Ur Tone vs Pro's Tone

[Jx2]

Im curious when playing a cover tune, even if its just in your bedroom for fun. How close do you try to match the orginal tone? Do you guys prefer or try to grab a strat or strat copy when playing say a SRV, Clapton or Hendrick tune? Do you use a Les Paul when playing most Zep, GnR, or one of the Kings? Do you try to use the correct pedals to achieve this through your amp. Do you adjust the setting on your amp from song to song?

This is probably alot easier now days with the improvements in multi-effects as well as module amps and what not.

For myself I just play them, I try to get the best tone as I can with whatever Im using and play. My thinking is when SRV covered a Albert King song I dont beleive he ran over and adjusted everything he just played it, and the change in tone gave it his feel. Same for say when GnR covered Knocking on Heavens Door. Granted that can be looked at a little diffrent because the style was night and day from say when Dylan performed it. The Stones have had several songs covered by some pretty hard core groups and you know they didnt try to match the Stones tone, sound vibe or feel.

So how do you do it? Also are you a stickler for making sure you play ever single note exactly how the band played it? Or do you do play it how you feel it? I get into this alot with friends, I once learned Layla off the tab from the uplugged album. The first handfull of notes of the lead I picked up quickly but the rest was more advanced than my playing so I improvised with what I could do. When I first played it infront of friends they was all amazed. However as soon as I told them it wasnt Clapton note for note no one cared and I got harrassed for playing it. It never stopped me though because on one of SRV reissued disk's where he speaks. He talked about playing a song how you fell it, and how he never worries about the notes being the same as say King or Hendrix as long as it was in the right key and it sounded good.

 

[Eric]

That's a good question. It used to frustrate me a lot when I couldn't get even close to the tone of the pros. Now that I'm a little better at dialing in tones, I find I can usually get close enough with whatever is on hand.

Part of it is that I'm too lazy to do exactly what the recordings do for gear, but part of it is that I find that A) the right notes and B) an approximation of the style/tone is usually good enough to satiate me.

 

[kiteman]

You're doing fine.

I don't worry about the exact tone or note for note but have fun. Look how much fun SVR had.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

I generally kinda go for in the neighborhood of the original, but let it be my tone in the end.

 

[Spudman]

The vibe or feel of the original is what I go for. Obviously if there is a strong melodic line or signature hook to the solo I'll try to incorporate that. Otherwise, I view a lot of solos as the artist expressing themselves so I try to express myself as well within the same context. Tone copying is WAY optional to me.

 

[Brian Krashpad]

Maybe it's because I came out of the punk rock scene (at least my electric playing), but I never really cared bout doing anything note for note, or making sure I played a Strat when a Strat played the original, etc.

To do things note for note would be absolute tedium for me. I'm sure I would've quit long ago.

As for the "tone replication" thing, sure in a perfect setting in a blind test I can probably tell a Strat tone from an LP tone. Maybe most of the people here could.

But guess what?

Nobody else can. Half the people in most bars don't even know the difference between a bass and a guitar. As guitarists we tend to get all hung up in tiny discrepancies that are absolutely invisible to 99% of the population. From my vantage, that's a waste of time. I'd much rather focus on having a good song, having a good arrangement, and having an energetic (for rock in particular) performance. Those are waaaaaay more important (imnsho) than playing note-for-note or replicating tone.

OP: no offense, but your friends sound like tools

 

[Eric]

As for the "tone replication" thing, sure in a perfect setting in a blind test I can probably tell a Strat tone from an LP tone. Maybe most of the people here could.

But guess what?

Nobody else can. Half the people in most bars don't even know the difference between a bass and a guitar. As guitarists we tend to get all hung up in tiny discrepancies that are absolutely invisible to 99% of the population. From my vantage, that's a waste of time. I'd much rather focus on having a good song, having a good arrangement, and having an energetic (for rock in particular) performance. Those are waaaaaay more important (imnsho) than playing note-for-note or replicating tone.

OP: no offense, but your friends sound like tools

That's a more aggressive version of what I wanted to write. That is to say, good post. :thumbsup

 

[6stringdrug]

I start learning new tunes on my acoustic, no matter whether they are folk, blues, punk, metal...etc. I usually try and learn the basic chords and rythym of the song, then as I get more comfortable with the structure, I try and make it my own. For example, I play a version of "Faith" that starts clean, goes to chorus+phaser and ends with delay+wah. Sounds a little wierd and I like it. We get a good response with that one.

It is fun to duplicate tone, but it usually happens to me by accident.

Onstage, I never mess with the sttings on my amp or pedals, just set em and forget em. My tone is my tone and even with covers I try to sound like me. As far as note for note...I don't think I have ever frustrated myself enough by learning every single nuance of someone elses song. I won a backstage meet and greet with 3 days grace last year, Adam Gontier (the frontman) told me he never plays a song the same way twice. It always ends up a little different. I seem to remember reading a Jimmy Page interview in which he said pretty much the same thing.

Music is cathartic, and the feeling of the tune means way more to me than the tone and perfection.

 

[Brian Krashpad]

That's a more aggressive version of what I wanted to write. That is to say, good post. :thumbsup

Believe it or not, in real life I can actually be diplomatic.

Somehow the intranets make me come off as more strident. I mean, I always mean what I say, but somehow my word choice doesn't quite convey the whole "I try not to take myself too seriously" vibe that I hope to project irl.

Given the whole punk rock background (despite that I started off playing folk for years, and now play a pretty wide range of music) thing, I guess it's not surprising.

Peace and love, everybodies!

 

[NWBasser]

I'll come in on the bass side of things.

I like my tone and don't try to replicate anything else. Then again, let's face it, bass tones don't vary nearly as much as guitar tones. So it's not like I can be too far off the mark.

Since I play in a three-piece band, I have a lot of space to fill and will change up my basslines where it seems warranted or stick to the original part if that's what the music calls for. I really like to improvise lines, but playing something like, let's say Rush, you can't deviate very far at all without really losing the tune.

All that said, even if I'm playing a note-for-note part, you can still tell it's me by my particular phrasing and articulation. Also, I'll often use a fretless bass for many bass parts that were originally recorded with a fretted instrument. I just don't use any slides or vibrato and you wouldn't know it was a fretless without seeing it.

For guitar, I use my Epi LP through the distortion channel for distorted songs and the clean channel for clean songs. Other than switching pickups, I don't even bother to get any closer than that.

 

[Ch0jin]

OK then, NWBasser got me thinking of another aspect.

Pick V Fingers.

If you know the original bass or guitar was played finger style, do you play with fingers, or do you use a pick?

It's relevant for guitar of course (as I discovered try to play black keys songs, there's an intro that uses both e strings plucked simultaneously for example, pretty hard to do that with a plectrum), but for bass I suspect it's even more relevant to the feel and tone of the song.

Overall though I agree 100% with Krash (hardly surprising given my own punk heritage I guess haha)

I think it was Ritchie Blackmore I saw in a doco once where he was joking about all the myriad of ways he has seen people play the intro to Smoke on the water and his way (fingers) was not even close to the tabbed power chord version I learnt years ago.

The thing is, how you play that intro is rather irrelevant to a non-guitar player because everyone immediately knows the song from the first three beats.

As far as a live show goes, I'd rather see a dirty old rock band with loads of energy and presence making mistakes than a boring band playing perfectly. If you want the perfect version, buy the CD.

Oh and one other thing I just thought of to kind of reinforce Krashpad's post.

I've always had friends in bands and before I even touched a guitar I was going to their shows, and back then, the only way I could tell if someone messed up was by the looks the band exchanged. If I saw the drummer give the bass player a look, or the guitarist or whatever, I know someone had flubbed it, otherwise it was just the band that knew.

 

[oldguy]

Playing songs like "Rust never sleeps", "Whole lotta love", "Layla",etc, I'd want to get as close to that opening riff as possible. The long solo in "Texas Flood", well, I'd go for the feel and just jam and enjoy.
The tone copying thing, I'd say there's some tones I'd just as soon not copy.
For instance some of the early Clapton stuff w/ Les Paul/Marshall combo, to my ears, was real good. Certain later recordings not so much.
As far as friends wanting note-for-note replications, I tell those folks "You want to hear the recording, go buy it." Maybe that's how some people judge talent, but the best copy band in the house isn't as interesting to me as a band doing a good job w/ originals and having a rocking good time.

 

[kiteman]

As long as the songs are recognizable I'd say the job is done.

I remember when I played Iron Man (I know that gets old) the solo was rather fast for me and too short. I stretched it out, still keeping the tempo, and I thought that it sounded better. I know it's supposed to be double time but I can't do it but it stayed in context with the song.

 

[NWBasser]

@ Ch0jin, I typically play bass with my fingers and will sometimes grow my fingernails a bit if I want a pick tone. Although sometimes I will just use a pick if that's what the tune calls for.

In our band, we'll often do rearrangements of songs with extended solo sections, up-tempo timing, etc. I think it makes some otherwise boring tunes much more interesting. If someone doesn't like us straying from the original, I don't really care. I've heard a lot performers such as Elvis to this to good effect.

 

[ZMAN]

I go for exact tone. I have gone to great lengths to get, Buddy Guy, Clapton, Bonamassa tone. I have several amps and many guitars and pedals.
Don't mix up tone with playing note for note. I have the same tone but I play my solos in a call and answer mode. I answer their solos with mine. I take great pleasure in tweaking things to attain that tone, just to prove that if you find out what they are using you can duplicate it at home....to a degree.
It just so happens that the ultimate tone that I have had in my head for years, is what Joe Bonamassa is using now. I couldn't figure it out until I heard him and saw his set up. I Copied Robin Trowers set up with the fulltone pedals and came very close to his tone as well. A big 100 watt Marshal helps a lot with both of them.

 

[deeaa]

I pretty much go for improving the tone of the original, although I don't really play much covers ever. Not very hard with older music especially - like Layla that was mentioned, oh boy the guitar sounds pretty bad on it. Or old Zeppelin, Hendrix etc. Easy to improve on - I'd say most of the guitar tones prior to 80's sound pretty horrid really, except for some rare occasions, mostly on clean sounds which can be pretty amazing on old motown songs, Grateful Dead etc. AC/DC, CCR, those are some pre-80's bands that had good driven tones, but even with those it's usually only the remastered versions that really sound good.

BUT much harder to do that with newer songs with ultimate mixing and production, that can be hard or impossible to match without several amps and downright psychoacoustic effects.

 

[R_of_G]

When I play other people's songs, I'm mostly interested in deconstruction. I may employ a similar tone or phrasing for a few bars as something of a reference point, but I'm much more about finding my own way to play things which is seldom, if ever, the same twice.

 

[Jx2]

A big 100 watt Marshal helps a lot with both of them.

Thats another thing...for where I play my 120 watt Randall rarely goes past 2, diffently not the sweet spot for this amp. I think that another area that makes it hard for some to duplicate tone when playing at home. Some day I hope to have a basement that I can do some things to and crank that Randall to 11. Till then I do what I can with what I can.

 

[hubberjub]

I never try to imitate someones tone when playing a cover. I never learn solos or licks note-for-note unless it's absolutely necessary to the song. I'd rather make something my own.

 

[ZMAN]

Thats another thing...for where I play my 120 watt Randall rarely goes past 2, diffently not the sweet spot for this amp. I think that another area that makes it hard for some to duplicate tone when playing at home. Some day I hope to have a basement that I can do some things to and crank that Randall to 11. Till then I do what I can with what I can.

I am lucky in that respect. I have a dedicated music room that faces the rear of my home. I have no backyard neighbours and I can pretty much crank my amps. I usually operate at 4 or 5. My neighbours on either side are rarely home and I have never had a complaint. I even went as far as asking them if I was too loud and they said they have never heard a thing.
My wife says she cant tell the difference between me and the stereo so that is a good thing. She is usually in the other end of the house and she never complains. Every so often she scares the crap out of me when she comes up with the phone in hand and taps me on the shoulder, I never hear her open the door. I guess it IS pretty loud.