Original work

[Lozz196]

I`m having more fun doing originals than I ever did playing covers. I`m getting to play with bands that I`ve liked since I was a kid, play festivals, play European countries, and have met some great people along the way, including finding some great new bands that are now amongst my faves. Playing in covers bands was great too, wouldn`t knock it, just prefer what I`m currently doing.

[chris_b]

Why limit yourself?

I play in covers bands AND originals bands and often both in the same band.

Playing a written line, adapting one or coming up with a new line is all part of our basic craft.

If you're serving the song then neither is better than the other.

[Bluewine]

5 hours ago, rOB said:

Each to their own eh, horses for courses.

I'm lucky enough to have a day job that I (mostly) enjoy and that pays the bills. I'm also lucky enough to live in a city with a great originals music scene and therefore can gig rhe amount I currently want to.

I was lucky enough to have a day job for 35 years. Now I'm lucky enough to be retired.

The originals scene in Milwaukee is ok as long as you don't want to gig or get paid.

Blue

[Bluewine]

3 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

I`m having more fun doing originals than I ever did playing covers. I`m getting to play with bands that I`ve liked since I was a kid, play festivals, play European countries, and have met some great people along the way, including finding some great new bands that are now amongst my faves. Playing in covers bands was great too, wouldn`t knock it, just prefer what I`m currently doing.

You are very lucky and must be playing above and beyond the local level.

Most folks I know that are playing originals are broke and not gigging anywhere. Very unfortunate.

Blue

[ambient]

It’s weird, but I only play original solo bass stuff. I’m gigging very regularly, I’m having at the moment to turn things down because of my university course. I’ve had stuff released by a label on vinyl. I get regular offers for doing collaboration. I’ve played abroad, this year was two gigs in Paris, and I’ve played with guys who’ve been huge influences of mine. Admittedly it’s not as well paid as regular pro gigs, but it’s far, far more rewarding.

[Bluewine]

2 hours ago, ambient said:

It’s weird, but I only play original solo bass stuff. I’m gigging very regularly, I’m having at the moment to turn things down because of my university course. I’ve had stuff released by a label on vinyl. I get regular offers for doing collaboration. I’ve played abroad, this year was two gigs in Paris, and I’ve played with guys who’ve been huge influences of mine. Admittedly it’s not as well paid as regular pro gigs, but it’s far, far more rewarding.

That sounds like a nice niche.

I think we're all different when it comes to what's a rewarding experience.

This is why I stress the importance of understanding and defining what you want out of playing bass guitar.

Below is a copy of a bass player wanted ad. It's the type of ad,vuf I were looking would have no interest in 

IMO , it's unrealistic and screams flake all over;

"im a guitar player, and do vocals. im looking for a bass player and a drummer. mostly blues, classic rock, and then some. i am not looking to play in bars!!! i realize there is a starting point, but i am aiming high. solid rhythm and a good big sound. im 53, have practice space. a good sound guy i know too."

Blue

Edited December 9, 2017 by Bluewine

[RockfordStone]

i don't mind playing covers, but for me its about creating.

i get much more joy out of creating something from thin air than learning someone elses music.

[mikel]

Nothing better than writing and playing originals, where would the covers bands be without it?

 

And Blue, we know your stance on playing and money, you manage to lever it into every thread on here. We know, OK? give it a rest mate.

[Bluewine]

11 minutes ago, RockfordStone said:

i don't mind playing covers, but for me its about creating.

i get much more joy out of creating something from thin air than learning someone elses music.

Why do you think you can't be creative in a cover band.

I play in one if Milwaukee"s finest blues rock cover bands.

I never play anything the same twice and we perform a lot of our material in different tempos, keys and grooves at the drop of a hat. Much more creative than many originals bands. It's fantastic.

Plus we have to CDs of original  material mixed into our set list.

My point, all cover bands are not the same.

Blue

[RockfordStone]

1 minute ago, Bluewine said:

Why do you think you can't be creative in a cover band.

I play in one if Milwaukee"s finest blues rock cover bands.

I never play anything the same twice and we perform a lot of our material in different tempos, keys and grooves at the drop of a hat. Much more creative than many originals bands. It's fantastic.

Plus we have to CDs of original  material mixed into our set list.

My point, all cover bands are not the same.

Blue

never said they are, and i never said you can't be creative in a covers band. there are lots of people who do it and love it. i don't.

i'm a song writer, my reason for playing music is to write songs. this also means that i go through periods where i don't play (currently haven't played live in 3 years). but i'm okay with that.

i've said before to you, fair play for being in a position where you are in a band you enjoy.

i have no issue with people who are in your boat, or who want to do covers, but honestly, if i did 4 hour cover gigs 3 nights on the bounce then i would get bored quickly.

[Bluewine]

4 minutes ago, mikel said:

Nothing better than writing and playing originals, where would the covers bands be without it?

 

And Blue, we know your stance on playing and money, you manage to lever it into every thread on here. We know, OK? give it a rest mate.

Everyone is not aware of my stance, which for the most part is misunderstood.

I agree, nothing better than writing and playing originals. However, I could also say there's nothing better than playing covers in a bar band.

I think there's still a lot if broad stroking originals band as well as cover bands and room for more discussion.

Blue

[Bluewine]

10 minutes ago, RockfordStone said:

never said they are, and i never said you can't be creative in a covers band. there are lots of people who do it and love it. i don't.

i'm a song writer, my reason for playing music is to write songs. this also means that i go through periods where i don't play (currently haven't played live in 3 years). but i'm okay with that.

i've said before to you, fair play for being in a position where you are in a band you enjoy.

i have no issue with people who are in your boat, or who want to do covers, but honestly, if i did 4 hour cover gigs 3 nights on the bounce then i would get bored quickly.

Good discussion points, all valid. Periods of not playing would put me into a depression.

My favorite gig of the year with my band is when we play 5 nights in a row at WI State Fair. I call it my Hamburg. All 4 hour shows. It's exciting creative and fun. It's like heaven for me.

We're all different, both sides of the fence are cool as far as I'm concerned.

Blue

Edited December 9, 2017 by Bluewine

[FinnDave]

My band plays mostly covers (mainly blues standards) but never play them the same as the original, in fact we make a point of not listening to the original (other than whoever thinks it is worth us trying). We also rarely play anything the same way twice. It's fun, creative, keeps us on our toes and awake. We also get plenty of bookings (40 plus this year, and that is up until the end of November when we stopped taking gigs as our guitarist has gone home for Christmas (he comes from St. Helena in the south atlantic)

[Bluewine]

5 minutes ago, FinnDave said:

My band plays mostly covers (mainly blues standards) but never play them the same as the original, in fact we make a point of not listening to the original (other than whoever thinks it is worth us trying). We also rarely play anything the same way twice. It's fun, creative, keeps us on our toes and awake. We also get plenty of bookings (40 plus this year, and that is up until the end of November when we stopped taking gigs as our guitarist has gone home for Christmas (he comes from St. Helena in the south atlantic)

Exactly.

Dave, I've never even heard the original recordings of some of the stuff we play.

The reason I belabor my point is because many think "cover band" means Bon Jovi and  Katty Perry.

Blue

Edited December 9, 2017 by Bluewine

[chris_b]

4 hours ago, RockfordStone said:

i get much more joy out of creating something from thin air than learning someone elses music.

THat's good. . . . but no one creates out of "thin air".

Every player has a library of influences, lines and sounds in his head which have been accumulated from years of listening and assimilating the music of others.

[Bluewine]

1 hour ago, chris_b said:

THat's good. . . . but no one creates out of "thin air".

Every player has a library of influences, lines and sounds in his head which have been accumulated from years of listening and assimilating the music of others.

Very astute comment.

While I play blues rock covers , like you say my approach to these covers comes from my 60 year old library it isn't a note for note proposition.

For example last weekend when our band leader called out Stevie Wonders Superstition out if the blue I found myself playing the bass line from James Browns "Talking Loud and Saying Nothing", a song I played as a teen. There was a counterpoint thing happening that gave the song a unique groove. That's free an open creativity.

Again I'm not convinced that many here have a  narrow and limited predisposition to what a cover band is.

I'm respectfully challenging those with this narrow definition of "cover band". 

I am not challenging those who don't like playing covers. That's a personal choice which I don't take issue with.

Blue

Edited December 10, 2017 by Bluewine

[RockfordStone]

13 hours ago, chris_b said:

THat's good. . . . but no one creates out of "thin air".

Every player has a library of influences, lines and sounds in his head which have been accumulated from years of listening and assimilating the music of others.

in fairness you could argue that very little is "original" these days with the vast amount of music available.

i don't deny that my stuff is influenced by other artists, i just don't want to spend my time playing their songs, regardless of how creative i can be with them.

[Lozz196]

23 hours ago, Bluewine said:

You are very lucky and must be playing above and beyond the local level.

Most folks I know that are playing originals are broke and not gigging anywhere. Very unfortunate.

Blue

It`s still only for fun for us, Blue. We all fit it around our day jobs, luckily our employers are pretty good with us. All the money we make goes back into the band, so the hotels/festivals/flights etc are paid by the band, but we never take a penny from it for our own pockets. Still not enough to make a living from - and in reality I would doubt it ever would be.

[PaulWarning]

I enjoy both, I will say I think you can write better songs through having learnt to play covers

[EssentialTension]

On 08/12/2017 at 13:38, wateroftyne said:

I enjoy both. A good song is a good song.

Yes, I want to play good songs whoever wrote them.

Besides which the dividing line between so-called covers and so-called originals is vague to say the least.

[Bluewine]

5 hours ago, RockfordStone said:

in fairness you could argue that very little is "original" these days with the vast amount of music available.

i don't deny that my stuff is influenced by other artists, i just don't want to spend my time playing their songs, regardless of how creative i can be with them.

That's fine.

My argument is with those that are broad stroking originals bands s as well as cover bands.

They're not all the same.

Blue

[Bluewine]

7 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

It`s still only for fun for us, Blue. We all fit it around our day jobs, luckily our employers are pretty good with us. All the money we make goes back into the band, so the hotels/festivals/flights etc are paid by the band, but we never take a penny from it for our own pockets. Still not enough to make a living from - and in reality I would doubt it ever would be.

I completely get reinvesting the money in an originals band playing at your level. Makes perfect sense.

For bar band guys like me every cent is going straight into my wallet.

BIue

Edited December 11, 2017 by Bluewine

[cheddatom]

The success of people like Lozz and Ambient is truly inspiring to me. I play in original bands too and I'd love to get to that point, even if I am still working my day job. Playing covers in the pub at the weekend has absolutely no appeal to me at all - nothing against it, it's just not for me. I've left many pubs because of bands playing "classic rock covers", even if they're playing them really well, it just grates for some reason. It's all subjective isn't it

Edited December 12, 2017 by cheddatom

[Bilbo]

I have always preferred originals and, as a consequence of my conditioning as a fledgling player, cannot help but consider an excess of covers to be a bit 'cabaret'. I do the occasional covers gig with friends but I tend to do them for the social aspect rather than the musical and can't help but think of a life spent playing covers as a bit, well, pointless. I accept that I am in a minority but I think that time spent learning covers should be spent writing originals and that, were people to spend time learning how to compose instead of learning thousands of tunes by other people, then the quality of their composing would improve exponentially and then their originals might not be so poor. Self fulfilling prophecies and all that. I think covers bands tend to be the shortest distance between starting a band and earning money and it is that which drives the thing rather than the creative aesthetic. I completely understand why people do it but, personally, I just can't get excited about another run through of 'Ain't Nobody', 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered' and 'Son of a Preacher Man'.  

[wateroftyne]

A week ago I played Quando Quando Quando in a social club

Last Friday I played two sets of original material in a theatre full of people who had paid decent money to see us.

Tomorrow I'm playing a set of Christmas Carols in a Cathedral.

In a few days' time, I'll be playing Sweet Child of Mine to a bunch of drinkers down the Dog'n'Duck.

Y'know, what? I love playing the bass.

If I didn't, I wouldn't do it.

Edited December 12, 2017 by wateroftyne