

First of all, I don't play, or have a 5-string bass, and I don't particularly want one, so how do I get round this?

A vast majority of their songs require the low E, going up to the high E is just not going to sound right, and I feel the songs in general won't have the impact if I'm playing up the board.

Any advice would be very welcome.
[/quote]

Forget about the bass, a lot of AC/DC songs are quite dependent on using specific open riffs/chords on the guitar and are going to be very awkward to play and sound dodgy if transposed. As a reformed guitarist the idea of trying to play say back in black in a different key would fill me with horror.

[Guest MoJo]

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1495381722' post='3303347']
Drop tune rather than use a pedal, it will sound so much better.
[/quote]

To be honest, there's very little change in the tone when using the pedal. I use it because the band I play with perform some numbers in standard tuning and the rest half a step down. It saves me taking two basses to a gig or transposing on a five string and facilitates quick changes between numbers. It's an easy way to detune without filing out nut slots to take heavier strings

[paul_5]

I thought they were called AC/DC because that's the main chord progression?

[bazzbass]

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1495368998' post='3303246']
Sorry, but I disagree. What about the original artist that can't sing in the original key? Is it fine for them to do it and not anyone else?
[/quote]

completely different scenario.

If I go to see Whitesnake, and the original singer has to sing in a lower key, I'm ok with it, COZ HE IS THE ORIGINAL SINGER and still sounds right.

whereas if I go to see a Whitesnake tribute band I expect it to replicate the original act. That is the whole point of a tribute act

If you don't understand the difference then there is no point trying to explain it.

Edited May 22, 2017 by bazztard