Songs for acoustic (solo, duo, etc.)?

[Eric VB]

So, in an acoustic solo, duo, etc. setting, a lot of cats are doing everything and anything. If the audience wants "Freebird", well, they'll get it. At least the best version possible with just one guy and an acoustic guitar.

 

What about songs that really fit an acoustic setting? You know, songs the loud, electric 4-piece bands don't touch because they don't translate well to that stage.

 

If you're someone who mostly goes out to hear electric guitar bands, what great songs haven't you heard in forever?

 

Alternatively, if you mostly hang out with the unplugged crowd, what's some great songs you've heard (or would like to hear)?

 

For example, "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" by Gordon Lightfoot. Nobody plays it now as far as I know. Good song or would you get up and leave if someone started playing it at the restaurant/club you were at?

 

What do you think?

[Winston Psmith]

Sort of two answers here . . .

 

If you're going for a dance crowd, you might get them going with some Jim Croce (Bad, Bad Leroy Brown), but Edmund Fitzgerald is going to lose them.

 

If you want something that's a lot of fun to play/arrange for Acoustic Guitar, I worked up an arrangement of Over The Rainbow that took me a good bit of effort, but I'm very happy with it. Beyond that, any Jobim you can dig into is great music, and a great workout.

 

I know, I'm ignoring all the Rock classics here, like Stairway To Freebird. Sorry, how about Blind Faith's Can't Find My Way Home? Since we were talking about the late Jack Bruce in here, just days ago, you might look into Passing The Time, or As You Said, from Cream's Wheels Of Fire; Jack played guitar on both of those, IIRC, though both are in open tunings, as well. You could also try Rope Ladder To The Moon, from his Songs For A Tailor.

 

Final thought, check out some of the California Guitar Trio. They play in Fripp's NST, but still, their arrangements are very impressive, and may give you some ideas. I'll let someone else weigh in here, I'm sure you'll get a lot of good suggestions.

[skipclone 1]

So you are asking listeners about their preference-can`t help much from that perspective. One of my short-term goals is, to get back into more electric. I`ve been playing almost all acoustic-for audiences at least-for the last couple of years.

One big distinction is, the kind of crowd that would appreciate acoustic arrangements of songs not originally in that format-I put together a version of `What have I done (to deserve this)` from Pet Shop Boys that`s fun, as opposed to the coffeehouse/folkie crowd who wants to hear acoustic music from acoustic artists. The former describes the crowd I usually play for.

 

Here are a few suggestions for acoustic-

 

The first part of `Your Move` from Yes-I played this one for the crowd at my language school in Taipei. It helps to have more than one singer, a point made even more strongly by my unfortunate decision to play `Black Water` from The Doobie Bros next.

 

`Who`s Behind the Door`, Zebra. Not an easy one but impressive if you can pull it off. Better on a 12 string.

 

`No Such Thing`, that first single from John Mayer. Much of it is rising on the Maj7 but it has some cool changes too.

 

 

[Sharkman]

How about "Here Comes The Sun" by the Beatles? Put a capo at the seventh fret and pretend you're George Harrison.

[whitefang]

If that "Unplugged" show taught us anything, it's that damned near ANYTHING can be played acoustically.

 

Not EVERYTHING mind you....But just give anything a try to see how it sounds to ya, or if you CAN work an acoustic arrangement out. Coincidentally, I was just trying to work out in my head how the old ROGER MILLER song, "King of The Road" might sound with just a guy and his acoustic axe.

 

And let us know what you come up with. This is an interesting thread.

Whitefang

[SEHpicker]

"Amie" - Pure Prairie League

"In My Life" - "Yesterday" - "Across The Universe" The Beatles

"Harvest Moon" - Neil Young

Just about anything from Clapton's "unplugged" album

"Free Fallin" - Tom Petty

 

These are what came to mind - but there are soooo many good ones.

[Larryz]

I like playing acoustic open mic's now and then. There are usually about 15 or more players that get up and play 4 or 5 songs each. Many of these players return time after time and you get to know them and their favorite songs. The main thing is to pick songs that you love regardless of genre. There are beginners to pros that show up and you have to be brave to get up there as you know there are at least 15 players watching your every move and listening closely (and all of us are very forgiving). It's all in fun and a great way to share your music and a glass of beer or wine...

 

I wouldn't pick songs like the Wreck of Edmund Fitzgerald or Hotel California as they are just too long but others might play them and pull them off quite well. I think you would more than likely have hard rockers walking out if you played Edmund Fitzgerald at a rock concert than at an acoustic jam LOL!

 

I like being versatile and some nights I play some country rock, other nights some jazz standards, classic rock, etc...but, I think it's best to mix them together as you have better chances of getting in touch with the audience...some of the songs I play are:

 

Scotch and Soda

Route 66

Fire On The Mountain

Since I Fell For You

Summertime

Any Way You Want Me

Hey Good Looking

Jumbalaya

Pretty Woman

The Way

Ventura Highway

My Little Runaway

Memphis

I Can't Tell You Why

Mountain of Love

Your Mama Don't Dance

 

And the list goes on. If the crowd gets up and starts dancing I head in that direction and consider it a compliment for just one guy and a guitar and the house starts rocking!

 

Do what you love and do it well. Don't be afraid to use your imagination and your own arrangements. There are times when others will want to join you on stage, and when they do pick on easier songs so they can follow along easily...just a few suggestions...

 

[whitefang]

Actually, there IS an old country song called "Do What You Do, do Well." Can't think of who did it, though....Think it was Sonny James, but not sure..

Whitefang

[p90jr]

I do a lot of acoustic gigs, either as the lone guitar with one or two singers or asa duo with another guitarist/singer.

 

The gigs where I back up the singers are usually low key restaurant gigs and we keep things mellow and low key... I've come up with softer acoustic versions of pop, rock and disco hits that we through in with a lot of "mellow gold" hits and some jazz standards, and we do a lot of alt-country or indie rock ballads that we like and the crowd likes it. We're background music, and the vibe seems to be the biggest thing, there. I also make use of looping pedals and octave pedals to be a one-man band and build up layers on stuff like "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac. Lately, we've been hired to play a lot of weddings, as guests arrive, and then I end up playing instrumental things for the processionals, like "Pachelbel's Cannon" or whatever (which is where the looping pedals come in very handy).

 

The duo gigs at bars... well, I remember one of the first I did, and the manager walked up as we were setting up and said "yeah... don't play any of that mopey, depressing acoustic guy music, I want it upbeat!" I had a strat and a sansamp with me, and ended up playing that most of the night, doing rock material with the other guy being a rhythmic thing on his acoustic. Think "Ice Cream man" by Van Halen, "Cuts Like A Knife" by Bryan Adams, "Sweet Home Alabama" etc. It was basically a rock band gig where they didn't want to pay 4 people or deal with loud drums in a tiny room.

[skipclone 1]

Come to think of it, among the source material I had back in the day-don`t recall where I got it and it probably was lost in last year`s garage fire-was a compilation of songs by J.J. Cale. I got some great songs from that, both as a full band and solo acoustic. we used to do `Travelin Light` with the band and I`ve done `Hey Baby` solo. Definitely recommend checking out his catalog.

[J. Dan]

I recently joined a 5-pc acoustic band (I'm playing bass) - drums/perc, lead singer, 6-string, and the other guy covers 6 and 12-string, mandolin, banjo, and keys (all 5 of us sing). However, most of these songs could be done as a 2-pc.

 

Here is our list so far:

 

what I got - sublime

no rain - blind melon

here comes the sun - beatles

little help from my friends - beatles

pinball wizard - who

name - googoo dolls

breakfast at tiffanys - deep blue something

sunshine - john edwards

country roads - john denver

crazy little thing - queen

brown sugar - stones

the weight - the band

one - three dog night

counting blue cars - dishwala

comfortably numb - pink floyd

suite madam blue - styx

closer to the heart - rush

midnight rider - allman bro

stealin' when i should a - uriah heep

fishin in the dark - nitty gritty dirt band

mrs robinson - simon & G

cats in the cradle - harry chapin

creep - radiohead

semi charmed kinda life - third eye blind

the middle - jimmy eat world

waterfalls - tlc

maggie may - rod

losing my religion - rem

ho hey the - lumineers

wagon wheel - old crow medicine show

one toke over the line - brewer & shipley

shine - collective soul

hurt - johnny cash

im gonna be (500 miles) - the proclaimers

space oddity - david bowie

come as you are - nirvana

tainted love - soft cell

you may be right - billy joel

last train to clarksville - monkees

I'm a believer - neil diamond

sweet caroline - neil

hysteria- def lepard

freshman - the verve pipe

we can work it out - beatles

signs - five man electrical band

two hangmen - mason proffit

hey hey what can i do - zepplin

paint it black - stones

wish you were here - floyd

closing time - semisonic

Roxanne - police

Give a little bit - Supertramp

Shambala - three dog night

Handle with care - travelling wilburies

Fly like an eagle - Steve miller band

 

Oh, and we switch off and I play sax on a few songs. Only played one gig with them so far, but everything seemed to go over. We're going to drop a few of the downers like hurt and comfortably numb.

[skipclone 1]

I`v e played some of those too-

Name, Midnight Rider, Wish You Were Here-been wanting to do Counting Blue Cars-a lot. I can play Give a Little Bit, never done it live. Didn`t especially like the Goo Goo Dolls` chopped up version.

 

Other suggestions-

Matthew Sweet-I`ve played Girlfriend, Devil with the Green Eyes should play well.

Norwegian Wood-we used to do a reggae version with the band that rocked, acoustic would work just fine.

The Police-if you can get someone to do the bass, Driven to Tears.

I`ve worked up a version of When It`s Over by Sugar Ray. I`ve played it for friends but not live yet, maybe next month. `Fly` would work well.

[5 string Mike]

Some I've done in an acoustic set

 

America- we did Horse w/ No Name, but songs like Sister Golden Hair would be good.

 

Doobie Bros. Black Water

Dylan- Wagon Wheel

Allison Krauss- When You Say Nothing At All (which (I think's an old Keith Whitley tune)

4 Non Blondes- What's Going On

 

 

 

[Eric VB]

How about "Here Comes The Sun" by the Beatles? Put a capo at the seventh fret and pretend you're George Harrison.

Yes, sir, that is already in my repertoire.

[Eric VB]

So far the consensus seems to be that, in general, audiences don't like "any of that mopey, depressing acoustic guy music" (thanks p90jr!).

 

I can accept that; just surprised (acoustic) songs by Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor, Jack Johnson, John Mayer, John Denver, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, etc. don't have (enough of) a following.

 

Is it the same for piano? Elton John, Alicia Keys, Billy Joel, etc.?

 

When I was a kid my friends listened to a lot of Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Aerosmith, Kiss, etc. (it was the '70s). They liked the harder rocking tunes but they could just as easily sit there and listen to "Beth" by Kiss.

 

I was hoping there would be more material that isn't normally covered that would fit the acoustic circuit.

[Eric VB]

indie rock ballads

Would that include songs like "When September Ends" (Green Day), "Chasing Cars" (Snow Patrol) and the like?

[whitefang]

I remember a long time ago, I heard some guy on public radio do a solo acoustic version of Hendrix's "Up From The Skies". Yeah it was some black BLUES cat, and he SCATTED the guitar solo parts, but it sounded alright!

 

Lightfoot's "If You Could Read My Mind" didn't seem to make any list in here so far, has it?

 

Although I don't play professionaly, nor PERFORM anywhere, thanks to some influence from CASSANDRA WILSON, I've noodled around with an acoustic version of the old BOYCE & HART Monkees tune "Last Train To Clarksville"

[Danzilla]

I don't know how well they'd go over in your area, but at an open mic I once did some Porcupine Tree songs acoustic ("Lazarus" and "Drown With Me"). They got some decent applause, but the sound man was very pleasantly surprised to hear them and dug it.

Play what you want, and if both you and the audience like it, keep it.

[Eric VB]

very pleasantly surprised to hear [not the usual fare] and dug it.

Yeah, this is what I'm looking for.

 

I could just do unplugged Stairway to Freebird like everyone else, like Winston Psmith said. No doubt it works.

 

It's like going to a piano recital and, instead of Bach or Beethoven, all you hear is this (10-year-old girl plays "Carry On Wayward Son" on organ):

[video:youtube]9pS5xzOWbwo

 

Aren't there still some good songs that were recorded with just voice and guitar that haven't been played out in a while? How about the Everly Brothers?

 

Or is it the only "appropriate" thing to do to take acoustic songs and rock them up (the opposite of unplugging electric songs)?

 

[i'm not familiar with all the suggestion so far; I'll go back and take a listen!]

[J. Dan]

I think it's cool to do acoustic versions of songs everyone knows but don't expect to hear. We just added fly like an eagle and when it was suggested my first thought was "what?!? the whole thing is keys and effects!" But we tried it in practice and it was really cool. Of course we're a 5 pc, so that allowed us to cover a lot of ground. One guitar player played through a delay and did a lot of the ascending echo things, and me and the drummer laid down the groove. But my point is that just about anything can be made "unplugged", so I would just pick songs people like, and make them acoustic.

[Eric VB]

most of these songs could be done as a 2-pc.

I've played a lot of these songs with a band, solo or both.

 

One thing that is a common problem when playing solo is the guitar solo. Play the lead and you miss hearing the rhythm; play the rhythm and you miss hearing the lead.

 

p90jr gives one technological fix around this problem: use a looper.

 

I've heard other guys play to full backing tracks. I've even played to backing tracks I've recorded before. It was kind of cool to pull off back when home studios were just becoming a thing.

 

However, after seeing guys in the touristy area of Miami Beach use them -- one guy strummed chords while his backing track played the guitar solo -- I don't want to disappoint anyone like that with "live" music.

 

So, to open this topic up a bit, what do you find acceptable when seeing a live solo performance? Skip the leads and just play rhythm? Just play the leads? Foot-operated bass/percussion instruments? Looper? Backing tracks? Other?

[Eric VB]

I think it's cool to do acoustic versions of songs everyone knows but don't expect to hear. We just added fly like an eagle and when it was suggested my first thought was "what?!? the whole thing is keys and effects!"

Indeed, a good song is still going to be a good song if all you do is change the arrangement.

[J. Dan]

So, to open this topic up a bit, what do you find acceptable when seeing a live solo performance? Skip the leads and just play rhythm? Just play the leads? Foot-operated bass/percussion instruments? Looper? Backing tracks? Other?

 

I appreciate skillful use of a looper pedal. Many looper pedals will store loops that can be recalled. I don't like that as much as the real time building of loops at performance time. If you just recall a previously recorded loop, that's not much different than playing to a backing track.

 

 

For solo or duo acts, I also don't mind harmonizer pedals on vocals as long as they aren't autotuned, and the harmonies are driven by a guitar input or similar. However, every person present should be singing before any additional harmonies are introduced, and really for definitely more than 2 pc, often including 2 pc, you should really be able to cover enough harmonies to get the idea across without using a harmonizer.

[Larryz]

So, to open this topic up a bit, what do you find acceptable when seeing a live solo performance? Skip the leads and just play rhythm? Just play the leads? Foot-operated bass/percussion instruments? Looper? Backing tracks? Other?

 

I appreciate skillful use of a looper pedal. Many looper pedals will store loops that can be recalled. I don't like that as much as the real time building of loops at performance time. If you just recall a previously recorded loop, that's not much different than playing to a backing track.

 

 

For solo or duo acts, I also don't mind harmonizer pedals on vocals as long as they aren't autotuned, and the harmonies are driven by a guitar input or similar. However, every person present should be singing before any additional harmonies are introduced, and really for definitely more than 2 pc, often including 2 pc, you should really be able to cover enough harmonies to get the idea across without using a harmonizer.

 

I have a friend that can do the one man band act using a looper to record chords while he sings live and then play lead over the chords while not singing, but I'm not as good with it live... I don't care for the harmonizer although it sound good and the same goes for drum machines. To me, playing live means [playing live] and not using fake music and backing tracks. If you want to play along with CD's go do some Karaoke LOL! Loopers, harmonizers, drum machines, backing tracks, etc., make great practice and writing tools...

 

I do know what Eric means when doing a solo act and you drop the rhythm to play a lead. It will happen even if you have a bass player playing with you (i.e. having the whole bottom drop out creating a huge blank spot). I think the best thing to do when playing solo is to carry on with the chords during the lead breaks and while doing so, throw in some fills and little bass, jazz and blues runs...I would love to find another guitar player that also sings harmony, as I think this makes the best duo (think Everly Brothers with one of them being able to play lead)...it would be cool to exchange leads and harmonies if both players can sing and play lead...

[J. Dan]

I suppose my distinction of a looper vs backing tracks is that it repeats what you just played. If that's not ok, then what about a delay pedal? You're not really playing all the ethos, so is it a backing track? A looper is just a long echo with infinite repeat....if you use it that way. Like I said, I don't condone the ones that save multiple loops for later recall.

 

Similar on my harmonizer distinction. Never at any time do I condone pitch correction or auto tune, and I don't like thick harmonies. But if it's adding one or 2 based on what you're singing and playing into it, then it's still dependent on your voice. Again, I don't think it should replace a person - if you got the bodies, then sing.

[hurricane hugo]

sometimes it's good to recast a metal song like this:

 

[video:youtube]

[Larryz]

I suppose my distinction of a looper vs backing tracks is that it repeats what you just played. If that's not ok, then what about a delay pedal? You're not really playing all the ethos, so is it a backing track? A looper is just a long echo with infinite repeat....if you use it that way. Like I said, I don't condone the ones that save multiple loops for later recall.

 

Similar on my harmonizer distinction. Never at any time do I condone pitch correction or auto tune, and I don't like thick harmonies. But if it's adding one or 2 based on what you're singing and playing into it, then it's still dependent on your voice. Again, I don't think it should replace a person - if you got the bodies, then sing.

 

If it sounds good, it is good! If you can use the tools and make up a cool live performance then you have to go for it! I like to keep it real. Many times people overuse certain effects and it doesn't take long for reality to set in. The harmonizer for example, it just doesn't look right when the angels from heaven start chiming in and you're doing a solo act...it's like an Elvis movie or any other musical. Where's that band coming from all of a sudden? I concur too on the looper. If using it live and recording while performing the song, then playing lead over the track you just laid down while singing, it's very cool. You have to practice getting it right every time as some times you hit play and the recording didn't take and you're left holding the bag for a second or two. But when it all works, it can be very cool!

[Larryz]

sometimes it's good to recast a metal song like this:

 

[video:youtube]

 

<--- here's a cool song that I used to do an acoustic version of by White Snake with my own twist on it...

 

[p90jr]

just surprised (acoustic) songs by Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor, Jack Johnson, John Mayer, John Denver, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, etc. don't have (enough of) a following.

 

I was hoping there would be more material that isn't normally covered that would fit the acoustic circuit.

 

My point was that it depends on the gig you walk into (which can end up being different from the gig you thought you booked).

 

I do lots of that group of people you mentioned.

 

I also take a lot of 80s synth pop songs and come up with acoustic arrangements, and that's a crowd pleaser.

 

We have to remember we're entertainers, and we have to gauge the crowd we're playing for...

 

There's lots (too many, in everybody's opinion) of guys around here doing 90s grunge stuff acoustic. They bring all of their buddies out, so they keep gigs, but usually they have those guys up front, requesting Alice in Chains, etc., and the rest of the patio or club is kind of bored. Some variety would benefit them.

[Larryz]

I would love to hear some of these tunes when I'm out and about. I throw in a few Dylan tunes like Knocken on Heavens Door, All Along The Watch Tower and I'll Be Your Baby Tonight. I'm also considering putting these tunes in my set list:

 

The Boxer, Simon and Garfunkel

Like A Rolling Stone, Bob Dylan

Worken at The Car Wash Blues, Jim Croce

The Top Hat Bar and Grill, Jim Croce

Steam Roller Blues, James Taylor

Hey It's Good To Be Back Home Again, John Denver

For What It's Worth, Buffalo Springfield (with Neil Young)