freak show Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 When a person has guitars lying around and company comes over, the question is often: "Could you play something?" When I get asked that, I always grab an acoustic -- after much protest -- and play some acoustic Blues. There are a few songs I can pretty much always play without embarrassing myself too much. So what do you people play for company? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfpup Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 So what do you people play for company? If it's an acoustic, I'll likely improvise fingerpicking. If I feel like singing, I'll do some John Prine probably. My wife has her favorites from my acoustic song list, so she will sometimes make a suggestion. If it's an electric, I'll usually go for some blues rock riffage - probably based around the old E7#9 chord. I too generally try to avoid those... "Play us something" moments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 I'll usually play some blues/rock riff in E to start out. Maybe I'll do the "Who Do You Love" thing. If kids are around I like to do some Sponge Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 A bit of Travis picking always impresses Freight Train, Streets of London, Cannonball Rag :blink: V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bschory Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 It depends on who's over and what they like. Closer friends often want to hear something I've been working on, so I'll mess around a bit with my newer ideas. For most I try to figure out something they'll know. "Hotel California" is usually a safe bet. "Hook" by Blues Traveler is fun, but usually requires me to go digging for my harmonica holder and trying to remember how to play the thing (badly, at best, but it gets the job done). In most cases I like to go for something simple where I mostly strum some chords and let people sing along. - B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilpanda Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 with my guests, summer of 69 is pretty much always played. I like to play more upbeat music. Im currently working on Jerry's Breakdown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krock Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 I normally do guess the tune, so I might do some gnr, rhcp, blink 182, biffy clyro, deep purple (im working on the solo from smoke on the water), lynyrd skynyrd, michael jackson. just random riffs that I know. Makes it more fun if you make them think about what you are playing. i might also give them a blast of a new song im working on, but i hate playing to familt. they always ask wats the difference between playing to us and to a group of people when on a stage. personally i feel the differnce is you arent so worried about humiliating yourself and you have more fun on stage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookieman15061 Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 If the acoustic is handy its gotta be something I'm pretty familiar with. The Beatles Blackbird always impresses or Here Comes The Sun. On electric I would probably just do some rockabilly warmup stuff I use as finger exercises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 . Acoustic . . . . Van Morrison, CCR, . . . . their stuff covers quite a wide range of music turf (along with some recent popular artists - it's the old gigger in me). Of course when requests start coming, it can get messy. If it's electric, I find most want to get their hair blown back - so I crank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad1 Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 On acoustic I usually play Over the Hills and Far Away by Led Zep. On electric I usually play some blues stuff that I have made up. Or I just take off on a riff or lead and improvise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilpanda Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 . Acoustic . . . . Van Morrison haha I played brown eyed girl at my uncles house, we were all singin along! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 I always Play Stairway to heaven and then follow that up with guitar part of the dueling banjo theme. More honestly I don't really like to play for friends and family when were just sitting around to much, strangely enough it's really the only time I get kind of embarrassed. If it's the holidays or if others are singing christmas songs then it's fine I'll play all night. But when friends that are not musicians are just looking at me I usually go to a few songs I know without question. Usually when I pick the guitar up I do the intro to Layla just because I like it. The first song I play whenever somebody asks if I'm playing acoustic or even if I sit down with a new guitar is "She Talks to Angels" by the Black Crows, I love the song and it really tells me how a guitar is going to sing after that if there still asking I play Romeo and Juliet from Dire Straits then "I'm Yours" and/or "If it Kills Me" from Jason Mraz or even "I hope I don't fall in love with you" from Tom Waits With the electric which is rarer since I usually don't like to play electric sitting with friends, I actually start with "Mary Janes Last Dance" or "Saving Grace" from Tom Petty and then usually "Mainstreet" by Bob Seger or "Shooting Star" from Bad Company then they have to pick something. The theme behind all of these songs is that I can get through them with my gravely whiskey voice without embarrassing myself too bad since friends and family always want me to sing also, which I am not fond of doing. If they want more than that than they better be paying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstMeasure Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 I'll pick up the guitar (usually acoustic) and draw a total blank. After a minute of asking for requests I'll do Zeps "Tangerine" or Floyd's "Wish You Were Here". I'm not usually the only musician around when that happens so it ends up in the Band Room at full electric volume playing FM Staples 'till dawn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damian Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Originals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAS44 Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Usually with my family we have to do The Weight, a love of The Band being a common feature in my family. Everyone singing it horribly off key, good times good times. Other than that I might throw in blackbird if someone decides to sing for me. Generally I go with improvisation over a backing track I'll put on my looper pedal, it never runs dry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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