Guys Who Only Play Covers: What Happened?

[JonnyAngle]

Is easy to average several hundred dollars per person on a cover gig. Its easy to average nothing on an originals gig. Ymmv

 

[Bert Slide]

"A society made up of individuals who were all capable of original thought would probably be unendurable."
H. L. Mencken

 

[boristhespider9]

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.

Actually, I think this post completely misses the point of the OP.

 

[socialleper]

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).

Suggest all you want; you've never seen me play or know what my experience is. I'm not a musical genius, but some lines are just stupidly easy.
Popular songs have basic structure, simple riffs and people like it because of that. Some popular covers are very basic and getting the tools to learn them is, while technically illegal, super easy to do. That was my point to the OP.
Writing new music takes more time and effort, plus it doesn't pay well. That was my other point.

 

[socialleper]

Is easy to average several hundred dollars per person on a cover gig. Its easy to average nothing on an originals gig. Ymmv

+1 to this
In LA it will cost you to play originals if you want to play the big Sunset clubs.

 

[Brad Johnson]

I don't, and please don't assume that I consider playing covers to be a bad or undesirable thing. I'm only being realistic in the way the vast majority of us picked up the instrument and am curious as to how and why our intentions with the instrument change over time.

"So my question to you 'cover guys' is, what happened? At what point and why did you give up on making your own music?"

Okay... if you say so.


The idea that playing covers equals something is fairly naive. As if there's no room for expression within that "box".

Coltrane played "My Favorite Things". Just like they sang it in the movie.

 

[zarah825]

I don't know if anyone has brought this up but
What about bands that have "tour-only" members? Which are often bassists? Where would that fall on the spectrum?

 

[Brad Johnson]

All of the above goes without saying. There's a big difference between playing covers to improve your skills and saying that your ultimate goal as a musician is to play covers.



I still remember what it was like to be a 15 year-old and buying my first bass. No one I knew who played electric guitar, bass, or drums, would have said back then that their reason for playing and practicing was to someday be in a bar band that plays covers. But yeah, if you guys say differently, so be it.

But I don't mean that in a bad way. Dom would be proud.

 

[Brad Johnson]

The simple rebuttal: Mustang Sally, Brown Eyed Girl, Play That Funky Music White Boy

Yes, because those are clearly mandatory, as is playing them note for note.

It was a very simple rebuttal indeed.

 

[Brad Johnson]

If you think not every dancer wants to be a choreographer, you haven't met many dancers. Ditto with actors. They ALL want to write/direct. But I get your point.



For the record, I didn't say that, and I don't believe anyone else said that either.

I must say that the level of reading comprehension displayed in this thread has been very disappointing. Half the people who replied didn't even understand the question.

I'd have to agree with the last observation. Nothing new though.

 

[Brad Johnson]

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.

Wouldn't that still be "giving up"?


That's my issue with the OP. It's an oversimplification, a gross one at that. And it assumes that the initial goal in general was creating new music, otherwise what would people have been giving up according to him? Even being a rockstar doesn't require being a composer. Particularly on bass.

Very poorly worded OP basicially. IMO and all that.


Here it is again:

I have a hard time believing that someone who decides to buy an electric bass and learn how to play it does so with the intention of only playing covers.

I can imagine people who want to play the violin, cello, even the piano, with no desire to make their own music, but electric bass guitar? I doubt it. (Please correct me if I'm wrong.)

There are a lot of guys on talkbass who only play covers and don't seem to have any interest whatsoever in making their own music. A lot of guys also seem to enter every discussion, whether it's about amps, strings, or basses, with the assumption that the intended use is to play covers.

So my question to you 'cover guys' is, what happened? At what point and why did you give up on making your own music?

The very first sentence is problematic. And I guess I missed all of the gear related discussion that assumed that the gear would only be used for covers. That's priceless.

"What's the best amp to get for gigging? Well, since you'll probably be playing "Mustang Sally in the original key..."

Nope, haven't seen it.

 

[Brad Johnson]

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?

Because it equates "only playing covers" with being a worker vs. a job creator. It's actually a good analogy IMO.

The rest of what you wrote to easily fit that profile.

 

[Brad Johnson]

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.

I'd hope that's not true as far as the best that can be done.

 

[Brad Johnson]

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?

You really should fix how this is written because as is it's a load of nonsense. Laughably so.

You obviously mean simple chord structure songs with very basic time, no syncopation, etc. Right?


I'm just imagining what your renditions will be, based on tab alone, no learning by ear (which includes simply listening to the actual song), etc.

 

[boristhespider9]

Because it equates "only playing covers" with being a worker vs. a job creator. It's actually a good analogy IMO.

The rest of what you wrote to easily fit that profile.

Uhhh....yea, I understood what it was trying to imply, but it's not an accurate analogy and the responses undercut the argument.

So, are all the cover band players cubicle dwelling plebeians and the original bands business owners?

 

[Brad Johnson]

Uhhh....yea, I understood what it was trying to imply, but it's not an accurate analogy and the responses undercut the argument.

So, are all the cover band players cubicle dwelling plebeians and the original bands business owners?

They are, as I already stated, "worker vs. a job creator". So no, they don't undercut that argument. Everyone who works at a job doesn't dwell in a cube but they do work for that job. Every business creator who has employees has created a job.

And everyone in originals bands don't necessarily create... they often play the music that someone else wrote. In that regard you're still a "worker".

 

[Akami]

Kind of ironic that this topic has already been hashed numerous times, and this one can actually be considered to be a "cover."

Touché!

I hate everything I come up with. The few things I've liked enough to actually complete still suck. I'd love to join a collaborative effort with a band or another musician but after looking around in this town it just wasn't happening.

This is why I've long thought that I'd rather get to play a song I like and let it become flavored by my interpretive processes than to play a song I wrote and am embarrassed of.
Too little shame with some musicians thinking that if they wrote it, we should like it because "It's original man".

Are you kidding? Just because you can play an instrument doesn't mean that you can create good music. A great mechanic may not be able to design a car from scratch.

There are only a small % of musicians that have the ability to create great music. Original songs - sure - tons of people write "music" - but does anyone want to listen to them? You know the answer. Creating a great, memorable song is a true work of art.

I really appreciate great art, but I can't create it.

Being able to reproduce great musical art created by a musical genius gives me great pride and feeling of accomplishment. I don't need to be able to write a song to be able to really enjoy playing bass.

In addition, I like playing out for audiences. What do most of them want to hear and dance to?? Songs that they KNOW.

Take a great cover, and make it your own and still recognizable - that the way to go unless you have that special talent

I wish I'd written this post because it is virtually perfect. Even songs I learned while playing along with the original change noticeably after I've had my hands on them for much more than a week or two.

 

[Flabass]

I've only played covers my entire bass life. Love it. I find great pleasure in being able to recreate lines and embellish them at times.

 

[boristhespider9]

They are, as I already stated, "worker vs. a job creator". So no, they don't undercut that argument. Everyone who works at a job doesn't dwell in a cube but they do work for that job. Every business creator who has employees has created a job.

And everyone in originals bands don't necessarily create... they often play the music that someone else wrote. In that regard you're still a "worker".

Yea ok, if you say so. Makes no sense with regard to the OP's question. Flawed syllogism.

 

[Gaius46]

Suggest all you want; you've never seen me play or know what my experience is. I'm not a musical genius, but some lines are just stupidly easy.
Popular songs have basic structure, simple riffs and people like it because of that. Some popular covers are very basic and getting the tools to learn them is, while technically illegal, super easy to do. That was my point to the OP.
Writing new music takes more time and effort, plus it doesn't pay well. That was my other point.

And my point is that your generalization isn't necessarily or even often correct.

Properly, emphasis on that word, learning a song and making it performance ready takes time and effort. Just learning the changes is simply the beginning.