How would you approach Livin' On A Prayer with just one guitar and no keys?

close2u · September 2014

Guitar, bass, drums, vocals.
Just started to learn this week to see if we can make it work.
I will be using a Zoom G3X for FX.

I figured I'd hold the opening chord with the ascending bass line from C to D to E on guitar with some spacey FX to sound like synth ... not sure what FX will work best yet.
Then the bass kicks in with the riff and I will join in.
I'm not sure how to get anywhere near the voice box effect.

During the verse I was going to play the stabbed 8ths that the electric piano plays with a fairly clean sound ... not sure what FX yet ... subtle I guess.

Then hit a bit of overdrive for the power chords section through the chorus etc.
I don't have a tremolo so I'm going to skip the lick during verse 2 with the dive bomb open G string.
Obviously boost, OD etc for the solo.

Have you ever done it in a simple 4-piece?
Any advice?

axisus · September 2014

Pray about it?

Gassage · September 2014

I wouldn't worry- I think you're halfway there.

spacecadet · September 2014

We did it a while ago. For the intro I just played the notes and let the guitar feedback with loads of delay. That seemed to work. Verse talkbox stuff I got away with using an envelope filter. Not the synthy sounding sort but the wah sounding sort. Worked a treat.

Oh and do play that lick even if you don;t have a trem. Everyone knows it and will be expecting to do air guitar. Just slide down the neck instead of dive bombing.

Grunfeld · September 2014

What key(s) or tunings are people playing this song in?

The biggest hurdle seems to be the vocals... that key change. How are people coping with that?

stickyfiddle · September 2014

You can get close to the talk box thing with a good throaty way pedal.

As for the verse 2 lick, Phil X played it on a hard tail - verse 2 starts at 3:40

maltingsaudio · September 2014

Make it your version within what you have available. The crowd only recognise the song by the dum di dum dum bass intro then just want you to get to the chorus so they can sing it

monquixote · September 2014

I think the G3 has an auto wah effect that can do vowel sounds.

stickyfiddle · September 2014

monquixote said:

I think the G3 has an auto wah effect that can do vowel sounds.

So does the M9 but I assumed this wasn't automatically a "what pedal do I buy for one song" thread

EDIT: and then I spotted that he already has a G3X which is the exp-pedal one. That'll work very well

EricTheWeary · September 2014

stickyfiddle said:

monquixote said:

I think the G3 has an auto wah effect that can do vowel sounds.

So does the M9 but I assumed this wasn't automatically a "what pedal do I buy for one song" thread

EDIT: and then I spotted that he already has a G3X which is the exp-pedal one. That'll work very well

my M9 didn't have an auto wah, it was probably the most requested thing on the M series page of the Line 6 forum. But, yes, the OP has a G3X so it is a moot point.

Fuzzdog · September 2014

maltingsaudio said:

Make it your version within what you have available. The crowd only recognise the song by the dum di dum dum bass intro then just want you to get to the chorus so they can sing it

This. I remember coming up with a rather intricate fingerstyle arrangement so I could cover both guitar parts, and considered dragging the old DIY voice box out of retirement, then had a sudden moment of clarity.

"I'm putting all this work in just to play a f***ing Bon Jovi song."

Just ended up playing the sustained chords, let the bass cover the riff, and joined in with the bass on the riff now and then. 99.999% of the audience didn't even notice a difference. As long as they can drunkenly shout "WOOOOOOAAAHOOOOOOOOOH" every now and then, they're happy.

stickyfiddle · September 2014

EricTheWeary said:

stickyfiddle said:

monquixote said:

I think the G3 has an auto wah effect that can do vowel sounds.

So does the M9 but I assumed this wasn't automatically a "what pedal do I buy for one song" thread

EDIT: and then I spotted that he already has a G3X which is the exp-pedal one. That'll work very well

my M9 didn't have an auto wah, it was probably the most requested thing on the M series page of the Line 6 forum. But, yes, the OP has a G3X so it is a moot point.

I'm sure mine does. Maybe it's a more specific talk box thing rather than autowah - I can't remember cos I've never really used it. No matter

mike_l · September 2014

The EVH wah has a nice throaty wah sound.

As for the "dive-bombed open G", play the G further up and slide down......

hubobulous · September 2014

We play this live and I'm the only guitarist. If we're not using my MIDI guitar for synth, then we just kick in with the bassline riff.

I use a Danelectro FreeSpeech talk box. Very cheap and through my vocal mic, it sounds great. We always get a good reception to doing it this way and the technique for using the talkbox comes pretty quickly. Its about making shapes with the mouth, but no actual noise.

Jalapeno · September 2014

Transpose the fucker down quite a few tones - Jon Bon Jovi sings flipping hi up, you'll hurt your knackers if you don't.

And yes - wah pedal or env filter will be fine.

IanSavage · September 2014

Grunfeld said:

What key(s) or tunings are people playing this song in?

The biggest hurdle seems to be the vocals... that key change. How are people coping with that?

I recommend the tried-and-tested 'hold the mic out to the crowd' technique.

stickyfiddle · September 2014

IanSavage said:

Grunfeld said:

What key(s) or tunings are people playing this song in?

The biggest hurdle seems to be the vocals... that key change. How are people coping with that?

I recommend the tried-and-tested 'hold the mic out to the crowd' technique.

So does Mr Jovi these days!!

vasselmeyer · September 2014

As far as I was aware, Richie Sambora sang the high parts. And Phil X did when they toured recently.

Grunfeld · September 2014

IanSavage said:

Grunfeld said:

What key(s) or tunings are people playing this song in?

The biggest hurdle seems to be the vocals... that key change. How are people coping with that?

I recommend the tried-and-tested 'hold the mic out to the crowd' technique.

Got it. And as @stickyfiddle said, this is just what JBJ did on that vid. So... the song is back in.

frankus · September 2014

I think I'd approach it stealthily from behind with a telecaster, then BAM!! BAM!! BAM!!

... right over the head and I wouldn't stop until that leg had totally stopped twitching and kicking a bit like they do..

terrible song

Grunfeld · September 2014

frankus said:

terrible song

A song that lasts 4:09

And earns about £350

That's £1.40 a second.

I can live with that.

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How would you approach Livin' On A Prayer with just one guitar and no keys?

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