Covers- How Close Do You Stay To The Solos?

[TubeStack]

Depends on the song; if it’s a recognizable one or anything Gilmour, I’m going to learn it note for note and stick to that.

Yes, same for me.

It's funny, I'm pretty lazy at learning solos note for note, but I will if it's a huge part of the song. For example, "Time" by Floyd. You just can't play anything else over that solo, it's a huge part of the song. Another one is Just What I Needed by The Cars.

But a lot of stuff I'll hit the main parts and then improves around them. Or blues rock, Sabbath, etc, I'll improvise all of it. Like if the original player never played the album solo live, I don't usually bother either.

 

[JiveTurkey]

I'll do note for note if it's something like Kerry King or whatever.

 

[Digital Igloo]

Easy—I cover songs without solos.

 

[jay mitchell]

I've heard quite a few of the bands whose tunes I've covered since dirt play live. What's noteworthy to me (NPI) is that many, if not most, of the players in those bands - horns, keys, etc., not just guitarists - don't play all their solos from the bands' recordings note for note. Sometimes they'll play signature licks or motifs verbatim, but I've also heard a number of them not come close on solos that to me, were essential pieces of a song's signature. Honestly, the players I hold in the highest regard don't need to parrot what they happened to play in a particular past recording session; they can play something as good or better off the cuff.

Bottom line: I use my judgement. Sometimes I will make changes in a solo that to me constitute improvements over the original. Sometimes I'll simplfiy something and try to just capture the vibe if I don't have the chops to play it verbatim. FWIW, I've heard audience members say I sounded "just like the record" on tunes in which I'd played something completely different from what was on the records.

 

[ManWithGas]

I'm a seriously staunch customer service player, if they're paying and they make the effort to come and see us I play it note for note as that's what they paid for, what they expect and they should get it. I never rob anyone of a single cent as money is hard earned.......in most cases.

If it's a pentatonic outro wank solo it's here that I may take licence because there's nothing really to learn except the key, speed and cliche licks so no effort for me to play something very similar.

The idea that I can improve on the original or add to it is illogical as then it wouldn't be the original of the song the paying LISTENING customer wants. The audacity that I know better than the artist and the famed producer is ridiculous and insulting to their work.

If I want to play me, I do it with original music. This is entirely my domain and my blank canvas.

 

[la szum]

I'm a seriously staunch customer service player, if they're paying and they make the effort to come and see us I play it note for note as that's what they paid for, what they expect and they should get it. I never rob anyone of a single cent as money is hard earned.......in most cases.

If it's a pentatonic outro wank solo it's here that I may take licence because there's nothing really to learn except the key, speed and cliche licks so no effort for me to play something very similar.

The idea that I can improve on the original or add to it is illogical as then it wouldn't be the original of the song the paying LISTENING customer wants. The audacity that I know better than the artist and the famed producer is ridiculous and insulting to their work.

If I want to play me, I do it with original music. This is entirely my domain and my blank canvas.

I agree.

That said, what I appreciated about music in the 70s/80s/ (and even the 90s, to a degree)
was that the studio product and the live product were never seamlessly intertwined.

Zeppelin is a perfect example of a band that NEVER tried to duplicate their studio work to
the nth degree. That spirit was pervasive back in the day. Now not so much. Now we have
clicks and backing tracks and samples that we are forced to sync with and play along to.

My opinion is that robs the live experience from being as fresh and err.... as "lively" as it once was.

I don't need/want to here the album played EXACTLY when I go see a band live. I loved it
when bands used to improvise in the live setting. They were giving me something I didn't get
on the album.

 

[jay mitchell]

I'm a seriously staunch customer service player,

Me, too.

if they're paying and they make the effort to come and see us I play it note for note as that's what they paid for,

"Note for note what they paid for" is not a thing. In general (in this country at least), they paid to drink, look at, talk to, and dance with people they'd like to have sex with, and only incidentally to hear songs they know that sort of sound like the records they heard the songs on.

what they expect and they should get it. I never rob anyone of a single cent

That's a ludicrous take IMO. The audience isn't paying by the note.

If it's a pentatonic outro wank solo

You mean "if it's the majority of guitar solos on pop and rock recordings," then. OK.

The idea that I can improve on the original or add to it is illogical

My logic and yours are different. Mine has worked for me for many decades. I think I'll stick with it.

 

[jay mitchell]

Zeppelin is a perfect example of a band that NEVER tried to duplicate their studio work to
the nth degree.

That would have been due to the fact that they really didn't have the option. I saw them live in 1970, just as their first album was being released.

That spirit was pervasive back in the day. Now not so much. Now we have
clicks and backing tracks and samples that we are forced to sync with and play along to.

That's not a new thing. ZZ Top used tracks (called "tape assist" back then) on tours in the 1980s.

My opinion is that robs the live experience from being as fresh and err.... as "lively" as it once was.

The acts I see in concert don't ever do that.

I don't need/want to here the album played EXACTLY when I go see a band live. I loved it
when bands used to improvise in the live setting. They were giving me something I didn't get
on the album.

I'm in complete agreement. I won't spend the time and money to see a band that uses tracks.

 

[ManWithGas]

Me, too.


"Note for note what they paid for" is not a thing. In general (in this country at least), they paid to drink, look at, talk to, and dance with people they'd like to have sex with, and only incidentally to hear songs they know that sort of sound like the records they heard the songs on.


That's a ludicrous take IMO. The audience isn't paying by the note.


You mean "if it's the majority of guitar solos on pop and rock recordings," then. OK.



My logic and yours are different. Mine has worked for me for many decades. I think I'll stick with it.

You appear overly defensive and for what.

These are my standards that I live by for my integrity and you can do whatever you like but I don't want to hear them in the manner you've done above as you've already posted your position previously.

So, in future I'd be grateful if you didn't respond to any of my posts. I didn't like you on TGP and I certainly have reason to not like you here.......................once again. It's the easiest & best way to keep it civil going forward.

 

[ManWithGas]

I agree.

That said, what I appreciated about music in the 70s/80s/ (and even the 90s, to a degree)
was that the studio product and the live product were never seamlessly intertwined.

Zeppelin is a perfect example of a band that NEVER tried to duplicate their studio work to
the nth degree. That spirit was pervasive back in the day. Now not so much. Now we have
clicks and backing tracks and samples that we are forced to sync with and play along to.

My opinion is that robs the live experience from being as fresh and err.... as "lively" as it once was.

I don't need/want to here the album played EXACTLY when I go see a band live. I loved it
when bands used to improvise in the live setting. They were giving me something I didn't get
on the album.

I fully agree with what you're saying but them being the original bands/artists people have zero problem accepting the variations they do live and in fact the fans most likely want live variations as it's almost new material to the fan. Cheers!