Learning new (to you) cover songs

[Tman]

Sterling advice from all as usual. :)

 

I play in a covers band on Guitar and I've found this little site called Songsterr that quite literally breaks the songs down into their component parts with tab and it also plays along. It is a subscription service but I use it all the time as most of the functions for free users are enough. Even though I play guitar, it's incredible how much you can get from a song by looking at the bassline first.

 

Try i: http://www.songsterr.com/

 

Sterling advice indeed from all. These tid bits are exactly what I wanted to learn. Tabs are cumbersome and I'm much more auditory or a combination of visual and auditory rather than trying to "read" something. I may be adult ADD! Was the same for college and grad school for me. I'll check out this site. I've had a few ah-ha moments checking out the various resources and learning how to play a cover accurately. Also increases my armamentarium for ad-libbing.

[Californiaman]

Great advice thanks. Back in the day I used to slow down the albums from 33 1/3 to 16 and it would bring it down an octave. Learned Stairway's solo that way. What you're describing sounds to me like some CAGED theory as well, I think learning the arpeggios by rote would be good for me. I need to figure out how to loop mp3's on my computer.

Thanks

 

Focusing on the arpeggios is essential.

The D-C-G arpeggio pattern in Sweet Child of Mine by G-n-R is a good example.

[Shnate McDuanus]

Focusing on the arpeggios is essential.

The D-C-G arpeggio pattern in Sweet Child of Mine by G-n-R is a good example.

 

Agreed. Another example is the riff in CCR's "Up Around The Bend." The line is derived from a major arpeggio. They show up all over the place, for sure.

[Riffster]

Especially since it's actually done in open G!

 

I should have been more specific or clear, they show it as open G but tuned down half a step.

 

Not an actual C# tuning like some metal dudues use.

[surfpup]

I should have been more specific or clear, they show it as open G but tuned down half a step.

 

Not an actual C# tuning like some metal dudues use.

 

Gotcha. Just for fun I searched for tabs of that song and was surprised that most of them were in standard tuning. Seems to be you'd never get that to sound right. But what do I know?

[Tman]

Focusing on the arpeggios is essential.

The D-C-G arpeggio pattern in Sweet Child of Mine by G-n-R is a good example.

 

Thanks Californiaman. You know I learned Slash's intro part a long time ago but I never realized that that was what was going on from a theory standpoint. Makes so much more sense. How many times in life does only getting part of what's going on happen? Probably a lot for me

 

You know I've been playing the same scales since the 70's and can do them in my sleep but understanding arpeggios seems to be opening up a whole new world. Grasshopper moment ^_^

[LPguitarman]

I'm still (Stubborn) old school, "by ear." Just listen to it,

over and over, if/as needed, then I'll do what's been mentioned

above, with regard to finding the bass note, and/or basic chord

structure, then work out the more subtle stuff. I don't really

worry (too much) about replicating the sound, exactly..as I'll

never be the original artist, and I like to put my own "stamp"

on cover songs, anyway. If all else fails, then...I'll go to

Youtube (unless I'm totally unfamiliar with the song, to begin

with), and/or "Chordie," or some other on-line chord/tab sight.

 

It's fun, later...to go to the YouTube teachers, or even the original

artists videos, to see how close I came. If I'm Way Off (rarely), then

I'll learn it, their ("right") way.

 

CB

 

Everything the same except the "sound". I try to replicate the sound as much as possible.

Also, differing from NEO, I try to take on the leads.

[Riffster]

Gotcha. Just for fun I searched for tabs of that song and was surprised that most of them were in standard tuning. Seems to be you'd never get that to sound right. But what do I know?

 

I agree, I was listening to the Black Crows early this week and thought this song would be great to play, after listening to it a few times I knew there was something different about it but could not point it out and after looking it on songsterr.com I saw it was the tuning, of course there is a good tutorial by a guy on youtube.com but I had not seen that until now.

 

If played in standard tuning I would guess the shuffle/strumming part would sound more generic.

[surfpup]

 

If played in standard tuning I would guess the shuffle/strumming part would sound more generic.

 

Right. It would not be as fat. It's like playing a Keith Richards riff in standard tuning - it just doesn't have the same ooomph. The cool thing about open G is that you can play lead licks the same way you would in standard tuning as long as you stick to the D, G, and B strings (which are tuned as they are in standard). All your usual lick on those strings work. So in Jealous Again, you can tear up your G major pentatonic licks (AKA E minor pentatonic licks) to your heart's content. If you do move up to the high E string - just remember it's tuned to D now and move your notes up two frets. Pretty simple actually.

[Tman]

Right. It would not be as fat. It's like playing a Keith Richards riff in standard tuning - it just doesn't have the same ooomph. The cool thing about open G is that you can play lead licks the same way you would in standard tuning as long as you stick to the D, G, and B strings (which are tuned as they are in standard). All your usual lick on those strings work. So in Jealous Again, you can tear up your G major pentatonic licks (AKA E minor pentatonic licks) to your heart's content. If you do move up to the high E string - just remember it's tuned to D now and move your notes up two frets. Pretty simple actually.

 

It's funny that you mention that and really great points surfpup - our band Geezer play 3 Stones' songs and Jealous again. I've got my firebird (avatar) tuned to open G. When we played the Stones in the 70s the last time we were a band, I played it all in standard tuning (The Stones songs). Man what a difference. It actually sounds right now. To underscore the original points in the original post, I learned it all off of youtube.

[Californiaman]

Hope I'm not high-jacking this thread.

Open-G is great.

Rich Robinson also uses Open-F on Magic Rooster Blues.

Sounds cool on his Esquire.

Found that out on Ultimate Guitar Tabs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyFA7ZYFmNU&playnext=1&list=PL8D0BFCFFC55EE8F1&index=6

[Tman]

Hope I'm not high-jacking this thread.

Open-G is great.

Rich Robinson also uses Open-F on Magic Rooster Blues.

Sounds cool on his Esquire.

Found that out on Ultimate Guitar Tabs.

 

 

 

Hijack away! This year was the first where I've played an open tuning at a gig and what a difference. Yet again, this is the first year I've gigged in 20.

 

There have been a lot of great suggestions - So much so that a strategy for learning new songs has evolved:

 

• Listen to the songs ad nauseum
  
• Hum when you aren't listening
  
• Use youtube, other websites mentioned, and tabs knowing you must wade through some crap
  
• Listen and build around bass track, rythym and leads last
  
• Ask forum members if all else fails
  

 

The challenge is this: 3 of us played together from 1977-79 (me , the other guitar player and 2nd singer - the guy is phenomenal [youtube search geezer roxanne to hear him at our last gig] and the drummer). Main singer was in med school with me.

We all agreed to play the covers exactly like the agreed upon record and we only have 2 practices when we get together for the gig in Feb (singer's 50th birthday party, 200+ people coming).

14 brand new songs to us including: U2, Police, Led Zep, Los Lonely Boys, Steely, Def Leppard...........

 

I only have nights and weekends when my wife is studying to work on it.

Wish me luck and any further pearls of wisdom are definitely appreciated!

 

 

btw Californiaman, the Black Crowes are coming to Santa Barbara in early December to the Arlington. Already have my tickets.

[Pixel]

1. Charts the parts (verse, chorus etc) counting bars

 

2. Chart the chord progression uing Roman numeral system, since I transpose a lot.

 

3. Fill in with any riffs I am actually able to play. Ususally though I end up doing a reduction analysis to simplify accompaniment.

 

4. All the while, singing and playing along.

 

This changes though, depending on the song.

[Californiaman]

btw Californiaman, the Black Crowes are coming to Santa Barbara in early December to the Arlington. Already have my tickets.

 

Well if you already have them, chances are the rest are already gone.

I've been to the Arlington to see Dave Mathews and Natalie Merchant. Two great shows.

[Tman]

Well if you already have them, chances are the rest are already gone.

I've been to the Arlington to see Dave Mathews and Natalie Merchant. Two great shows.

 

 

Still available. Gonna be great!