Learning stuff just a fraction too hard for you...

Emp_Fab

Playing lead in a covers band (when it's actually functioning), I tend to have to learn other people's solos as note-perfect as possible, and, generally, I find this difficult.  Mainly because I'm not as good a guitarist as the invariably highly talented soloist on the original, plus I'm having to learn solos by different people who have different playing styles - not just to me, but to each other too.

In short, I only tackle songs I think I have a reasonable chance of doing a recognisable solo to that people will recognise and also won't get me laughed at.  However, getting to that point often requires hour upon hour of solid practice on just a single solo, often for weeks, and by the time I can knock out a reasonable facsimile, I've played the thing so many times I'm absolutely sick to death of the bloody thing and never want to ever hear it again, never mind play it !

Does anyone else get to that point ? :-)

Roland

You eventually move through that point, and the solo becomes second nature. What I find very useful is to check YouTube for how the original artist did it live, rather than on the original studio recording. After all, they must plat it more often, and get even more tired of it than you do. It's also worth looking at how other competent guitarists cover the same solo

monquixote

I don't have the patience to learn note perfect solos so I tend to just arse about in the same key and include any especially memorable hooks. 

In most of the bands I've been in it's been fairly rare to come across anything with an especially tricky solo. I Believe in a Thing Called Love is probably the most taxing one I can remember doing and even that's not really any great shakes.

What sort of songs are you doing.

equalsql

I used to play lead guitar for a big-money covers band some years back and has to get the solos as near perfect as I could, Not just copying guitar but also saxaphone solos etc. Some of them were really challenging because they were so far from my comfort zone and I would have to practise them over and over until like you I became sick of them..

But.. having to force this stuff down my throat upped my game considerably and ended up being probably the most fruitful practise sessions I have ever done.
There's plenty of gain from all that pain

EricTheWeary

A) everything is a fraction too hard for me. well done, I admire the hard work and I am sure it is improving your skills as a guitarist C) do you really need to do this? I wouldn't expect a covers band to do solos note for note unless pretty pro ( those product demonstrators doing The Attitude Song at guitar shows - although I am blurring a line between solo and instrumental I suppose- or maybe a top money functions band) or a tribute act ( and then it would depend TBH). D) sometimes your own solo done well is better than a fumbled attempt at the original. Indeed, unless you are 100% confident then the closer you are to the original the more it actually hi lights any errors. E) only 0.5% of your audience will know anyway and probably 0% of your band mates. F) 65.43% of statistics are made up. G) on the iPad so forgot there are no line breaks!

Danny1969

If I like the solo then I can often spend hours working things out exactly, not just the notes but the voicing, the little quirks like slides, pre bends, type pf vibrato etc. If I don't like the solo I will still copy it pretty closely but not exactly.

In covers band land there aren't many hard solo's to cover anyway (at least in my experience) or at least it's not the solo's but the actual playing style that's hard to nail. 

For example has anyone, ever heard anybody (other than Mark Knopler) play the intro riff  for money for nothing  convincingly ?

octatonic

Danny1969 said:

For example has anyone, ever heard anybody (other than Mark Knopler) play the intro riff  for money for nothing  convincingly ?

This ain't it.

digitalscream

Whether it's a really easy solo or one that's outside my ability, I tend to do the same thing - keep the structure of the solo the same, with any melodic bits and join-up-the-licks notes following the original, and then substitute stuff that sounds more like me for anything that's either too boring or too hard.

That way, it keeps the sick-of-hearing-it stuff at bay while not running the risk of a major fluff live. I also have an easier backup version of every difficult solo, in case I'm having a bad night at the office.

Danny1969

octatonic said:

Danny1969 said:

For example has anyone, ever heard anybody (other than Mark Knopler) play the intro riff  for money for nothing  convincingly ?

This ain't it.

No it ain't but I like her top

octatonic

Emp_Fab

The top is ok - a bit bright for me but I'm more interested in her tits.

Iamnobody

Is her middle name Sucks?

I bet old Knophler can't jiggle his tits about in time to the music though...

paulnb57

Someone said there was a guitar in the above video clip, can't see it meself!

Georgie

) ) ) )

Emp_Fab said:

The top is ok - a bit bright for me but I'm more interested in her tits.

Please don't hold back!! I would prefer to hear what you really think!!!
) )