Journey - Don't Stop Believing, played in a 3-piece?

mpm32 · #1 11-16-2009, 01:46 PM

Thinking of adding Don't Stop Believing to out set list. But we're a 3-piece.

Anyone playing this tune as 3-piece, or without the keys?

I'm just trying to think how to arrange it.

I know it would go over well.

ric stave · #2 11-16-2009, 02:33 PM

Good song - and recent increased popularity because of the new "Glee" series - my band was playing a show a few weeks ago and a 15 yr old girl came up and requested it - I laughed, because I knew it was because of Glee that she knew and liked the song (she confirmed that on break...)

I've seen a local band do it gtr/bs/drums - wasn't very good. The 1st half is important as far as the keys go, after the band kicks in, not so much. If your gtr player can somehow work out the keys part on his axe, it might work.

dnarock · #3 11-16-2009, 02:37 PM

if you could find a way to sample the Keys it could work ?!

NickInMesa · #4 11-16-2009, 02:38 PM

Yes you can play it in a three piece but it works a bit better if the bass has some effects, like a Chorus, because you're going to play the repetitive bass phrase all along.

ric stave · #5 11-16-2009, 02:39 PM

Or sequence them - at least til the full band kicks in.

mpm32 · #6 11-16-2009, 02:43 PM

I was thinking he could play the 4ths that the keys play in the begining - maybe.

dnarock · #7 11-16-2009, 02:46 PM

any way you want it would be easier and still a rockin tune IMO

ric stave · #8 11-16-2009, 02:47 PM

But then he's gonna hafta give up that cool gtr riff 1/2 way thru....

stflbn · #9 11-16-2009, 02:52 PM

Could just backing track the piano and fade it after guitars come in.

MonetBass · #10 11-16-2009, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpm32

I was thinking he could play the 4ths that the keys play in the begining - maybe.

That's not 4ths. It's 3rds mostly, except for when the bass/guitar go to G#, then it's root-5th-octave (E-B-E to make the E Maj). No, IMO it wouldn't work without the keys at the beginning.

ric stave · #11 11-16-2009, 02:58 PM

B...B...B...A
E...F#.E...C#
B...B...B...B

B...B...B...A
E...F#.D#.C#
B...B...B...B

mpm32 · #12 11-16-2009, 02:58 PM

I was guessing at the 4ths, don't have the tune or a guitar here - at work. shhhh

My perfect pitch has always been off a half step.

I've seen dudes do it on an acoustic......

and now that you've said it wouldn't work I'm going to have to try it - lol

And he would stop for the guitar lick in the begining.

Any other ideas?

ric stave · #13 11-16-2009, 03:04 PM

I think you should try - I've done tons of songs as a 3-pc that most people wouldn't think could be done - of course, that eventually prompted me to buy more toys like synths and Taurus & Midi pedals, and sequencers and samplers.....

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpm32

I was guessing at the 4ths, don't have the tune or a guitar here - at work. shhhh

My perfect pitch has always been off a half step.

I've seen dudes do it on an acoustic......

and now that you've said it wouldn't work I'm going to have to try it - lol

And he would stop for the guitar lick in the begining.

Any other ideas?

jtrow · #14 11-17-2009, 10:45 PM

The guitar player in the band I'm in plays the intro, and he skips the guitar lick.(gasp)

The crowd loves it everytime.

walterw · #15 11-17-2009, 10:53 PM

the band i play guitar in does it 3-piece (with various guest, usually chick, singers); i do the piano part on fingerpicked guitar at the beginning, stick with it until the last four measures of the intro lead riffing where i jump over to that (gotta have that crescendo!), then back to the "piano" part. goes over like gangbusters, and once the actual guitar and drums part of the song kicks in, we're golden.

Craig_S · #16 11-17-2009, 10:57 PM

I'm so sick of singing that song. When we were three piece, we sequenced the keys. Now, we have a keyboard player.

troy mcclure · #17 11-18-2009, 06:43 AM

I have done it in a 3 piece.... Bass plays intro (main lick) guitar does the piano part abandons it for the build up. Play it after people have drank alot..drunks are pretty forgiving.

mpm32 · #18 11-18-2009, 08:16 AM

Cool thanks for the suggestions.

lancimouspitt · #19 11-18-2009, 08:37 AM

I herd the song at work last week and wondered how that would sound being tapped on my bass.
Not too bad.
It needs work though,and isn't a full translation of the piano part,but nonetheless I played it for a few people and they all said "hey I know that"!
Normaly after playing it twice they know.

trailer · #20 11-18-2009, 10:25 AM

We do it as a 3 piece and it kills. No keys, the guitarist does the intro and stuff. The main thing is to have a singer who can pull it off.
None of us were sure of how it would go over, now we're in the process of adding more Journey... Any way you want it, Stone in love etc.