Summer of 69? Drop D?

[Slappindabass]

I cant believe that I am the only one being asked to play this soooo....

 

Who plays it it drop D?

 

 

I think it sounds correct but am not sure!

[arthurhenry]

Most I would imagine, since that is how the original was played.

[Mickeyboro]

I am underwhelmed playing this in any tuning. Yet it goes down a storm. Why?!

[fleabag]

It's a mystery  and had to play this in one band i was in.  Pretty simple bass line, but hated playing it.

[Happy Jack]

Serious question - can anyone other than the bass player actually tell that it's in Drop D?

When asked to play this, I've just used a 5-string in standard tuning ... sounded OK to me.

[arthurhenry]

3 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

Serious question - can anyone other than the bass player actually tell that it's in Drop D?

When asked to play this, I've just used a 5-string in standard tuning ... sounded OK to me.

Which would allow for a low D.

[Happy Jack]

Yup, that would be the general idea.

[Graham]

Low D here, I typically play 5s, but droped the E to D when I played 4s

[Slappindabass]

Good glad i was right! Band members couldnt here the differnce!

[Cuzzie]

Drop D always

Quite enjoyed it, pop a few windmills in there, doing some backing vocals is easy as the bass line is not stressful

[spencer.b]

Sometimes I do sometimes I don't

[Al Krow]

It's in our set for tonight's gig, but we're doing it in C as our male vocalist finds singing this in D a bit too much of stretch.

Guitarist whinged about open strings for the guitar riffs being better in D and 'iconic' bla, bla, but eventually agreed that the audience was much more likely to notice a bad vocal line than this being played in a different key by him and his solo not precisely dead on.

3 hours ago, Happy Jack said:

Serious question - can anyone other than the bass player actually tell that it's in Drop D?

When asked to play this, I've just used a 5-string in standard tuning ... sounded OK to me.

I would be pretty confident that folk won't tell the difference between a drop D and a low D (on the low B string) played in a band mix.

2 hours ago, Slappindabass said:

Good glad i was right! Band members couldnt here the differnce!

Lol! My band sometimes don't even notice when I've brought a 5 string along instead of a 4 string!

Methinks that bass players mostly notice bass stuff and others don't. Which is why we spend so much time hanging out together on BC, right? 😂

Edited September 15, 2018 by Al Krow

[T-Bay]

We play it as well for our functions set, it’s soooooo dreary but as said above goes down a storm and is a great floor filler. Why? I have no idea..........

[chris_b]

I've played Summer of 69 in several bands. I think it's a good song, I like playing it.

Does it really matter what notes they played on the record? If you've got a 5 string bass and can use the low D great, or play it an octave up. Each will work just as well as the other.

[Oopsdabassist]

I've played this song in bands for as long as I can remember and I've never played it drop D, more like our friend Constantine does it.  Quite a fun line to play and the girlies always go for it!

 

 

Edited September 15, 2018 by Oopsdabassist
typos..as always!

[leftybassman392]

Not to be overweening and such, but I do sometimes wish people wouldn't get so precious over this song. Or Mustang Sally for that matter. Not to mention...

If it's in your set and audiences like it, then what's the problem?

Life would be great if we could all afford to only play songs we liked all the time (and if it's in your set then I'm guessing you play in either a covers band or a function band) but given the brief your band is likely to be working to, it's there for a reason.

You're not there to express an opinion on the musical taste of your audience. By all means have one, but telling punters they are musical philistines for liking it probably won't get you a return booking.

Back to the OP, I've never played it as a bass player, but in my guitarist days I seem to remember playing it in standard tuning and don't recall the bass player retuning to play it either. Depends how faithfully you want to reproduce the original I guess.

Edited September 16, 2018 by leftybassman392

[SpondonBassed]

12 hours ago, Oopsdabassist said:

our friend Constantine

@ConstantineIsslamow

Good to see your take on this.  I really ought to drop in on your YT channel and catch up with your excellent clips.  It's been a while.

[arthurhenry]

Let's all try playing it at the 19th fret and see if anyone notices.

[NoirBass]

I sometimes use an octave pedal if using a four string for the low D, but I’m usually on a 5 or 6 these days so no need.

[NancyJohnson]

17 hours ago, Mickeyboro said:

I am underwhelmed playing this in any tuning. Yet it goes down a storm. Why?!

The covers band enigma.  I've never understood why people go nuts for bands playing other people's songs.

It's difficult to quantify without sounding too blunt.  I've always felt that by and large the typical covers gig audience aren't the type of people who feel the need to invest time (or money) in bands; they know the hits, they're top 20 savvy, but while they might know Stacey's Mom, they wouldn't know, or even bother, to investigate Karpet King.

A combination of drink, mob mentality, people just wanting to hear some songs they know and to have a good night out means Summer of '69 is probably a win-win every time.

 

[SpondonBassed]

1 hour ago, NancyJohnson said:

The covers band enigma.  I've never understood why people go nuts for bands playing other people's songs.

I'd liken it to the take away food enigma.

In an area like Alvaston in Derby, it starts to look a bit like every second building contains a fast-food take-away of some description.  Each of them tries to cover all of the angles from British fish and chips through Americana, Africana and onto Asian.

None of them concentrate on serving up what they are actually good at.  They are compromising by offering all varieties.  If we're lucky they end up being adequate.  There is NO excellence.  Drunken customers don't see it that way however and even if they did, they care not.  It's lucrative for all concerned though.

If you want an excellent meal you go to a restaurant.  Same with music.  If you want to hear excellence you go to the big venues.

I wouldn't worry too much about the drop D in the greater scheme of things.  I'd choose a line that serves the band that I am in.  The exception?  A replica band.  Tribute bands can put a style of their own across while remaining true to the band they follow.  In a replica band, you are under the close scrutiny of fans*.

* It is important to remember that the word fan is a contraction of the word fanatic.  OED - "Origin:  Late 19th century (originally US): abbreviation of fanatic."

Edited September 16, 2018 by SpondonBassed

[uk_lefty]

Always used to play it without a low D, never did any harm.

Saw Bryan Adams a couple of summers ago and didn't notice the bassist drop D for it, though wasn't looking out for it, he played a p bass for the entire set.

People love the song because it's an easy sing along chorus and it's iconic. I would have no problem whatsoever playing this in my band, though it is a pub cover band cliche, guess you just have to play it better than most.

[musicbassman]

23 minutes ago, SpondonBassed said:

The covers band enigma.  I've never understood why people go nuts for bands playing other people's songs.

Well. I've played in covers bands for what seems like forever, and I wouldn't expect people to go nuts for covers - you're there to provide entertainment that's hopefully a couple of steps up from a mobile disco at a function - a band playing live can be a lot more interesting than watching a DJ's lighting rig. Having said that, I still maintain that many covers bands are pretty hopeless at getting it right.

23 minutes ago, SpondonBassed said:

I wouldn't worry too much about the drop D in the greater scheme of things.

- which brings us on to this, which I agree with absolutely. For playing covers on bass, I think it's more important to get the dynamics and feel right to reflect the original rather than worrying about the exact notation. Nobody notices the notes, but they'll just think 'This doesn't sound right' if the feel of the original is lost.

[leftybassman392]

1 hour ago, NancyJohnson said:

The covers band enigma. 

Que?

I have no wish to fall out with anybody here (certainly not over a cheesy but perfectly acceptable cover song), so I'll just say that one of the joyous things about being a musician is that it's such a broad church that is well able to cater for all tastes. One man's enigma is another's good night out with his mates indulging his passion.

Edited September 16, 2018 by leftybassman392

[NancyJohnson]

33 minutes ago, SpondonBassed said:

I'd liken it to the take away food enigma.

I've snipped your original post, but you know the fast food analogy works better than trying to actually quantifying it from a musical perspective.  I shall be retaining this nugget in a dark recess of my brain and will pull it out and use it at some point.

Bravo!