What's with Covers and Chasing After Other Musician's Tones?

[Panhead5]

I know a lot of great players who are surprisingly uninspired writers. I also know a several fantastic writers who play covers professionally to pay the bills. Everyone's on a different path.

Yessir! I’m not a great guitar player but truthfully I never felt I had a whole lot to say with any songwriting. I am though an insane fans of great and good players from all walks of music and thoroughly enjoy listening and figuring out what they are doing. I love gear and great tones from other players. It may seem weird but it works for me.

 

[NowYou'rePlayingWithPower]

Gotta give the crowd what they want, I suppose.
Just never took to it personally or found interest in following in other's footsteps.
The poll results are interesting and show we all have a differing mix of what makes our hearts beat.
There does seem to be a balance at least.
So, I suppose my fears of AI being the only one with anything original can be swept aside.
...For now

 

[NeubyWanKaneuby]

I mainly try to write my own songs, but honestly I should have chosen the last option,
because I spend more time looking at my gear than actually using it.

 

[RaceU4her]

I mainly try to write my own songs, but honestly I should have chosen the last option,
because I spend more time looking at my gear than actually using it.

i understand, if playing air guitar to other peoples music probably 80% of the time was an option i would have clicked that lol

 

[simonfrewler]

I’m at a loss how you think of Rhoads as the measurement of amazing and then Yamashita not being good enough.

By your logic just about any current burner will outdo Rhoads.

But hey, I’d love to listen to some links of your competition performances that shows you owning Yamashita.

Some just don't hear, Ed.

 

[braintheory]

I’m at a loss how you think of Rhoads as the measurement of amazing and then Yamashita not being good enough.

By your logic just about any current burner will outdo Rhoads.

But hey, I’d love to listen to some links of your competition performances that shows you owning Yamashita.

Comparing Rhoads to Yamashita is totally apples vs oranges as classical guitar is such a different instrument. Both those players were actually probably the 2 I was most inspired by as a teenager when I was new to the guitar. Make no mistake, I have massive respect for both guys and think they’re both geniuses. Rhoads’s genius was his creative ability in writing great music. Yamashita had the musical/expressive fire/passion and insane transcriptions he had. Both were amazing players for their time, but today we have many far superior players purely in technique and overall coordination, especially classical where I really know what I’m talking about

Linked below here are some examples you can listen to of some of the best players today. If you’re curious I can also pm you some of my clips, but prefer to stay more anonymous on here. You’ll see the level of accuracy, coordinate and cleanliness of the players below was something not remotely in the cards for Yamashita’s hands. He was sloppy by today’s standards. The last link of these on Instagram is my teacher











https://www.instagram.com/p/BV6Sd0GARyF/?igsh=MXJmaDM2NTRkc3Zs

 

[simonfrewler]

 

[DanTravis62]

Gotta give the crowd what they want, I suppose.
Just never took to it personally or found interest in following in other's footsteps.
The poll results are interesting and show we all have a differing mix of what makes our hearts beat.
There does seem to be a balance at least.
So, I suppose my fears of AI being the only one with anything original can be swept aside.
...For now

I think we have some liars with the "i'm just a collector" guys

 

[Thumbpicker]

Don't mean this as a slight, but I don't personally get it. It takes so much time to learn an instrument, so why bother with anything other than original music once you get to that point? I kind of understand the tone thing to some extent, but not the need to be 100% on point with something someone else crafted. I understand learning others music and using those to guide you through your own creativity, but just doing covers? This to me is a bigger downfall of music issue than AI, tbh.

Tell that to a orchestral musician or a concert pianist (for example).

Off the top of my head an not an exhaustive list - a list of different musical skills (all of which are good and eveyone has in different amounts
- performance
- technical/dexterity on a given instrument(s)
- composition
- music theory
- listening skills/transcribing/learning by ear
- sight reading

Who is to say that writing original compositions (most of which aren't real original in some ways anyway) makes you a better rather than a different type of musician?

I know people that write dreadful 3 chord strumming singing songs. Personally I hate that type of thing but if we are talking about the merits of writing music I'd rather listen to a good musician playing covers than some of those so called musicians who write bad strummy guitar songs with lame arse emotive lyrics etc and go on "The Voice" or something.

 

[Thumbpicker]

Here's some musicians playing a cover.... Are you going to gell me they are worse than musicians that write their own music... I won't believe you.

 

[SpiderWars]

Here's some musicians playing a cover.... Are you going to gell me they are worse than musicians that write their own music... I won't believe you.

Just playing that la pompe rhythm right is a skill unto itself.

 

[RaceU4her]

these guys are playing im sure highly complex pieces really fast and clean using all their fingers and strings for people sitting down, im trying to write a bunch of bullshit with a three note limit on two strings that will hopefully get people punching each other in the face

 

[Tone Monster]

I love learning new songs (covers) because it makes me think and play something I’d never write. Gives me tools to write differently.

 

[RaceU4her]

I love learning new songs (covers) because it makes me think and play something I’d never write. Gives me tools to write differently.

It’s my favorite technique, try and play a riff by ear and I’m so wrong it becomes something of my own

 

[Greazygeo]

I write and record stuff at home. Have played originals, vocals and instrumentals. Also play in cover bands. Prefer olaying covers out. Get to play 3-4 hours and a wide variety of stuff. More fun for me. Playing originals most times kinda stuck playing the same style and maybe an hour set.

 

[SgtThump]

Ive done a lot of both originals and covers. It’s all fun!

 

[midnightlaundry]

Shit Stir Architect..

 

[PhoneyIommi]

Don't mean this as a slight, but I don't personally get it. It takes so much time to learn an instrument, so why bother with anything other than original music once you get to that point? I kind of understand the tone thing to some extent, but not the need to be 100% on point with something someone else crafted. I understand learning others music and using those to guide you through your own creativity, but just doing covers? This to me is a bigger downfall of music issue than AI, tbh.

Many great musicians or bands started out playing covers (and continued as part of their set.)
Jimi Hendrix
The Grateful Dead
Van Halen
Metallica
Etc etc.
Hell, look at Zakk Wylde doing Zakk Sabbath.
It's just fun and the crowds love it.

 

[stephen sawall]

I did some cover bands in the 80's. I was the main writer in most of the bands after that. I still learn other people's stuff often. Since I was a teenager, I will sit in front of a TV and figure out all the music that comes on. Commercials, sound tracks, shows, everything in real time. Keeps my ear where I need it. My old band got back together last spring. We improvise everything. We do songs me and the bass player wrote. But we are at the point all three of us improvise whole songs. Lyrics and everything.