Overplaying 😯

[White Cloud]

Now then, it has come to my attention that I'm particularly undisciplined when playing covers. That is, I tend to get carried away with nonexistent ghost notes, fills etc. that definitely do not feature on the originals. This is exacerbated when we are egged on by an enthusiastic crowd live (which happens every now and then).

 

Having done a bit of self analysis it seems I like to play songs by feel or 'as I think they should be ' as opposed to 'how they are'. In fact, I'm not sure I've ever played any song the exact same way twice!

 

I've happened upon a great many players that really obsess about covering originals to the nth degree - but am now wondering if I'm either some sort of lazy free radical ...or just a lazy sod!

 

Hey, music is art and there are no rules and all that, however what's your thoughts on all of this? 

[JellyKnees]

I don't play covers myself, but with my punter hat on, I can't think of anything more dull than watching a bunch of drones churning through a cover where everything played exactly the same as the original. Seems like a totally pointless exercise to me.

[TheGreek]

Nothing wrong with playing with passion and exuberance. Keep doing it...

[Skybone]

14 minutes ago, JellyKnees said:

I don't play covers myself, but with my punter hat on, I can't think of anything more dull than watching a bunch of drones churning through a cover where everything played exactly the same as the original. Seems like a totally pointless exercise to me.

 

11 minutes ago, TheGreek said:

Nothing wrong with playing with passion and exuberance. Keep doing it...

 

Completely agree with the above points, keep playing the songs as you think appropriate.

[Silvia Bluejay]

While I agree with the basic concept suggested above that, if I want to hear the song like it's on the record, I'll put on the CD, there are certain phrases, riffs or 'bits' of a song that are iconic and absolutely need to be reproduced faithfully. The audience will be waiting for them, and will usually want to sing along to them, going 'nah nah naaahh' when there are no words to sing.

[Reggaebass]

Can’t see anything wrong with what you’re doing, adding ghost notes adds to the overall Bassline I think, I work on those a lot and try to add them in the right places, as for fills I don’t do that, playing reggae is a lot about leaving space as it’s just as important as the right notes, if I was to fill that space it gets too busy, but after all playing with feel is what it’s all about 

[police squad]

I used to be very much like that. What key is it in? and off I'd go.

Some fills need to be there, like on the record as it's sometimes a key part of the song.

 

Feel like making love by Bad Company. I've always played it in drop D and played the D in the chorus (where there is actually no bass)

No one ever pulled me up on it

 

but in my Police tribute, I am much more faithful to Sting's bass playing

[Bassmidget209]

I think as long as you stick to the main principal of 'serving the song'. You can't go too far wrong. I don't play a lot of covers (despite my constant badgering of the singer) but when we do, I'm never 100% playing to the record. Nail the main parts and if you can sneak in a tasteful fill or two then your good. 

If I'm being honest I probably do 'overplay' with our own songs but the principal is the same. I'm trying to make the songs more interesting, not make it all about me as such. The same applies to covers. If you can make it interesting to you (and hopefully others) without turning it into a 4 minute bass solo your golden.

 

 

 

Alternative argument: nobody listens to the bass anyway, get it right on the 'one' and go nuts 🤣

[Dan Dare]

It's a matter of degree. When you see people perform their songs live, they won't necessarily copy exactly the way they played it on the record. Duplicating a part from the original isn't necessarily essential, but widdling around with it is not good.

 

If there are key or iconic phrases and so on, it's vital that they are right and that whatever you add or alter is true to the mood of a piece. "I'm making it interesting" begs the question "For who?".

 

Best not to excuse sloppy or wrong playing with the old chestnut "It's how I feel it".

[Waddo Soqable]

I've done covers in a context where people have expected an accurate representation of the songs they know and love, in which case I'd stick to what's on the record, or as close as no one would know the difference, within reason. 

But I've also done covers in otherwise original bands, that we've included a cover very much "in our own style" in which case it's no holds barred. Very often radically different covers are great, and can be most inventive. 

[fretmeister]

I never overplay.

 

The rest of the band are underplaying.

[Mykesbass]

In my old Dylan influenced cover band we took the same idea as the man himself and played stuff differently all the time. Again, caveat that all the important bits were in the right places.

[fretmeister]

Frank Zappa made it a point of pride that his live solos were never just copies of the record and he wrote the things!

 

Go nuts and enjoy yourself.

[Lozz196]

I’d rather see a band play the song as it was recorded. Fair play adding in flourishes, runs etc, that does make for more interesting but I’ve seen some bands where the guitarist played a solo far more intricate than what was recorded, however this detracted from the song as the solo was a major feature of it. To me that is like singing different words in a different melody. I think we’re quite fortunate, as are drummers that we can add a few bits here & there without it being noticeably changed.

Edited May 12, 2023 by Lozz196

[Franticsmurf]

I like to think of the original as the starting point. As has been said above, if someone wants to hear the original version, note perfect, the studio recording is the place to go. Even the bands I like play their own songs differently live to their original studio versions. If there are essential elements that make the song special, then consideration should be made to play those parts correctly but for the most part I think there is merit in bringing something new to the cover version. If that version is rubbish, punters will vote with their feet. If it adds something to the song, then to me that's what playing live music is all about. 

 

The caveat is, of course, tribute acts. If the tribute band is about bringing the original to the audience, then there is a requirement to play it as the original band played it.

 

I've played in tribute bands and haven't enjoyed the restrictions it places on me, although I understand and accept them. But by far the most enjoyable for me is playing in a band where there is a certain amount of freedom to develop a character or style in which the band plays it's set.

[gjones]

I saw a couple of guys( one on guitar and one on bass) play about 4 U2 songs at a jam, with the bassist playing slap bass like Mark King.

 

There's overplaying.......and then there's OVERPLAYING!!!

 

 

[Paul S]

Deviating from the original is one thing.  Overplaying is another.  For me there is nothing worse than a nice flowing bassline with lots of space being noodled over - I saw a soul/funk band locally and the guy did that exact thing.  Great player, loads of chops but ruined the songs by playing them all every time. 

 

[nilorius]

I don't think it's bad if You play those covers different - less or more. The main thing is that the band sounds ok. Otherwise there is no much point covering songs exactly the same way they sound original. And what You say that You play from what You feel - wonderfull. The only thing is that Your band plays the covers in absolutely different genres, like (original - funk, Your band - metal), then You must calm down a little and think more of your notes.

[asingardenof]

2 hours ago, White Cloud said:

Now then, it has come to my attention that I'm particularly undisciplined when playing covers. That is, I tend to get carried away with nonexistent ghost notes, fills etc. that definitely do not feature on the originals. This is exacerbated when we are egged on by an enthusiastic crowd live (which happens every now and then).

 

Having done a bit of self analysis it seems I like to play songs by feel or 'as I think they should be ' as opposed to 'how they are'. In fact, I'm not sure I've ever played any song the exact same way twice!

 

I've happened upon a great many players that really obsess about covering originals to the nth degree - but am now wondering if I'm either some sort of lazy free radical ...or just a lazy sod!

 

Hey, music is art and there are no rules and all that, however what's your thoughts on all of this? 

If you're playing covers you have more licence to add your own embellishments than if you were in a tribute band where you'd be looking to stick as closely to the original as possible.

[uk_lefty]

I am guilty of this too!!! Moreso in my old band. I've grown up a bit since, though. In my current band a lot of the songs don't have scope to overfill but my approach is now 'less is more'. But to avoid any muddiness my basic rules are not to play fills under vocals or during a chorus. Under solos it's fine to an extent but not so much you're taking over the solo itself.

[Grahambythesea]

I think you should interpret the songs your way, although there are exceptions where the bass riff is so obvious, e.g. My Girl or Midnight hour. 

[uk_lefty]

24 minutes ago, gjones said:

I saw a couple of guys( one on guitar and one on bass) play about 4 U2 songs at a jam, with the bassist playing slap bass like Mark King.

 

There's overplaying.......and then there's OVERPLAYING!!!

 

 

If you had to play a U2 song that's one way of dealing with it I guess.

[Doctor J]

No harm in adding some of your own flavour but, if the rest of the band start doing this too, it usually sounds like a mess and takes a crap on the song. Remember you're playing a song and be sympathetic to that, be musical, rather than a space filler.

[Reggaebass]

32 minutes ago, Paul S said:

lots of space being noodled over

So jazz then 😁

[JoeEvans]

I always felt that part of the point of being a bass player (as opposed to any other instrument) is that you get to improvise all the time, whereas the others are more locked in to set tunes, chords and riffs.