Outkaster Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Do you guys have easy songs that no matter how long you play them you cant wrap your brain around them? I have two I play that are stock tunes for the Dukes: Knock on Wood (Piano/Organ) Its Alright (Organ/Vibes for solo) They never seem to go anywhere and are relatively easy to play but for whatever reason I draw a blank playing them and the worse thing is I have been playing for them for years! "Danny, ci manchi a tutti. La E-Street Band non e' la stessa senza di te. Riposa in pace, fratello" noblevibes.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timwat Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Mingus' Fable of Faubus. I'm just not feeling the love on this one yet. Chaka Khan - Ain't Nobody. I SO dig this one, but no matter how we arrange it as an instrumental, without having Chaka belting that vocal it just never quite does it for me. Nardis - after hearing any of Bill Evan's versions, I feel like an outsider looking in. .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outkaster Posted June 15, 2009 Author Share Posted June 15, 2009 I did that song with Reggae and wrote horn arrangements, We had a girl singer that sounded like Chaka a little bit. "Danny, ci manchi a tutti. La E-Street Band non e' la stessa senza di te. Riposa in pace, fratello" noblevibes.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe P Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Afro Blue - our drummer and guitar player like to jam on this as a rehearsal warm up. I hate it. It just does nothing for me. Long F minor vamp - blech! Regards, Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drawback Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Jefferson Airplane: Somebody To Love Inside out, outside in changes. Not surprisingly. ____________________________________ Rod Here for the gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raddtunes Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Interesting question - two come to mind: 1. You're Everything by Chick Corea. It was on the Light As A Feather album. It's absolutely gorgeous, melodic, etc. - - and you almost never sense the always changing (i think) tonal center. I can actually play it, but cannot jam on the changes or improvise on it. I don't think they blew on it on the album either. Jeez what a tune. 2. Love and Happiness. The R + B song. Just can't fit myself in with that one. I like it - - at my weekly blues jam gig, I pass my chair off on that tune if there's another player in the house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoKen Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 I'm struggling with Move It On Over just now. Is it Hank Williams (2 step) or George Thorogood (rock out/back beat)? The band loves it as do the audience members. I just endure it because I can't find the groove. Dead simple song that is baffling me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B3_borne Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Yea I'm get handcuff on a couple songs that I have played for years. SK2 /w Mini Vent / XK3 Pro System /w 142 Leslie, Roland D70, Korg SP250 B3 1959 (retired) , Porta B (retired), XB2 (retired) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EscapeRocks Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 There are songs I know I've played at least a thousand times, and every now an then my brain takes the moment off and I forget how to play the damned song. What causes that? David Gig Rig:Depends on the day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 For years I could not find the downbeat in Spirits in the Material World, until it kicked into the chorus and the backbeat took over. Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Link Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 A few songs that I love but draw a blank as far as improvising are "The Way You Look Tonight", "It Might As Well Be Spring" and "Have You Met Miss Jones". Or at least the bridge on the latter. On Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz show, a guest (don't recall who) said that a certain song had such a pretty melody that he never improvised over the changes, just played the melody twice. That's kind of my approach to "It Might As Well Be Spring." "Route 66" is song that I've played and sung for 25+ years and once in a while I start it in straight time like Asleep At the Wheel (we always take it off with a piano solo) instead of the usual swing beat. It's gotten so the drummer asks which it's gonna be. aka âmisterdregsâ Nord Electro 5D 73 Yamaha P105 Kurzweil PC3LE7 Motion Sound KP200S Schimmel 6-10LE QSC CP-12 Westone AM Pro 30 IEMs Rolls PM55P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Link Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Never played the tune, but to me there's a disconnect between the intro and the vocal on Simon and Garfunkel's "Cecilia". To my ear, it sounds like the guitar chord and percussion establishes the "one", but then the vocal comes in then at the "wrong" time. aka âmisterdregsâ Nord Electro 5D 73 Yamaha P105 Kurzweil PC3LE7 Motion Sound KP200S Schimmel 6-10LE QSC CP-12 Westone AM Pro 30 IEMs Rolls PM55P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Slow songs kill me because they give my mind time to think. When I think I screw up. Fast songs make me run on autopilot. "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drawback Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 For years I could not find the downbeat in Spirits in the Material World, until it kicked into the chorus and the backbeat took over. Never played the tune, but to me there's a disconnect between the intro and the vocal on Simon and Garfunkel's "Cecilia". To my ear, it sounds like the guitar chord and percussion establishes the "one", but then the vocal comes in then at the "wrong" time. This could be a whole topic on its own: "Where's The 1?" First time I heard "Sunshine Of Your Love" I thought the riff started on a 2-beat. Try that, it's a brain game. ____________________________________ Rod Here for the gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedKey Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Stay with me - The Faces (Rod Stewart) Right after the intro and keyboard run - into the groove of the verses.... I've played it so many times and many time correct.... and it still sounds sloppy to me. I always blame it on the drummer or bass player. Oh, and I still just can't get my head around the Clav solo on Trampled Underfoot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Nathan Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 2. Love and Happiness. The R + B song. Just can't fit myself in with that one. I like it - - at my weekly blues jam gig, I pass my chair off on that tune if there's another player in the house. If you've gotta real B, I'm coming! Maybe my favorite "cool organ" song of all time. Don't rush me. I'm playing as slowly as I can! http://www.stevenathanmusic.com/stevenathanmusic.com/HOME.html https://apple.co/2EGpYXK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Stay with me - The Faces (Rod Stewart) Right after the intro and keyboard run - into the groove of the verses.... I've played it so many times and many time correct.... and it still sounds sloppy to me. If it sounds sloppy, you are doing it just like the Faces! Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanker. Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 "Have You Met Miss Jones". Or at least the bridge on the latter. Drop some extra changes in the bridge and you may find it easier | Bb Eb7 | Ab- Db7 | F# B7 | E-7 A7 | D G7 | Ab-7 Db7 | F# | G-7 C7 | A ROMpler is just a polyphonic turntable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffLearman Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Never played the tune, but to me there's a disconnect between the intro and the vocal on Simon and Garfunkel's "Cecilia". To my ear, it sounds like the guitar chord and percussion establishes the "one", but then the vocal comes in then at the "wrong" time. That is an odd duck, isn't it? In my mind's ear, it's simple. But when I hear it on the radio and pay attention, there's something about it I just can't figure out. And then it's over. There are some songs just better left uncovered, and I think that's one of them. On the same lines, my hat's off to anyone who could cover Donald Fagen's "What a wonderful world it would be" without sounding like a bunch of morons. As to the original question, though -- yeah, it happens to me too but I can't think of any good examples. It's funny. Some songs I really like until I work them out and sort of lose respect for them. Like, wassupwiddat? I mean, if it's a good song, being simple shouldn't take away from it. And it usually doesn't, but sometimes ... sorta like some women who look beautiful until you get to know them well, and there's just nobody THERE. And other songs, seem simple but when I work them out I realize there's a lot more to them. Interestingly, Paul Simon songs come in both flavors - those that are deceptively simple, and those that are deceptively complex. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffLearman Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 For years I could not find the downbeat in Spirits in the Material World, until it kicked into the chorus and the backbeat took over. That's one I didn't think much of but once I learned it, I just loved playing it, even with the cheezy string sound. Having a good rhythm section definitely helped. I think it helped me with syncopation too. It's a good one to try practicing alone with a metronome, with the click on the backbeat (2, 4). Getting started can be a bit of a challenge at first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMcD Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Speaking of Sunshine of your Love, the drum beat bewilders me to this day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Benhamou Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 2. Love and Happiness. The R + B song. Just can't fit myself in with that one. I like it - - at my weekly blues jam gig, I pass my chair off on that tune if there's another player in the house. If you've gotta real B, I'm coming! Maybe my favorite "cool organ" song of all time. +1 Ian Benhamou Keyboards/Guitar/Vocals [url:https://www.facebook.com/OfficialTheMusicalBox/]The Musical Box[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FunkKeysStuff Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 I can't believe I'm admitting this, but I get lost embarrassingly easily in "Hotel California." Not because I can't wrap my brain around it, but because it has changes that are both somewhat counterintuitive, and mind-numbingly repetitive. So my brain starts to wander, and next thing I know I've gone up a 4th instead of a 5th or what have you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bosendorphen Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 On the same lines, my hat's off to anyone who could cover Donald Fagen's "What a wonderful world it would be" without sounding like a bunch of morons. I.G.Y.? We do that regularly and it comes off pretty well. Didn't find it that hard to pull off. "The devil take the poets who dare to sing the pleasures of an artist's life." - Gottschalk Soundcloud Aethellis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phred Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Here's an embarassing one. "Some kind of wonderful". I'm good all the way until the end. At the very end of the tune, I am playing whole notes, and singing bg vocals, and I sometimes get lost as to whether I should be playing the I or the IV. | I | IV | . . Some kinda wonderful | IV | I | . . Some kinda wonderful | I | IV | . . Some kinda wonderful | IV | I | . . Some kinda wonderful I'm just saying', everyone that confuses correlation with causation eventually ends up dead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Anything I ever covered that 'sounded simple' that was originally done by Steve Miller Band. It must be a curse. "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outkaster Posted June 16, 2009 Author Share Posted June 16, 2009 I think sometimes tunes go counter to what we believe or what feels right. Sometimes when you figure a song out it does not become fun anymore. Or it is in key that is a pain in the ass to play in. "Danny, ci manchi a tutti. La E-Street Band non e' la stessa senza di te. Riposa in pace, fratello" noblevibes.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 A lot of people tend to over complicate things. Usually when I can't get something it is because I am trying to make it harder than it really is. "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bryce Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 2. Love and Happiness. The R + B song. Just can't fit myself in with that one. I like it - - at my weekly blues jam gig, I pass my chair off on that tune if there's another player in the house. If you've gotta real B, I'm coming! Maybe my favorite "cool organ" song of all time. One of mine as well. I played this in a band in the 80's and have made several bands since play it as well. Groovin' tune... dB ==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <== Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Nightime Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 I always do "Route 66" in straight time, a bit faster that Asleep at the Wheel. It really rocks, and the crowd always loves it. And I'll do "Move It On Over" as almost a Western Swing/Boogie Shuffle groove. Back on topic, for a long time I had a problem with the intro to "Black Magic Woman" I played it right, just in the wrong key. took me a long time to wrap my brain around the key, and I still have to play a Dm7 to remind myself of where it starts. There was mention of songs that gave fits locating "1" To this day, I have a hard time with where 1 is until the verse starts on Deep Purple's "Maybe I'm a Leo", both the original, and Gov't Mule's version. But I absolutely love the song. The riff starts on 2. "In the beginning, Adam had the blues, 'cause he was lonesome. So God helped him and created woman. Now everybody's got the blues." Willie Dixon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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