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Guys Who Only Play Covers: What Happened?
- Thread starter matante
- Start date
These guys covered pretty much everything I wanted to say about your silly theory, so a huge +1 to them.
The vast majority of people who take up any instrument have no intention of being composers or making original music. They do so to have fun or make money.
Think again. I don't know a single bass player (of the dozens I know) who ever thought he would be a rock star performing his own music.
I am a bass player to play in a cover band. That was my goal from the start. I have written originals, and we perform them, but that is not our emphasis. We only perform one or two a night. I am a bass player to make money, which is something you don't do writing originals, unless you are the top 1/10th of a percent, and even then, most of the originals are written by the singer and/or guitarist, not the bass player.
Your entire thesis is entirely ridiculous, actually.
I say play what you want to play, as long as you're having fun and not prostituting yourself. But the underlying current of "writing original music is pointless" in some of these posts is REALLY bizarre. You guys do know that you need to have original music to cover, right? Unless you're cool with playing the same songs for the rest of your life (and you can find people willing to listen), someone's going to need to write some new stuff.
It's not pointless, I'm just not interested. I like division of labor. Let producers or songwriters or even originals bands write it, then let me play it.
I once played in an originals band that expected me to be around and participate while they wrote songs by jamming. It was a good band, but that part of being in it was very very boring to me.
You know, I don't think it was the OP's intention to make this another cover vs. originals debate. Maybe his original post made too many assumptions, but if you read it to ask why and how those who play original music decide to transition to playing covers only, it's a legitimate question.
I do have a question for you die-hard cover players who have never desired to play originals. Other than maybe adding some flavor and personal touches to an existing bass line in a cover tune (intentionally or unintentionally), does this mean that you've never actually written an original bass line before? It's a serious question as it's so different from my experience, I'm curious about the answer.
I do have a question for you die-hard cover players who have never desired to play originals. Other than maybe adding some flavor and personal touches to an existing bass line in a cover tune (intentionally or unintentionally), does this mean that you've never actually written an original bass line before? It's a serious question as it's so different from my experience, I'm curious about the answer.
I've written original basslines, I just don't care to try (pointlessly) to make a living from it. The money is in covers. Bars don't hire original bands, and since they are my customer, they get what they want.
I was in an originals band once and most of the basslines were pre writtem. Of course I added a touch of 'me' to them. Only one song did I actually write my own bassline to and it was decent. I did some extensive time in NYC studios back in the 80's so I have a LOT of experience in playing what's written or having freedom to come up with working basslines. Did a lot of it. Taught me a lot as well. I love covering songs though.
Stewie26 said:
How is that analogous? What if his response is that he didn't have the resources, knowledge, skills, or drive to start his own business? Would that be the same answer as to why you play covers? What if he said he tried but failed at his own business? Would that prove something? What if he's a fireman and not a businessman? What if he said that working for someone else was a risk free endeavor -- the easy way out --and he didn't have enough creative energy or guts to start his own business? All parallel to you?
IMO its about the status of the live music scene and money. People in cover bands can get gigs playing bars, outdoor fairs, car shows, weddings, birthdays, etc. When I was in New Orleans almost all the bars on Bourbon Street had cover bands in them. People like to hear music they know. Originals are a harder sell for gatherings like that because people don't really know what they are going to get.
[The following is completely subjective opinion]
My person feeling is that there is also a generational problem. When ever I see live bands playing at public venues, they are always playing the same tired old stuff from the 60's and 70's that they've been playing since then. By and large its decaying baby boomers that just won't live up to the fact that they are old but still want to dictate what is considered music people "want to listen to." Since no one is interested in writing warmed over area rock from then, were stuck with a bunch of bands that are forced to learn old standards.
Also, and this again is just an opinion, its much easier. Think about it: I can go torrent any song ever written, Google any song ever written for tabs, and learn it in about a half an hour. No learning by ear, no buy books, just instant rock star. It actually takes time and effort to write a song. Maybe a little bit of talent and skill too. Why bother? Everything else in American culture is just a rewarmed second helping of something someone else has already done (I'm talking to you Hollywood!!) why bother inventing new music if it doesn't pay?
[The following is completely subjective opinion]
My person feeling is that there is also a generational problem. When ever I see live bands playing at public venues, they are always playing the same tired old stuff from the 60's and 70's that they've been playing since then. By and large its decaying baby boomers that just won't live up to the fact that they are old but still want to dictate what is considered music people "want to listen to." Since no one is interested in writing warmed over area rock from then, were stuck with a bunch of bands that are forced to learn old standards.
Also, and this again is just an opinion, its much easier. Think about it: I can go torrent any song ever written, Google any song ever written for tabs, and learn it in about a half an hour. No learning by ear, no buy books, just instant rock star. It actually takes time and effort to write a song. Maybe a little bit of talent and skill too. Why bother? Everything else in American culture is just a rewarmed second helping of something someone else has already done (I'm talking to you Hollywood!!) why bother inventing new music if it doesn't pay?
BINGO! That sums it up!
Well, you must be a better musician than me! I was in a YES tribute band that played their 70's material, and it took me much more time than that to learn all of the bass parts and also learn Squire's contrapuntal harmony vocals. I had to practice and practice and practice until I finally got it and could play all of those bass notes and sing those vocal lines at the same time.
Of course, if you are talking about the basic three chord bar band material, then I agree with what you said.
If you really look at the song structure of you typical rock standards they are pretty simple. Hey Joe has I think one or two riffs, same with Another One Bites the Dust. People like simple things they can remember, so is the riffs are too complex they won't stick. Plus, I've heard some of those songs so many times its not that hard.
Compared to learning something like Iron Maiden, Tool, or Opeth early rock standards are a breeze.
Compared to learning something like Iron Maiden, Tool, or Opeth early rock standards are a breeze.
I've written plenty of original basslines. As I've said my band does a number of our own arrangements of others music. And I do mean completely new arrangements, not just "let's repeat the chorus here" or "play an 8 bar solo instead of 4" kinds of things. That often means chucking the original line or inventing one since the original was a piano only ballad.
I humbly suggest you've never learned how to properly learn to cover a song.
It's far more than just learning your part and doing it right takes time. It takes us several hours spread over several weeks to get a moderately difficult song performance ready (and no one is a slouch musically).
Stupidest thread ever-
#1- original poster you are a complete idiot.
#2- bass is generally not the easiest instrument to compose a song on, there a few exceptions like Jaco and Steve Harris, but most folks don't write original music on bass- The best you can do is come up with a really cool bassline and then write the song around it- ala John Deacon- Another one Bites the Dust (although some would say that is a cover of Good Times by the great Bernard Edwards)
#3- How would you learn the instrument If you don't take the time to learn some recognizable songs?
#4- I play covers and constantly change up how I play the bass on them, via my own fills and being creative.
#1- original poster you are a complete idiot.
#2- bass is generally not the easiest instrument to compose a song on, there a few exceptions like Jaco and Steve Harris, but most folks don't write original music on bass- The best you can do is come up with a really cool bassline and then write the song around it- ala John Deacon- Another one Bites the Dust (although some would say that is a cover of Good Times by the great Bernard Edwards)
#3- How would you learn the instrument If you don't take the time to learn some recognizable songs?
#4- I play covers and constantly change up how I play the bass on them, via my own fills and being creative.
