Cowboy chords

[DanvillRob]

3 minutes ago, fortyearspickn said:

Agree.   I noodle through the basic cords for a song and find there is a note I can add to it with one finger somewhere that will support the melody.  Sometimes I find that jury-rigged contraption is actually a fancy chord.  

As long as you don't try to cobble up the opening chord to "Hard Day's Night"!

 

Edited March 14, 2022 by DanvillRob
Added a video of Hard Day's Night opening chord

[DanvillRob]

Here's a song I recorded at the urging of an old band-mate.

If you listen to Ricky Nelson's recording, they don't us the 7th chords...and it just didn't sound right to me without them, ('course I didn't have the Jordanaires backing me up either!).

Anyway, here is the video with the first page of the chart underneath:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[RBSinTo]

1 hour ago, DanvillRob said:

My charts are for my playing.... I probably don't do ANY song exactly the way it was written, nor exactly like someone else does it.... I do them the way I do them..... I do "Cheek To Cheek" WAY more differently than it is written....but I do it so it fits my style.   Also, I have to modify songs based on my hands ability to play them.... so there is that too.   I think you need to play the chords that are important to the song....the sheet music for songs is often, (usually?) NOT the way they're played.

DanvillRob,

I completely understand, and respect your musical philosophy.

I, on the other hand, never try to improvise, or change the music to any song I play. I always play them as written, or more to the point as recorded.

I'm even bothered when I hear live renderings of songs by the original artists that differ from their recorded versions. I don't ever remember hearing a different live version of a song that I preferred to the recorded version.

That's just me.

RBSinTo

 

[DanvillRob]

1 hour ago, RBSinTo said:

DanvillRob,

I completely understand, and respect your musical philosophy.

I, on the other hand, never try to improvise, or change the music to any song I play. I always play them as written, or more to the point as recorded.

I'm even bothered when I hear live renderings of songs by the original artists that differ from their recorded versions. I don't ever remember hearing a different live version of a song that I preferred to the recorded version.

That's just me.

RBSinTo

 

I understand....I just feel for the artists who have to perform the same songs over and over and over....if they did them the same every time, they'd probably go nuts!

When I record a song, I try to listed to as many variations of it as I can find....even bad ones..... For instance, the song I just posted, Lonesome Town, has several arrangements....and I didn't like any of them...NONE of them held up the Ricky Nelson's original version....some had good music, and the singing sucked, and some had good singing and the music sucked.   I feel my arrangement was good (for me) on both ends.

 

[merciful-evans]

3 hours ago, DanvillRob said:

Here's a song I recorded at the urging of an old band-mate.

If you listen to Ricky Nelson's recording, they don't us the 7th chords...and it just didn't sound right to me without them, ('course I didn't have the Jordanaires backing me up either!).

Anyway, here is the video with the first page of the chart underneath:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nice

[Whitefang]

Nice Fedora too.

Whitefang

[merciful-evans]

I got sacked once for refusing to play it 'like the record'. I had joined the band about 2 weeks previously. Well they had another guitarist anyway.

I always improvise solos and re-arrange songs as I see fit. If you copy someone, you can only shoot for 2nd best. I love to hear artists change song arrangements. Its like getting something extra for free. 

[Whitefang]

41 minutes ago, merciful-evans said:

I got sacked once for refusing to play it 'like the record'. I had joined the band about 2 weeks previously. Well they had another guitarist anyway.

I always improvise solos and re-arrange songs as I see fit. If you copy someone, you can only shoot for 2nd best. I love to hear artists change song arrangements. Its like getting something extra for free. 

I got into those arguments before.  And my look at it is....

A working band finds more success(read:"gigs") if they give the audience what it wants.  And if it's playing songs "like the record" then so be it.

I can see how it gets tempting to put your own stamp on something you play night after night, over and over just to break the monotony,  but then too, if the musicianship needed to play a certain tune "like the record" is a challenge, then why intentionally wimp out?    And yes, I don't mind,  and in fact LOVE it when an artist throws some changes into arrangements.  But usually if it's the original artist. 

Whitefang

[Sgt. Pepper]

Is there a Rhinestone Cowboy Chord?

What chord would the cowboy from The Village People play? It wouldn’t be a straight chord.

Edited March 14, 2022 by Sgt. Pepper

[Californiaman]

DanvillRob,

Nice work on that lonesome tune.

[RBSinTo]

4 hours ago, merciful-evans said:

I got sacked once for refusing to play it 'like the record'. I had joined the band about 2 weeks previously. Well they had another guitarist anyway.

I always improvise solos and re-arrange songs as I see fit. If you copy someone, you can only shoot for 2nd best. I love to hear artists change song arrangements. Its like getting something extra for free. 

merciful-evans,

Unless you are playing songs that you have written, even if you alter someone else's work, are you not, to some extent, "copying" it?

RBSinTo

[fortyearspickn]

6 hours ago, merciful-evans said:

I got sacked once for refusing to play it 'like the record'. I had joined the band about 2 weeks previously. Well they had another guitarist anyway.

I always improvise solos and re-arrange songs as I see fit. If you copy someone, you can only shoot for 2nd best. I love to hear artists change song arrangements. Its like getting something extra for free. 

If I had a nickel for every time I heard a cover I liked more than the original, I’d be able to afford gas.   

[Larsongs]

I play in Cover Bands that play just like the Records including the same Keys…

I also play in Bands that transpose to find the Vocalists voice & make their own Arrangements.. 

I also play in Bands that play Originals…

I like doing it all as long as the Performances are top notch….

[merciful-evans]

12 hours ago, RBSinTo said:

merciful-evans,

Unless you are playing songs that you have written, even if you alter someone else's work, are you not, to some extent, "copying" it?

RBSinTo

Perhaps. I prefer to think of it as making use of someone else's material in a way that allows self expression. 

[merciful-evans]

16 hours ago, Whitefang said:

I got into those arguments before.  And my look at it is....

A working band finds more success(read:"gigs") if they give the audience what it wants.  And if it's playing songs "like the record" then so be it.

I can see how it gets tempting to put your own stamp on something you play night after night, over and over just to break the monotony,  but then too, if the musicianship needed to play a certain tune "like the record" is a challenge, then why intentionally wimp out?    And yes, I don't mind,  and in fact LOVE it when an artist throws some changes into arrangements.  But usually if it's the original artist. 

Whitefang

I cant disagree. But none of the tunes Blown Out cover are challenging. The only song I can think of where that might have applied (for our bassist) was Ghost Town. He wanted to nail the bassline as per the record, though we ended up dropping that tune anyway. 

The most challenging music I've ever had to do was in Vinyl Frontiers. That was a jazz band. I was the only one there that couldn't sight read. They did all the time, except of course for the solos & that is the crux of it.

It is considered unacceptable in jazz to copy a solo or repeat a solo. You are expected to improvise. So that is the polar opposite attitude of 'doing it like the record'. 

The audience is important, but so are we. Improvisation is what I do and what I'm in it for. In 25 years no one has ever complained about how we play. Nor has anything like that ever been reported to us. 

If you want it like the record, then why not stay home and listen to the record?

[zigzag]

On 3/14/2022 at 9:16 AM, RBSinTo said:

However, it is a really nice sounding chord despite never having been played by any cowboy.

Except Bob Wills.

 

[Whitefang]

1 hour ago, merciful-evans said:

 

The audience is important, but so are we. Improvisation is what I do and what I'm in it for. In 25 years no one has ever complained about how we play. Nor has anything like that ever been reported to us. 

If you want it like the record, then why not stay home and listen to the record?

My ex used to serve drinks in a place( called "Drinks" Ha!)   that had live bands.  She told me several bands she liked were never asked back by management due to patrons complaining about them not sounding "like the records".  And the only band that was a "regular"(meaning frequent returns) was Toby Redd.  Who's only cover was the Who's "My Generation", which they did THEIR way(and not a bad way at that) their own"post punk"/"new wave" style.  Nobody there complained then.  But I never had an issue with bar bands not sounding like the record.  Coming from a (barely) third rate basement band i had no room to make that kind of demand.  And just for the record(no pun intended)  An example of Toby Redd(pre their Chad Smith days)----

Whitefang

[DanvillRob]

20 hours ago, merciful-evans said:

Nice

Thanks.

[DanvillRob]

19 hours ago, Whitefang said:

Nice Fedora too.

Whitefang

Thanks, I started wearing hats because my doctor said I'll keep getting those danged little cancer spots on my face if I didn't wear a brimmed out outside.   When I'm playing, I wear different hats to help me find the videos on my phone.

[DanvillRob]

15 hours ago, Californiaman said:

DanvillRob,

Nice work on that lonesome tune.

Thanks.... our old keyboard player contacted me and said he thought the song would be good for me....I think he was right....most Ricky Nelson songs aren't difficult....but they are challenging to get 'right'.

[DanvillRob]

13 hours ago, fortyearspickn said:

If I had a nickel for every time I heard a cover I liked more than the original, I’d be able to afford gas.   

Maybe this week...but probably not next week!   I bought gas for the wife's car at $5.70/gallon for regular.   The next day I went to the same station to fill up my truck, (it takes premium), and regular was $5.80/gallon.    A few days later, went back with the wife's car and it was $6.00/gallon!   Just in the span of a couple of days!     Heading out in the motor home tomorrow....can anyone loan me some cash?

[DanvillRob]

11 hours ago, Larsongs said:

I play in Cover Bands that play just like the Records including the same Keys…

I also play in Bands that transpose to find the Vocalists voice & make their own Arrangements.. 

I also play in Bands that play Originals…

I like doing it all as long as the Performances are top notch….

Guess you're like my Brother-In-Law....I think he plays in 4 different bands!

[merciful-evans]

4 hours ago, Whitefang said:

My ex used to serve drinks in a place( called "Drinks" Ha!)   that had live bands.  She told me several bands she liked were never asked back by management due to patrons complaining about them not sounding "like the records".  And the only band that was a "regular"(meaning frequent returns) was Toby Redd.  Who's only cover was the Who's "My Generation", which they did THEIR way(and not a bad way at that) their own"post punk"/"new wave" style.  Nobody there complained then.  But I never had an issue with bar bands not sounding like the record.  Coming from a (barely) third rate basement band i had no room to make that kind of demand.  And just for the record(no pun intended)  An example of Toby Redd(pre their Chad Smith days)----

Whitefang

I liked that. Its not my taste in music at all, but that makes my enjoyment of it more significant. Wonderful rhythms.

[Whitefang]

As my ex worked nights(of course) I'd be home with the kids when she worked.  I'd manage to get there whenever Toby Redd was there, and after original drummer Chris left I managed to sneak my camera in, loaded with fast film and got a few good shots of Chad when he took over the drummer spot.  Some years later I was surprised to find him drumming for the Chili Peppers. 

Whitefang

[Retired]

On 3/12/2022 at 11:30 PM, Larsongs said:

A lot of Blues Players Open Tune their Guitars.. Like Open “E”..  Bar Chords are easy.. Get a Slide, a Harmonica & Neck Brace…. Start wailing all your troubles & make some noise on that Guitar, add some Slide & blow some Harmonica! Do it with Soul & that’s the Blues… 

Maybe I should have made a New Years resolution with my slide Lol. Way back I started to learn Joe Walsh's "Rocky Mountain Woman."  That was when I was signed up to guitar tricks. As much as my wife does with her quilting, (buying material and stuff for sewing and signing up for classes and all,) I've been thinking of signing up again. During that time, I played the most, many times, 5 to 8 hours a day. Always wanted to learn the slide better.  Thanks!