Play a song badly or not at all?

[NegativeEase]

I've been really getting into lead playing, proper technique, dexterity exercises... all because of my severe lack of accuracy at anything above a crawl on the fretboard. I'm a passable rhythm player, really. So, there's a song my church gig always seems to try to get me to play twice a year, and I HATE it. I mean, the song is cool, has good energy, but the solo is way outside my skill set at the moment. I struggle to even get it at half speed. It's Today is the Day by Lincoln Brewster, and here's an example of someone playing it:



It just frustrates the hell out of me that I have tried this off and on for a couple years, and never could get it down. Now they want to play it again, and I'm about to say "no," to the whole thing because of this song. I mean, you wouldn't ask a singer to to try and sing notes that their voice cannot hit, why are my hands different? That's my "voice."

Rock and Roll Jesus' will see you through this.

No really, honestly -confidence is a lot of the equation -just remove some of the phrasing to dial it back to a just almost comfortable level and get up there and act like your sh*t smells the best.

Why is it a "thing" or expectation to play a guitar solo note for note anyways?

The general audience won't know the difference, only musicians will -and they suck as judgmental turds generally speaking -so you can ignore them and go about your life enjoying yourself.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Rock and Roll Jesus' will see you through this.

No really, honestly -confidence is a lot of the equation -just remove some of the phrasing to dial it back to a just almost comfortable level and get up there and act like your sh*t smells the best.

Why is it a "thing" or expectation to play a guitar solo note for note anyways?

The general audience won't know the difference, only musicians will -and they suck as judgmental turds generally speaking -so you can ignore them and go about your life enjoying yourself.

My general thought is that I try to play the memorable, hummable parts that the average non-musician would recognize and the rest of the solo is determined by me.

I’ve played ZZ Top’s Tush in cover bands for years. I’ve probably played that song hundreds of times and heard it thousands. And to this day I can’t hum the solo note for note.
I just do my own thing with it within the confines of the tonal center.

 

[NegativeEase]

My general thought is that I try to play the memorable, hummable parts that the average non-musician would recognize and the rest of the solo is determined by me.

I’ve played ZZ Top’s Tush in cover bands for years. I’ve probably played that song hundreds of times and heard it thousands. And to this day I can’t hum the solo note for note.
I just do my own thing with it within the confines of the tonal center.

Totally, solos aren't really put in a song to be copied note for note -just hit the iconic phrases and wank the rest~!

 

[devastone]

There are apparently examples of said wanking in the "Do you Wank" thread, follow these examples at your own risk.

 

[NegativeEase]

Treverous.

My advice is walk the dog note for note until :13 (where the arpeggio wanking starts). then just arpeggiate what you're slightly comfortable doing alternating voicings for dramatic effect and then hit that last shrill and you are good.

Don't play it too safe though -you want to build confidence in yourself by pushing it a little.

Just pretend like you are an expert and your sh*t don't stink. Fake it til you make it (no one makes it). Just be confident -that's the whole point of a guitar solo .

Screw what other musicians think, the audience will love it -plus if their judgemental *sses in your worship team or congregation, is that a church you really want to be involved with anyways?

I solved that problem by just playing with coke heads, losers and criminals -but I don't suggest that route either.

 

[devastone]

This might help figuring out the dog walking parts:

 

[Aceman]

Two comments:

#1 Get a Digitech Drop, EHX pitchfork, or Mooer Pitchbox. Transpose fixed if needed

#2 Tap the arpeggios.

You got this.

 

[NegativeEase]

Two comments:

#1 Get a Digitech Drop, EHX pitchfork, or Mooer Pitchbox. Transpose fixed if needed

#2 Tap the arpeggios.

You got this.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Two comments:

#1 Get a Digitech Drop, EHX pitchfork, or Mooer Pitchbox. Transpose fixed if needed

#2 Tap the arpeggios.

You got this.

I personally hate those pitch changing pedals. I had the Morpheus back in the day and currently have the Digitech Drop.
It does something digitally funky to the tone that I don’t like. One or MAYBE 2, 1/2 step drops is “sort of acceptable” but anything g more than that and it’s pure mud coupled with unacceptable latency.
I know....somebody will come in and say “nobody in the audience will ever notice”.
Doesn’t matter...:I notice and I don’t like it.

 

[Aceman]

I said "If needed". YMMV.

 

[Erlend_G]

BADLY!!

Poor music, is better than no music, IMHO .

-E ♪

 

[solspirit]

Might as well getting stuck in 12-bar blues for that matter. I think he needs to first get comfortable being uncomfortable, in order to improve.

What a help you are

 

[Gtrjunior]

I said "If needed". YMMV.

Just sayin’

 

[Aceman]

By the way - also consider this...

Playing it exactly the same (Technique and note choice) is one way to look at it.
- I saw Night Ranger play "Don't Tell Me You Love Me" and the guitar player played it exactly as Jeff Watson would. It was meh.
- I have seen numerous bands tap the same notes out play in different positions. Sounded great.

Playing the same notes anyway you can is sometimes an option
- Assuming the technique doesn't matter. It usually doesn't. Usually.
- Eruption isn't gonna fly without tapping.

Playing something else well is also an option.
- There are a lot of things that playing something else will be just fine. Just play it in key, in time, and perhaps rhythmically similar.
- Randy Rhoads varied what he played A LOT live.
- Lynch never really plays his recorded solos as on record

There are some things you shouldn't ever mess with pitch or rhythm
- Intro to Johnny Be Goode...every note, as played, no excuses.

Playing something Bad, whether exactly as originally played, the same notes played, or something, "in the style of" or even totally different is never an option.

 

[devastone]

I agree with Ace, I think... Work out something that sounds good that you can play, but you can also have a goal of working up to playing the real thing. As he mentioned, if you work out a part, it needs to be in the right key, rhythmically similar if possible, at least in time, even if half the speed. I would often throw a scalar run where the string skipping part is in the end, mostly because I was lazy and didn't spend the time to figure it out note for note. If we bring the song back, I may, or may not, invest the time to learn it...

 

[Gtrjunior]

By the way - also consider this...

Playing it exactly the same (Technique and note choice) is one way to look at it.
- I saw Night Ranger play "Don't Tell Me You Love Me" and the guitar player played it exactly as Jeff Watson would. It was meh.
- I have seen numerous bands tap the same notes out play in different positions. Sounded great.

Playing the same notes anyway you can is sometimes an option
- Assuming the technique doesn't matter. It usually doesn't. Usually.
- Eruption isn't gonna fly without tapping.

Playing something else well is also an option.
- There are a lot of things that playing something else will be just fine. Just play it in key, in time, and perhaps rhythmically similar.
- Randy Rhoads varied what he played A LOT live.
- Lynch never really plays his recorded solos as on record

There are some things you shouldn't ever mess with pitch or rhythm
- Intro to Johnny Be Goode...every note, as played, no excuses.

Playing something Bad, whether exactly as originally played, the same notes played, or something, "in the style of" or even totally different is never an option.

This is generally my outlook as well.

 

[Aceman]

As he mentioned, if you work out a part, it needs to be in the right key, rhythmically similar if possible, at least in time, even if half the speed.

Randy Rhoads often played the run at the end of the solo in Crazy Train at half speed / half the notes. IUt sounds like he picked up the lick somewhere in the middle of the run. Probably the second octave on. The recorded one is a blaze of hammer ons.

Here is the studio: 2:50

But listen to this: 1:17

 

[Bogner]

I would work it in sections and learn as much as I could that way. The parts that are more difficult I would hit the key notes in their proper place and play less and let it breathe. Hold the notes, bend them, shake them nicely, it could really open things up and allow things to breathe. Anytime you can throw a volume swell in there could be nice as well. Htting the key notes and utilizing various dynamics can go a long way.

 

[Mincer]

Or, just select a 23 second reverb on a Big Sky and hit any notes you want.

 

[Aceman]

Or, just select a 23 second reverb on a Big Sky and hit any notes you want.

Ouch! Saucy Dave, saucy indeed!!!