T-Bay Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 Been asked to play sweet child o mine for a mate on Saturday, it would be easy to say no but it’s a big thing for him so would love to be able to do it. BUT I have never played it, I have noodled the intro but when I looked at the online tabs and music my gut reaction is that there is no way that’s happening in the 2-3ish hours I will be able to put into it between now and then. I am a quick learner but it goes all over the place. So the question is, as I know the intro already, does anyone know of a way of simplifying the main body of the song to a state that this could be possible? Guitarist and drummer both play it in their other bands so no problem there. I may have to say no but would at least like to have a go at it for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 You dont necessarily have to play the fluffy bits. Would a tute help ? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 I've played it for years, and other than the iconic intro riff, it's eminently bluffable around the roots and the feel. If the guitarist and drummer have it down they'll carry you all the way through. You can relax anyway: no-one'll be listening to anything you do (after the intro), they'll all be listening to the guitar solo(s) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted April 25, 2018 Author Share Posted April 25, 2018 17 minutes ago, fleabag said: You dont necessarily have to play the fluffy bits. Would a tute help ? Yup! It would help a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TorturedSaints Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 (edited) Just check what key the others want to play it in - as far as I remember it's a fret lower than the tutorial above. It's not too difficult, enjoy! Edited April 25, 2018 by TorturedSaints Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudpup Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 Its pretty straightforward - i reckon once you've spent 30 mins on it you'll crack it. Roots and little noodles work all the way through. As above though, play it in D to make it easier - GnR down tune it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftybassman392 Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 (edited) Having played this a bit (and taught it quite a lot! ) I've found that as long as you nail the intro riff you can pretty much bluff the rest of the song without too many worries. There's a little 3 against 2 scale passage towards the end of the song that you need to get right as well IIRC but apart from that it's pretty straightforward IME. Oh, and unless your singer really must sing it in Db then you can safely do it in D. Edited April 25, 2018 by leftybassman392 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 Once the intro is nailed, there isn't much to watch out for. Just watch out for the changes near the end, and it is pretty blaggable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markdavid Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 It sounds more difficult than it is, it is mostly just the same patterns played in different locations. I would recommend finding some YouTube covers to help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted April 25, 2018 Author Share Posted April 25, 2018 Just had a crack at it and got most of it, thanks for all the replies. I have noodled the intro for ages which helps but the simplified version in the video sounds ok and is a doddle so that will do. And guitarist is happy to fit in with me key wise which also helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 (edited) The intro bit sounds great but isn't that difficult, it's probably the only slightly fiddly bit that you need to master for the song to sound right. There's a lot of variation in the fills on the verses and choruses, if I had to learn it in a hurry I think those are the bits I'd simplify. Once the song key changes for the main guitar solo and end bit it's really just root notes. There are a lot of tutorials on Youtube, the frilly bits sound great but there's nothing that technically difficult in there, you may well find that you can actually master the whole song as played on the original recording in a couple of hours. Edited April 25, 2018 by Cato Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 And the song goes on for FAR too long anyway ... just suggest they chop out the whole Slash-solo nonsense that makes up the second half of it. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 4 minutes ago, Happy Jack said: And the song goes on for FAR too long anyway ... just suggest they chop out the whole Slash-solo nonsense that makes up the second half of it. From a bass playing perspective that's the easiest bit. Although in my first band when I was about 16 that's exactly what we did. Our lead guitarist could barely handle the intro, he couldn't get close to the main solo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteb Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 Great tune (if somewhat overplayed) but I hope your singer has the range to pull it off. It also helps to have a second guitar. I have seen so many bad covers of this song it's untrue, not to mention a lot of singers come to grief trying to hit the top notes...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 Two days - what will you do with the remaining day and a half? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted April 25, 2018 Author Share Posted April 25, 2018 Yup, the others cover it in their other bands, just me it’s new for so not concerned on vocals etc. Not got a lot of time to devote to it hence the question but seems I must have looked at the most complex version of the song going Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteb Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 Just now, T-Bay said: Yup, the others cover it in their other bands, just me it’s new for so not concerned on vocals etc. Not got a lot of time to devote to it hence the question but seems I must have looked at the most complex version of the song going The video above is very accurate if that is any help 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbasspecial Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 Listen to the song on repeat so you can hear the parts/sections when you are travelling to and from work and don't have your bass handy. This will strengthen your neural pathways to aid the learning/remembering process. Look at the written parts when you are listening. This will create an audio/visual brain connection. Do your best and have fun! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted April 28, 2018 Author Share Posted April 28, 2018 Thanks to everyone who was helpful, with minimum time it was no trouble in the end. The key bits were fine, the twiddles I just made up as I went along and it went great. Without going into detail it was a big thing for my mate and he was more than pleased. So collective thanks to Basschat for making someone’s night. Thanks all. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted April 29, 2018 Share Posted April 29, 2018 Well done , and I would like to add that it's not so hard , sit back and listen to songs and write down structures breaking the songs in parts that repeat , this makes complicated songs look more easy on paper , this works for me anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted April 29, 2018 Author Share Posted April 29, 2018 The scary part was the time, in the end it turned out that I had a bit over an hour in total and it wasn’t played in front of a couple of hundred people. Without going into the details, it meant a lot to the guy so I didn’t want to mess it up. Normally I get a set of tabs up and listen to the song a few times and note which bits are ok and change the bits that aren’t right then play it and twiddle it from there. I just didn’t have the time to do that this time hence the thread. Turns out he had heard me noodling the intro as he was helping us set up for a previous gig so thought I knew it. It was nice to be able to help out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthurhenry Posted April 29, 2018 Share Posted April 29, 2018 There is an A440 version on Youtube. Search for "Sweet Child O'Mine tuned". This works for other detuned bands too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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