Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

So my drummer is grounded... for a long time


Silenced Fred

Recommended Posts

Other than BOTB, I doubt I am going to get many shows with him because I am moving over the summer probably to Colorado.

 

Acoustic stuff has always been the main stuff I wrote, so I'm going to go out, put it on the line and just play.

 

In addition to the originals I have which can be found on my soundcloud (plus I have a few more that aren't recorded), I was looking for suggestions of covers.

 

So far, i have:

 

Right before my eyes- Cage the elephant

When the night comes - Dan Auerbach (I cried the first time I heard it, great song)

One Wing- Wilco

The Weary Kind - From the movie Crazy Heart with Jeff Bridges

Jolene - White Stripes

 

Any ideas for cool songs people might know, or kind of along the lines of the songs I posted?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Other than BOTB, I doubt I am going to get many shows with him because I am moving over the summer probably to Colorado.

 

Acoustic stuff has always been the main stuff I wrote, so I'm going to go out, put it on the line and just play.

 

In addition to the originals I have which can be found on my soundcloud (plus I have a few more that aren't recorded), I was looking for suggestions of covers.

 

So far, i have:

 

Right before my eyes- Cage the elephant

When the night comes - Dan Auerbach (I cried the first time I heard it, great song)

One Wing- Wilco

The Weary Kind - From the movie Crazy Heart with Jeff Bridges

Jolene - White Stripes

 

Any ideas for cool songs people might know, or kind of along the lines of the songs I posted?

 

 

along these lines, try "have you ever seen the rain" by creedence.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If I was gonna cover a song I wouldn't pick a recent song from popular artists like that.

 

I would go for really cool obscure songs that don't necessarily fit your style 100% so that you can change them and make it your own style. If you're just going to play a cover and try to sound like the recording, I for one don't want to listen to that. That's really lame. IMO it's not enough to just play something and have it sound like you because you're playing it. You have to do something creative.

 

It's hard to be creative while covering an artist that's a big influence on your style. You get stuck just copying them and don't have much room to change anything.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well...

 

Almost all my gigs are more or less as you suggest - but not covering the whole evening, so I can get picky as to what I'd do in 15-90 minutes depending on the venue.

 

But for a 3-hour solo gig? That's a different game.

 

Right now, given only a few months to summer and Colorado, were I you I'd start a list of stuff I have pretty well nailed, then a second list of stuff I think I could do pretty easily in terms of guitar/voice in a key and sound I like. Then a third list of stuff I'm not sure about, but can find lyrics for.

 

The practice sessions can run with a start of stuff you pretty well know, just to get the muscle memory down pat.

 

Then try list 2 in some different keys and even playing style if you want. Maybe mess with 2-4 per night practice session. Some just will feel good and some won't. Drop the "won't" for a while or put them on list 3.

 

List 3 - try one or two a night. Odd are that with 6-8 per week you'll find one that just sorta works and 3-7 that may work some day, but would take more effort than you wanna put into it en route to that first 3-hour gig.

 

In my case, some would be instrumental, some with vocal; then a "can do list" that would switch into a "good for this particular gig" list.

 

Also, I wouldn't be afraid of some sort of a cheat sheet with lyrics and songlist on a music stand on paper or computer... The "on paper' can also give an excuse to use a light of some sort that also can shine on the solo player... you.

 

Then too, do you wanna do a longer gig standing, on a stool, on a chair? Do you practice more or less for whatever you've decided and have equipment ready to handle it?

 

m

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If I was gonna cover a song I wouldn't pick a recent song from popular artists like that.

 

I would go for really cool obscure songs that don't necessarily fit your style 100% so that you can change them and make it your own style. If you're just going to play a cover and try to sound like the recording, I for one don't want to listen to that. That's really lame. IMO it's not enough to just play something and have it sound like you because you're playing it. You have to do something creative.

 

It's hard to be creative while covering an artist that's a big influence on your style. You get stuck just copying them and don't have much room to change anything.

 

 

+1 on that.

 

Try stripped down versions of:

 

Just wait, by Blues Traveler

I'd love to change the world, by Ten years after

Name, Goo Goo Dolls

New Mother Nature, by the Guess Who

Sweet Jane, by Mott the Hoople

Tomorrow, by Silver Chair

It's been awhile, by Staind

Stuck in the middle with you, by Steelers Wheel

Deep inside of you, by Third Eye Blind

Something in the air, by Thunderclap Newman

Feelin' alright, by Traffic

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPEWwZ7o57I

 

Sorry for this one, but he did strip it down to basic acoustic.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YdT7fE6xpw&feature=related

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Like Dub-T said, look for something obscure to put in the mix. And definitely try to mix up the years a little more. Specially if you're doing acoustic stuff, you audience will be of mixed ages. Also, in the last few years, I've been noticing the younger the crowd the more eclectic the set list needs to be.

 

Kids Today, with their Ipods and Satellite radios, always playing guitar hero and file sharing. They have much broader taste in music than just ten years ago, so expect shouts out like, "Wish You Were Here" or "Maggie May".

 

The scene in Colorado is happening so the bar there is pretty high. Bring your A Game.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If I was gonna cover a song I wouldn't pick a recent song from popular artists like that.

 

I would go for really cool obscure songs that don't necessarily fit your style 100% so that you can change them and make it your own style. If you're just going to play a cover and try to sound like the recording, I for one don't want to listen to that. That's really lame. IMO it's not enough to just play something and have it sound like you because you're playing it. You have to do something creative.

 

It's hard to be creative while covering an artist that's a big influence on your style. You get stuck just copying them and don't have much room to change anything.

 

Yeah, I mean I am working on songs like that, but as Milod said, acoustic shows draw a more diverse audience, and I don't want to have people going wtf the whole time I'm up there. I mean any song I play sounds like me

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The reason I wrote what I did wasn't a matter of "do this song" as much as "plan a program with material you're comfortable with."

 

"Plan-a-program" probably is the magic word. I don't care if it's a solo or band gig, it's vital.

 

In ways, planning probably is more important for a solo gig because it can be easier to bore an audience if a lotta stuff is in the same general style of playing and singing and the same general key and rhythm.

 

And that's if you're exceptionally talented and skilled.

 

I personally don't even recognize most of the song suggestions, but frankly I figure that's almost at the point of being peripheral for much more than a 10-minute solo gig: The important thing is to plan an entertaining program. Period.

 

Leo Kottke, for example, has a super sense of odd, off the wall humor that makes his solo gigs far better than "just" a very talented guitarist/singer/songwriter. I'm not saying "copy Leo," but you might gain something by watching some of his stuff on Youtube when it gets into some patter between songs.

 

m

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest FarnsBarns

That is almost impressively bad...

 

I don't actually know what that means. Obviously it means he's failing school but what is GPA?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...