Who Is Into Playing Covers

Session 5

Session 5

Ambassador of Strings & Wings
Country flag
Well I sure am. I enjoy playing covers not only for myself, but for others as well. People like to hear what they are used to musically. It gives me a lot of gratification, when I play songs that people know. And they are happy to listen to those songs they are familiar with.

Not knocking originals , but for me covers all the way, it takes work to learn covers, it has made me a much better player, you learn a lot. Since i started getting covers downloaded onto my Mp3, and started playing with the band, my learning has increased ten fold, now I have about 40 songs now and counting that I play to. Not to mention many other songs that I sing and play to.

Also I have done some paid gigs on my own. The music that I play are all covers, and the response from the public has been rewarding to me..
 
I like doing covers, but for a different reason. I like to try breaking down the song and figuring out how to play it. I guess that is the fun for me. I like the feeling I get when I figure it out.

I’ve even covered some songs done by a few of you guys.
 
All 100% valid points above, and I have "sort of" learned lots of songs. I played mostly acoustic guitar from about 1988 to 2003
basically the acoustic bonfire party catalog.

But I have to admit last twenty years i play more for myself so at least half my guitar time is working on my own things and lots of bits and pieces that never seem to fit together.

The other half is equally divided between 80's rock playalongs and mindless pentachronic noodling over backing tracks. Note zero percent of my time is spent on actual theory or technique / practice which is plainly evident!
I'm finding less time for guitar these past few years with a small business. I struggle just to keep weak callouses up.

I admire and envy people who have the capacity to learn covers note by note... I never had the patience for it... in my own bent mind it can sometimes feel like painting a picture someone already painted before (and way better than I ever could). But I know that's a wrong-headed way of thinking.
 
TVvoodoo said:
I admire and envy people who have the capacity to learn covers note by note... I never had the patience for it... in my own bent mind it can sometimes feel like painting a picture someone already painted before (and way better than I ever could). But I know that's a wrong-headed way of thinking.
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I know what you mean about a painting. I often improv my own solos and noodling live on covers. It's what gives me my creative control and a chance to just let loose and enjoy. When you do it mainly for fun....
Totally lets you go with the flow and be creative.
 
Robb said:
I have always learned and played covers in the bands throughout the years to be able to modify them to my likings and when we performed live people recognized us right away, never tried to reproduce the original version !
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That is the beauty of covers. You put your own twist to the song. Sometimes I like learning a song and making them “heavier.”
 
Well, our band only plays covers, so I do it a lot!

But, we also are not super-rigid about exactly matching the recorded version, either. So, I kind of get the best of both worlds. We do covers so we are playing tunes the crowd recognizes, but I have room to add my own twist to scratch the creative itch.

Sometimes, this comes down to solos. If I think solo is an iconic, highly recognizable feature of a song (or if I really like it), I will work to learn the original solo, or get very close to it. Otherwise, I'll often come up with my own as long as it is consistent with the vibe of the song.

We may also play songs that don't really have much of a forward guitar part, so I generally will comp some guitar part "in the pocket."

Like I said, it kind of touches both worlds.
 
Well the sore thumb oddball... I never played a cover cause soon as i got that first bass, was in a original band in 2 weeks & the song writing came natural. Can play them if i have to but wow do i feel something way dif rhythmically off the drums than usually what is there that majorly influences my timing.

1 benefit that is huge..i sound like me on bass-guitar-drums & that always gave us an original sound.Best compliment we always got was "you have your own sound"

No right hand strum pattern-cord selection ect burned into my memory...me P brain is an open musical platform -- when i practice..that looper is on standby... practicing technique-or theory usually leads to a new song.
 
I play now mostly covers. I am better at collaborating than flat out writing a song. I have been in bands where others members want you to bring a complete song or they don’t even want to waste time with it. My argument about that was I guess I’ll just play cowboy chords to the simple progression you brought me. Oh wait you want something cool on the guitar, oh you mean collaborate.
 
LiveeviL2000 said:
making them “heavier.”
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Absolutely. Pretty well all of them.
smitty_p said:
If I think solo is an iconic, highly recognizable feature of a song (or if I really like it), I will work to learn the original solo, or get very close to it. Otherwise, I'll often come up with my own as long as it is consistent with the vibe of the song.
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Same. Except I don't care overly about the vibe of the song, at times I just like to have a go at the guitar and the song is an excuse to do so. Is it self indulgent? Sure!
But for what we get paid I couldn't care less. I have never had anyone say I butchered a song by overplaying but I have had some compliments.
 
TVvoodoo said:
All 100% valid points above, and I have "sort of" learned lots of songs. I played mostly acoustic guitar from about 1988 to 2003
basically the acoustic bonfire party catalog.

But I have to admit last twenty years i play more for myself so at least half my guitar time is working on my own things and lots of bits and pieces that never seem to fit together.

The other half is equally divided between 80's rock playalongs and mindless pentachronic noodling over backing tracks. Note zero percent of my time is spent on actual theory or technique / practice which is plainly evident!
I'm finding less time for guitar these past few years with a small business. I struggle just to keep weak callouses up.

I admire and envy people who have the capacity to learn covers note by note... I never had the patience for it... in my own bent mind it can sometimes feel like painting a picture someone already painted before (and way better than I ever could). But I know that's a wrong-headed way of thinking.
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This: @TVvoodoo
"mindless pentachronic noodling over backing tracks. Note zero percent of my time is spent on actual theory or technique / practice which is plainly evident!"
 
LiveeviL2000 said:
Here’s a chart I saw.
View attachment 97765
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Really depends on the venue. In the few places I go the room would empty before you could order your next drink if a band started playing covers.

I, like most, started out playing covers. It is, as noted, a great learning tool when you are getting your chops. For a time I even played in a cover band, but it was precisely that experience that convinced me to never play covers again. Sure, I will sit down every once in a while and whip out a song I learned many years ago, but it's either to, a.) warm up with some noodling, or, b.) to play something that I know in the moment will make someone else laugh.
 
Like you say, in the few places you go, the room would empty before you order your next drink, if a band started playing covers. But then a again those are few places. The wide majority of people want to hear the music that's on the radio. They want to hear the music they grew up with.

When I go looking for a gig, the owner or management want to know the style of music I play Where I go, the bands or individuals do not play original songs , they all play covers.
 
Session 5 said:
Like you say, in the few places you go, the room would empty before you order your next drink, if a band started playing covers. But then a again those are few places. The wide majority of people want to hear the music that's on the radio. They want to hear the music they grew up with.

When I go looking for a gig, the owner or management want to know the style of music I play Where I go, the bands or individuals do not play original songs , they all play covers.
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I actively avoid places that have cover bands. Mostly, it's music I didn't like all that much when I was young anyway, and generally it's executed poorly.

There was this one bar I used to love to go when I lived in Redondo Beach but I would always have to go early and leave before 2PM because that's when the house cover band started up and ruined the vibe. I'd rather hear nothing than covers.
 
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