General Music Chat

Last night the band that I used to play in some of you might remember Trial By Fire were playing right down the street. I have been wanting to go see them in support for a while but they are always playing the same nights as we are. It was the first time I have been able to go see them since I left in Oct. of last year. They called me up to do a song with them. It was a fun time! However I sure do enjoy the band I am currently in!

I truly envy that ability of an accomplished guitarist.

Perhaps one day ...

George

What's an accomplished guitarist? Here is my answer: it's a person who can do at least as much as the bare minimum required by the musical situation in which he finds himself. Who can do it cleanly and consistantly. A nice to have is the ability to rip out an improv if needed.

That accomplished guitarist should be able to express himself on guitar and get some of that emotion out of his system. Some cover band guys (I played with two recently) can have problems with that after getting used to ALWAYS do other's songs. Not all though - some of the guys on this forum do covers but also keep their creative hand in as well.

People who play covers a lot have a big advantage in some ways because they all know at least some of the same songs. I'ts unlikely you or I will meet somebody who knows how to play our originals.

My dream situation has me as bass player with switch offs giving 20-30 percent of the rythym / lead work to keep my hand in. I just get a bit uncomfortable it's not me on bass!

I've really come to love playing six string guitar. I'm good enough now to play it with people, at least with tunes I've written. Barely. And for now I have to so it's pushing me hard.

Get better every day though. And I bet you do too!

Talbot

I have done both Originals and Covers. The folks I have worked on originals with for the most part believe cover tunes are beneath them. I believe they just don't have the desire or discipline to set down and learn another's song like it really goes. I am a musician first not necessarily a cover vs. original.
I have a bitter taste in my mouth in regards to originals because lets face it money makes the world go around! With original songs you are never going to be fairly compensated for your efforts. Its music to me regardless of whether or not I am playing rock, country, blues, jazz, cover or original! The original folks I have played with are stuck in their comfort zone (its their way or the highway) to the point of shorting their own music!
When I go into a musical situation I for the most part have the knowledge to do the job. I can create or emulate because I was classically trained in orchestra through junior and high school. I also have spent my life perfecting the craft of just playing the music that I am asked and choose to play.

A musician 1st, I wished more
players thought like that.

O dont understand why threads alway fall into the cover versus original debate.

LOL

Haley it sounded like you had fun, I went out sat night and this guy that I played with for awhile and actually met on here was playing with the group. He didnt even offer to let me sit in, and they were playing the same stuff he and I played together for a year.

Oh Well it was OK, my wife and I tore up the dance floor for a couple of hours. She got enough compliments that she was a professional dancer with a "poser" partner, LOL. Its good to share the spotlight!

Ive decided Im the biggest musical "hack poser" on this forum! LOL

LOL John, what is it about us musicians that keeps us from being good dancers! Oh Yeah I'm a dancin fool (more like just a fool) I danced in front of my fellow musicans all night and they were laughing there @sses off at me! At one point I was slam dancing with my daughter in law (she started it)LOL!

All music is original music. We might not be the original writer, but someone made money on original music or we wouldn't be playing their songs in a band. Not everyone wants to be a songwriter, or has developed the skills necessary for it. No shame in that.

But I play all originals and disagree that you can't make money at it, even as an indie. I've done that all of my life. Not saying it was always a good paying job but for the last decade it has been.

Yes, it can take a lot of "dues" to establish a clientele...but it can be done if you work at it. The flip side is the limited earning potential one has playing covers. You'll be stuck in the bars all your life like that. Not necessary a bad thing...but unlike my musician relatives before me, I don't want to die of sclerosis of the liver as an alchoholic.

The reason anyone can write a song that people will buy is because they learned from those who went before them, playing their original music. Bottom line is that if you can give an audience what they want, it doesn't matter to them who wrote it. If you are playing bars, then you need to be the most fun band they ever had at those bars to stick out.

Being a recording artist is a different pursuit though, and that is the main goal an original band should be chasing. It's about making records, not playing live, so it takes a different kind of plan and enough patience to see it through. This is the discipline most musicians never get around to because it is so very expensive. The choice can often be a decent vehicle to carry your amp around or a broadcast quality recording to sell.

One of those choices is risky and it takes a firm belief in your destiny to make that kind of investment. Waiting for someone else to do it for them is where most will fail.

But I came into this thread because I'll be going through Houston tomorrow night (Tuesday) and wondered if you're jamming anywhere J-Haley? Going back through Dec 22nd also.

Yod, We just played our last gig for the year on Friday 12/2/11 We are taking some time off for the holidays! Our next gig isn't until January 9th we are starting back up from there! If you wind up somewhere around the Clear Lake area let me know and I will meet you for coffee or a couple of beers somewhere! I always want to meet up with my bandmix friends!