Stevie: superstition

[Delaware Dave]

15 hours ago, HammondDave said:

For the Rick Beato fans here…

 

 

[Greg Mein]

On 1/15/2015 at 8:01 PM, Josh Paxton said:

http://s14.postimg.org/dqmeaq7g1/Part_1.png

 

I've also done this song for years, what is the procedure for viewing these image files??

[Docbop]

 

[J.F.N.]

On 3/9/2024 at 8:39 PM, TommyRude said:

 

 

I was watching this one some week or two ago, I find she's definitely concluding it in a very easy and comprehensive way, great video!!

 

[Theo Verelst]

I think she has a load of main things wrong, and the chords sound illogical and somewhat overdone. Of course, the production, effects and instrument mastery come into play for more than a few elements.

 

T

[AnotherScott]

10 minutes ago, Theo Verelst said:

I think she has a load of main things wrong, and the chords sound illogical and somewhat overdone. Of course, the production, effects and instrument mastery come into play for more than a few elements.

 

Well, she plays it well enough for Stevie.

 

And while on stage she may well be playing something different from what Stevie is playing, she probably has a really good knowledge of just what Stevie is playing as well.

[ProfD]

1 hour ago, AnotherScott said:

Well, she plays it well enough for Stevie.

 

And while on stage she may well be playing something different from what Stevie is playing, she probably has a really good knowledge of just what Stevie is playing as well.

Exactly.

 

Steve Nathan's post from a few years ago is the wisdom here. 

 

For whatever reason, some musicians want to get into a deep dive technical analysis of a recording when the music was produced based on feel and groove.

 

Glossed over is the fact that  Stevie Wonder himself plays the tune differently. 

 

Listen to any number of Stevie Wonder live performances and how his band rearranges and burns on his songs without playing them as recorded.

 

I cannot imagine a good reason that this song or any song for that matter has to be played exactly as it was recorded.  Especially not if the recording or instrumental tracks are floating around. 😁😎

[Stokely]

Agreed.  Ray Manzarek is a great example of not giving a shit about playing what he recorded, or at least he didn't in *anything* live I've ever seen or heard.

Donald Fagen has a few live versions of Peg, which was a bit frustrating for a visual learning hack like me who can't read music (other than guitar tabs) to see him just sort of ad lib over the chords any way he pleases!

Never heard Rick Wakeman stick to what he played exactly either.  And on and on.  I find it absolutely hilarious that (some) small-time cover bands I've talked to get so uptight about that sort of thing, while many of the original bands don't care.    Hey different strokes, I just avoid joining bands like that.

[Bobadohshe]

On 1/25/2022 at 3:23 PM, MathOfInsects said:

I do think Superstition is one of those songs you generally have to play wrong to play right, at least if you're sitting in with anyone new. If that drummer kicks off those four bars, and you're not in with the slimline two-groups-of-seven-notes, bare skeleton of a riff--basically, the Stevie Ray Vaughan extraction of that iconic part--most cats are going to wonder what in the world you're playing. 

 

Exactly this IMO. How you kick the tune off is essential. The rest is vibe and will depend on your rhythm section, particular clav sample and band mix. It IS important to play the right chords on the turnaround though.

[Docbop]

On 3/18/2024 at 9:10 AM, Stokely said:

Agreed.  Ray Manzarek is a great example of not giving a shit about playing what he recorded, or at least he didn't in *anything* live I've ever seen or heard.

Donald Fagen has a few live versions of Peg, which was a bit frustrating for a visual learning hack like me who can't read music (other than guitar tabs) to see him just sort of ad lib over the chords any way he pleases!

Never heard Rick Wakeman stick to what he played exactly either.  And on and on.  I find it absolutely hilarious that (some) small-time cover bands I've talked to get so uptight about that sort of thing, while many of the original bands don't care.    Hey different strokes, I just avoid joining bands like that.

 

I remember back in the day when name artists had a live version of tunes they played and the recorded version.   They gave songs more energy live to compensate for now having all the filler bits the records had.      The band Bread was big on the radio then but reviews of their live shows tore them up the complaint of reviewers they were too perfect live, they sounded exactly like their records and live that doesn't cut it.      

 

Nowaday bands have playback engineers feeding all the filler bits into the FOH system and every one on a click because the lighting and other stage effects are all running on the sync click.   Now people go to concerts to hear the record basically played thru the FOH system and musicians and singers are just meat puppets dancing on stage.    No wonder ticket prices are ridiculous it cost a lot to all all that FOH system, playback gear,  lighting, props,  dancers and all city to city  just so people can I say <fill  in the blank>  dance and lip sync most of there hits.    The energy and soul are gone in concerts now as far as I'm concerned might as well wait for the concert DVD and save $$$ the experience is the same. 

 

Okay time I back away from the coffee pot. 

[Stokely]

That's the main reason I go to few shows.  And frankly have little wish to watch glorified karaoke on my tv either.   Part of what I love about playing, and listening to, live music is seeing what people can pull off "manually".   Whether that's with a giant ensemble like Snarky Puppy sometimes brings out, or a duo, I don't care to hear a bunch of musak making it sound big and full.   Not to mention at least a few bands around here just fake even the instruments they are playing, which is shit IMO.   But that's just me and my spending cash, I fully realize I'm in the tiny minority and that battle has been long over.  

[AnotherScott]

The only "backing track" I ever use is that sometimes I use drum rhythms in the keyboard when we're playing without a drummer (though not always... often we just omit drums sounds entirely... mostly depending on whether or not the folks hiring us are looking for people to dance). I have mixed feelings about it. It sounds good, but I worry that people might hear that and think, hmmm, "maybe some of the other stuff I'm hearing is automated too," and they may not be sure that everything else they're hearing is indeed being played/sung live. Though in the end, I'm sure I care more about that than they do. 😉

[ProfD]

2 hours ago, Docbop said:

Nowaday bands have playback engineers feeding all the filler bits into the FOH system and every one on a click because the lighting and other stage effects are all running on the sync click.   

Thankfully, none of the musicians I would pay to hear live uses backing tracks.😎

 

 

[Docbop]

7 minutes ago, ProfD said:

Thankfully, none of the musicians I would pay to hear live uses backing tracks.😎

 

 

 

Same here mainly because I'm into Jazz,  I'm referring to the masses who don't know or even care they just want to hold up their smartphone and make videos they will never watch. 

[ProfD]

11 minutes ago, Docbop said:

I'm referring to the masses who don't know or even care they just want to hold up their smartphone and make videos they will never watch. 

To be fair, the majority of them aren't really there for the *music* .  It's all about the artist and experience of being in the same vicinity.😎

[kpl1228]

It is quite possibly the most "deceptively difficult" keyboard part in pop music. The melody is simple but all the rhythmic stuff too.....I never got it right and I used to cover that up by suggesting the Stevie Ray Vaughn version to the rest of the band. "Hey guys, I'll cover the horn parts on my synth!" haha

You know how they say piano players are not organ players? It's a smaller niche, but I'd also say the same thing about clavinet players.