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Thread: Playing with others and learning songs

  1. #1

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    Default Playing with others and learning songs

    Hi guys,

    I recently got a chance to play with two other guys ones a guitarist and the other a bassist.

    This was the first time I ever played with anyone else other than the radio. Both guys have been playing for over 25 years so I was a bit intimidated.

    Myself I have been playing 2 years. So everything went rather well. I played decent on the songs I already knew and the songs I never played to or heard before I was able at least to keep a beat and get a general idea of what was going on.

    Anyways they gave me a few songs to learn. So I have been playing and trying to learn the songs but there are some parts within the songs where my skill level just isn't there yet.

    Iam wondering for now would it be acceptable to improvise and play those tough parts with what I know and what my ability is?

    The reason Iam asking is eventualy I will learn those tough parts and I do work on it but I don't think I will be able to learn them in a few weeks and the other guys want to learn about 7-8 songs so I don't think I can take weeks or months just to learn one or two songs

    How exact do you have to be when just playing cover songs?

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Playing with others and learning songs

    Just do the best you can. Thats all you can do anyway right? I played with guys many a time where I had to fudge the drum part, either because it was beyond my skill, or more often because I just didn't know the song. No one ever gave me any strife about it. Not the guys or the audience. Just try to get the beat more or less right and it usually works out.

  3. #3

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    Default Re: Playing with others and learning songs

    sure dude ,,play it as best as you can..dont worry about being beat for beat .. just have fun .. its all that matters.
    Tamaholic

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Playing with others and learning songs

    Improvising is a great skill to learn and it will get you out of some pretty sticky situations but if a cover tune that you are trying to learn has a key drum section that is the trademark of the song, then you must try to pull it off as best as you can.

    Start slow bpm and breakdown the drum phrase in small sections and slowly work the harder fills in with a slow steady meter. Once you've mastered the drum phrasing, try to speed up the tempo until it falls apart. Then go back and try it slower and then build up the tempo until you can go a bit further in speed and dynamics.

    Don't get discouraged. Just remember, your favorite cover tune may have taken multiple takes or have been "edited" together section by section until the final product is posted.

  5. #5

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    Default Re: Playing with others and learning songs

    I would say just have fun, fake the parts you dont know yet, if you are planning on learing them play something similiar thats within your skill that why you are kinda half learing it while your jamming
    Tama Rockstar
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  6. #6

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    Default Re: Playing with others and learning songs

    Lil d.......the drummers you here on the albums dont usualyy play them the same way twicw. Improvising is acceptable and playing along with others is the best way to get better.

    Just rememberto have fun and dont get up-tight worrying about being perfect and you will do much better.
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  7. #7

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    Default Re: Playing with others and learning songs

    Unless they've said up front that they're going for "note perfect" covers, it's not likely that they're playing their parts exactly like the recording, so don't sweat it.

    IMHO, it's much more important to stay in time than to nail every fill.

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