Top 40 cover band: hardest song to play on guitar

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Re: Top 40 cover band: hardest song to play on guitar

Post by crowbgood1 »

I got a mate in a Bluegrass outfit. He says the two most requested songs are poles apart in difficulty levels. Duelling Banjo's and Wagon Wheel.
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Re: Top 40 cover band: hardest song to play on guitar

Post by werdna »

The most popular songs we play are Piece of My Heart and Sweet Child O Mine. One easy on the guitar, the other intermediate level on the guitar.

People ask me to play Wagon Wheel. I say "no. Not ever."
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Re: Top 40 cover band: hardest song to play on guitar

Post by Slowy »

crowbgood1 wrote:I got a mate in a Bluegrass outfit. He says the two most requested songs are poles apart in difficulty levels. Duelling Banjo's and Wagon Wheel.
Well I can play Duelling Banjos.....
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Re: Top 40 cover band: hardest song to play on guitar

Post by foal30 »

Bg wrote:
Olderama wrote:this Is slick

Yeah I tried playing that recently, that is one muthafucka of a bass line. I'd forgotten what a shitter that was.

I failed miserably, I'm about to attempt again after a bottle of sauv.... can't be any worse eh?


It's got Jaco era Weather Report "Teen Town" in that tune.
I find the third bar of the verse (Db7) troublesome to finger
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Re: Top 40 cover band: hardest song to play on guitar

Post by philly »

Slowy wrote:
crowbgood1 wrote:I got a mate in a Bluegrass outfit. He says the two most requested songs are poles apart in difficulty levels. Duelling Banjo's and Wagon Wheel.
Well I can play Duelling Banjos.....
not without my sphincter tightening you cant...
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Re: Top 40 cover band: hardest song to play on guitar

Post by kwhelan »

werdna wrote:The most popular songs we play are Piece of My Heart and Sweet Child O Mine. One easy on the guitar, the other intermediate level on the guitar.

People ask me to play Wagon Wheel. I say "no. Not ever."
Sweet child was one of those songs that was so radio overplayed it made you ill as a guitarist, everyone had to learn it then just the other day I saw clip of slash saying how all his songs/riffs were "tone wise "cleaned up as the became GNR songs I guess so they could keep overdubbing multi parts
anyway it came on the radio on way to work this morning and rather than change channels like usual I actually relistened carefully and it really is an example of great layering, there is an awful lot going on in their songs, including after the 3rd chorus 3min mark the last big solo they fade the rhythm guitars out and crank the bass up under slashs part
so used to listening thru guitarists ears I'd never really noticed how much of this song is actually bass

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Re: Top 40 cover band: hardest song to play on guitar

Post by Slowy »

philly wrote:
Slowy wrote:
crowbgood1 wrote:I got a mate in a Bluegrass outfit. He says the two most requested songs are poles apart in difficulty levels. Duelling Banjo's and Wagon Wheel.
Well I can play Duelling Banjos.....
not without my sphincter tightening you cant...
Well it is that kind of music! "Damn Boy, you look........" oh never mind.
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Re: Top 40 cover band: hardest song to play on guitar

Post by werdna »

kwhelan wrote:
werdna wrote:The most popular songs we play are Piece of My Heart and Sweet Child O Mine. One easy on the guitar, the other intermediate level on the guitar.

People ask me to play Wagon Wheel. I say "no. Not ever."
Sweet child was one of those songs that was so radio overplayed it made you ill as a guitarist, everyone had to learn it then just the other day I saw clip of slash saying how all his songs/riffs were "tone wise "cleaned up as the became GNR songs I guess so they could keep overdubbing multi parts
anyway it came on the radio on way to work this morning and rather than change channels like usual I actually relistened carefully and it really is an example of great layering, there is an awful lot going on in their songs, including after the 3rd chorus 3min mark the last big solo they fade the rhythm guitars out and crank the bass up under slashs part
so used to listening thru guitarists ears I'd never really noticed how much of this song is actually bass
Sweet Child is not a typical no frills cover band song. The chord structure starts off D, C and G. The chorus is A, C and D, either a modulation or different key, not sure which. After the third chorus it uses a D sharp passing note to go to E harmonic minor. Then when Slash switches to the bridge pickup and wah, it goes to E natural minor and speeds up, riding that out until the end.

Compare to say to NZ's favourite cover band song Mustang Sally which is 1-4-5, then 5-4-1 at the chorus. No key changes, no modulations, no speed changes. if they want the musical equivalent of baked beans and sausages in a tin, you give them it.
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Re: Top 40 cover band: hardest song to play on guitar

Post by philly »

Slowy wrote:
philly wrote:
Slowy wrote: Well I can play Duelling Banjos.....
not without my sphincter tightening you cant...
Well it is that kind of music! "Damn Boy, you look........" oh never mind.
squeal lil piggy!
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Re: Top 40 cover band: hardest song to play on guitar

Post by jimi »

We put SCOM right near the end and it's always a floor filler, I guess it's good playing it there as it never fails to get them calling for a few more, but it's also usually a small crowd by then.

That, proud Mary and April Sun always get people dancing.

We don't do any of this tricky Police or Mr Brightside nonsense.

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Re: Top 40 cover band: hardest song to play on guitar

Post by foal30 »

werdna wrote:
kwhelan wrote:
werdna wrote:The most popular songs we play are Piece of My Heart and Sweet Child O Mine. One easy on the guitar, the other intermediate level on the guitar.

People ask me to play Wagon Wheel. I say "no. Not ever."
Sweet child was one of those songs that was so radio overplayed it made you ill as a guitarist, everyone had to learn it then just the other day I saw clip of slash saying how all his songs/riffs were "tone wise "cleaned up as the became GNR songs I guess so they could keep overdubbing multi parts
anyway it came on the radio on way to work this morning and rather than change channels like usual I actually relistened carefully and it really is an example of great layering, there is an awful lot going on in their songs, including after the 3rd chorus 3min mark the last big solo they fade the rhythm guitars out and crank the bass up under slashs part
so used to listening thru guitarists ears I'd never really noticed how much of this song is actually bass
Sweet Child of Mine is Dbmaj
It uses or borrows a bVII
Which you talked about in another thread
IIRC "Wild Horses"

Sweet Child is not a typical no frills cover band song. The chord structure starts off D, C and G. The chorus is A, C and D, either a modulation or different key, not sure which. After the third chorus it uses a D sharp passing note to go to E harmonic minor. Then when Slash switches to the bridge pickup and wah, it goes to E natural minor and speeds up, riding that out until the end.

Compare to say to NZ's favourite cover band song Mustang Sally which is 1-4-5, then 5-4-1 at the chorus. No key changes, no modulations, no speed changes. if they want the musical equivalent of baked beans and sausages in a tin, you give them it.
Genuine Old Frontier Gibberish

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Re: Top 40 cover band: hardest song to play on guitar

Post by foal30 »

Fucked up the quotes again

" SCOM is in the key of Db major
It uses a borrowed bVII chord
Which you talked about in another thread
IIRC Wild Horses"

Borge has also used SCOM as an example of how we hear "what key"
Genuine Old Frontier Gibberish

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Re: Top 40 cover band: hardest song to play on guitar

Post by kwhelan »

jimi wrote:We put SCOM right near the end and it's always a floor filler, I guess it's good playing it there as it never fails to get them calling for a few more, but it's also usually a small crowd by then.

That, proud Mary and April Sun always get people dancing.

We don't do any of this tricky Police or Mr Brightside nonsense.
I hate dancing and have to be dragged up but I'd sit down in protest at SCOM ,PM or April but I know what your saying about crowds.
Bands that just play the staples really annoy me, I know i'm odd and the crowds love it
theres no accounting for taste
Police songs tend to be rather high for singers and brandon is no slouch either,
Love to see the making of sweet child, mustve been a shite tonne of guitar tracks/overdubs in there

back on topic I read theres over 400 chord changes in Jesus of suburbia 7 mins odd, as well as timing, key and feel, for all the ridicule green day gets hats off to a band that can do that live well

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Re: Top 40 cover band: hardest song to play on guitar

Post by jimi »

these days quite happy playing bangers to people who want to drink and dance to something they know.

I refused to play April Sun for years, but if that's the song they'll get up and dance for then that's what we'll play. not going to be precious about it.

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Re: Top 40 cover band: hardest song to play on guitar

Post by kwhelan »

jimi wrote:these days quite happy playing bangers to people who want to drink and dance to something they know.

I refused to play April Sun for years, but if that's the song they'll get up and dance for then that's what we'll play. not going to be precious about it.
kurt cobain wasn't even happy with people liking his own songs

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