Mention of Black Velvet on the "guitarist playing bass" discussion reminds me that I have never learnt note for note the guitar parts of this song when playing it live (i.e. particularly during the middle 8 before the solo).
It doesn't help that I do it in the original key of Eb on a standard tuned guitar (though I assume the guitarist thundered away in E pentatonic on a semi tone down tuned guitar) - since I have no desire to lug around an extra guitar or add a pitch shifter to my board just for this one song. Doing it in E is too high for the female singer.
Nobody's ever remarked on the lack of the parts so it seems like it's one of those songs you can get away with slumming it - whereas a song like Sweet Child O' Mine DOES need to be learnt mostly note for note.
Anyone else take short cuts on songs they do where they can get away with it.
...she's got Dickie Davies eyes...
Comments
If there are signature licks within the solo, try and hit them to give a flavour of the original to anyone who may notice. If it's an iconic solo where Joe Public at the Dog N Duck could whistle it, try and get as close as you can.
Proud Mary - I’m mostly playing horn parts. Quiet opening is played like Keef would
Gimme Some Lovin - again picking out the main riff and a couple of exact Cropper lines but otherwise not worrying
Friends theme - as close to the original as I can get because everyone knows it backwards
Beat It - riff is exact. Verses are just chords. Solo I’ve got about 80% exactly the same but playing it without a trem I’m very new to tapping so not doing all of it. But the overall shape of the solo and the big bends are all there
Based on my friend who plays violin in a good local orchestra, they'd be all for it if they're at the same level as your average pub band. And there are more of them to fill in the notes the others miss
I generally try to get all the riffs and solo's pretty spot on if I can for songs that go into the bands setlist. There are times though where I'm asked to dep and play a load of songs I'm not that familiar with and unlikely to play again. On these occasions I just wing it mostly.
I did a dep gig a few weeks back and had charted the changes in my head and listened to the solos but when we talked keys before going on everything was down a tone or some a tone and half so it would have been pointless spending too long nailing the exact voicing and detail of every song beforehand.
Biggest challenge in both bands I've been in that have had that in the set is the fiendish drum intro - neither drummer could ever get the timing right so we just ended up ditching it and just started all in after a 4-count!