I didn't know that covers vs originals was beating a dead horse here so apologies for that. It was a genuine question that I've struggled with for the last year and I hoped to get some direction/advice. Also I want to clear something up. We aren't playing 30 originals every gig. Just that we have that many to choose from. Our sets are 13-15 songs. Sometimes 9-10 depending on the venue.
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If people aren't into your originals, you need to write some better ones, and gear them toward your audience. I don't discriminate between covers and originals. There is only good music and not so good music (obviously it's a sliding scale). I've had some success with both original and cover bands. I've seen original bands I've loved, and ones I've walked out the door after a few songs. Same with cover bands.
No worries. You can't be expected to know where the landmines are.
I'm from the no-covers camp but I recognize that some in that camp can be strident. Kinda like the joke:
Q. How do you know if somebody doesn't watch or own a TV?
A. They've already told you.
This thread makes me think about how most music is marketed to and consumed by young people, and how most folks listen primarily to the music of their youth over and over and over for their entire lives. Eventually everything turns into one giant greatest hits collection, categorized by decade. Nobody out there is playing CCR deep cuts in their cover band, right?
What that means for live music is that most people just want to hear the same old stuff over and over again, have a good time and drink some beer and dance to some tunes. Musicians are people too, so it makes sense that there are so many cover bands happy to accommodate them and be a part of that excitement.
Sadly, there's a much smaller number of people who seek out new or challenging music. Our culture is just not geared to it (original ideas are considered "weird" until there's some money it). Musicians easily forget that many people are unsure of what to like, and lack the confidence to develop their own tastes.
If they hear Rock Lobster or Mustang Sally, they can confidently take to the dance floor because they've heard the beat a thousand times and they know it's OK to like it. If they walk into a club and hear an unknown band's new original tune and only see five people there, they are going to be uncomfortable, because there are no social cues for them and they don't understand how to react. It literally does not matter how good the original music is--most people will turn away unless they receive an external prompt pointing them to it.
I 100% support people playing in cover bands and listening to whatever brings them joy, it really shouldn't be a debate. OP, there's no conflict there, you just need to join a cover band and not bug your originals band about it.
I've never played covers myself. It's not a principled thing AT ALL, I just have zero interest in doing it--I would just rather do something else. Mad props to you guys in the trenches who DO do it, it takes a huge amount of skill and versatility as a musician.
What that means for live music is that most people just want to hear the same old stuff over and over again, have a good time and drink some beer and dance to some tunes. Musicians are people too, so it makes sense that there are so many cover bands happy to accommodate them and be a part of that excitement.
Sadly, there's a much smaller number of people who seek out new or challenging music. Our culture is just not geared to it (original ideas are considered "weird" until there's some money it). Musicians easily forget that many people are unsure of what to like, and lack the confidence to develop their own tastes.
If they hear Rock Lobster or Mustang Sally, they can confidently take to the dance floor because they've heard the beat a thousand times and they know it's OK to like it. If they walk into a club and hear an unknown band's new original tune and only see five people there, they are going to be uncomfortable, because there are no social cues for them and they don't understand how to react. It literally does not matter how good the original music is--most people will turn away unless they receive an external prompt pointing them to it.
I 100% support people playing in cover bands and listening to whatever brings them joy, it really shouldn't be a debate. OP, there's no conflict there, you just need to join a cover band and not bug your originals band about it.
I've never played covers myself. It's not a principled thing AT ALL, I just have zero interest in doing it--I would just rather do something else. Mad props to you guys in the trenches who DO do it, it takes a huge amount of skill and versatility as a musician.
- Apr 11, 2019
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- 381
- Disclosures
- Lincoln Learning Solutions - Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center
I guess we have it good out here in western PA. I get 200 - 250 minimum for solo gigs and 150 - 500 for band gigs. All covers. We don't do your run-of-the-mill, Mustang Sally/Freebird set.
I guess this is the Goldilocks part of the world. It's looking like a great place to ride out climate change too!
- Apr 11, 2019
- 340
- 381
- Disclosures
- Lincoln Learning Solutions - Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center
I work for and make my living with originals bands. They're not on here, except a few- they're too busy working and touring. The last thing they have time for is a debate like this on social media. Thus, the demographic here is mostly cover band/ hobbyist who have the spare time to gear lust and chat. Nothing wrong with doing any/ all of it.
i would advise that you keep at it: impress and pull your bandmates as much as you can and be thankful for the small steps in your direction when you see them! you seem to like the players/band. shape what you can, when you can. enjoy all the rest.
my jazz band does both covers and originals music. we could play all covers or all originals, easily, anytime/anywhere. but we do both on purpose!
we mix it up according to the 'vibe' of the audience 'we know' at a particular venue/show. our audience is diverse/loyal/appreciative but they support our 'friends-of-music' efforts and attitude.
TB = binary heaven!
you absolutely do not need to apologize for that! this is a great thread because it brings the binaries together. it's a social event. 
People get so preachy about the superiority of original music lol. Problem is, 99% of original music sucks and will never be heard by more than a few friends, family members, and the poor bartender that can't wait for you to be done. The other 1% of songs written that "make it" include the one hit wonders and mindless garbage that we all generally turn our noses up at... yes, even that stuff is better than the other 99% of (horribly) written original music. So yes, of course The Beatles/Black Keys/Ray Lamontagne/etc are better than a cover band. But a cover band that can play covers well is better than some pretentious group of losers talking about their "artistic integrity".
P.S. If you don't like this post, then you simply don't get my art and thus you are the problem, not me. See how stupid that sounds?!!!
P.S. If you don't like this post, then you simply don't get my art and thus you are the problem, not me. See how stupid that sounds?!!!
I happen to play with a great songwriter and a great band. The drummer is a full-time producer/session drummer and all of us in the band are first-call players in the drummer/producer's commercial studio (and others), so we tend to approach everything we do - originals and covers - as we might do it in the studio for a paying client.
The result is that we get some really fantastic response to our originals and covers alike. Often the originals are even better received, and that's usually playing to restaurant patios and dinner crowds who aren't generally there to hear the band. The most common question we get is "where are you guys from?", generally met with surprise when we say we're local.
That is all to say that people tend to respond to music that's done well whether they know the song or not. I'd venture to say that most people would prefer to hear a good song they don't know done well, rather than a song they know that's been butchered.
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That's how Yes got started. Probably the same with the Beatles and Stones to some degree too. Granted it was a much different era, but what's the harm in trying that same approach today?
By the way, I'm not taking issue with your statement as I suspect you meant it in support of that idea. I just wanted to highlight how there have been notable exceptions to that rule.
That's great and I don't begrudge anyone the $$$ they make or don't make at their gigs. But even at that amount, the point remains that the enjoyment is ultimately why I do it rather than the money. My day job is what pays the bills, but the gigging is what brings me joy.
My term for covers is "music people want to hear."
That's what I play.
Others will differ.
That's what I play.
Others will differ.
This made me laugh out loud audibly. I love it.
To the OP: Now that you’ve heard all the opinions of a forum full of musicians, it would be interesting to find some way to gauge what the actual patrons/paying customers/audience members think.
Oh wait, there already is a gauge! Audience attendance, and money paid to the band by the venue. OP you’ve already got the right idea. Being an artist is great and all, but for every Van Gogh, there’s a million other artists barfing on a canvas.
Sounds like you are....preachy.
The negativity on here is astounding sometimes. So much bitterness.
I really don't recall seeing any posts where people say original music is superior- just that it is better for them, personally. That attitude happens to be where cover bands repertoires come from.
There's room for everyone.
OP, keep it up. Play less often, make it special, and do it in the proper venues. You will be fine.
No offense taken. My point is that I'm seeing a whole lot of talk about what won't work, but not many ideas on what will work.
Wait, are we talking about classical music or jazz? No, this whole discussion here has nothing to do with these two types of music. We're talking about 4/4 songs with 6 different chords of the genres pop, rock and country.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
We are talking about an issue regarding musicians. Further lots of us here play more than pop, rock and country.
