Why the same songs, when so many to choose from?

There is completely nothing creative about playing in a coverband..Like, really nothing..

If you mean in the literal sense to create, you're right. A cover band is about re-creating (see below.)

There is ofcourse some education in figuring out how other drummers played their parts, but to just plain cover them is useless..

I make my living figuring out how other drummers play parts, and how producers program them. And it's not just about copying their parts, it's about getting inside their head to figure out what they would play if they were called to play on a track.

As for just plain covering parts being useless, I'd like to meet the drummer who's going to come up with better parts than anyone whose song they're covering. Please think about that for a minute.

Nobody has ever said to me "Hey, you played just like the guy on the record! Whattsa matter, can't think for yourself?" Indeed, my willingness to play covers like the original versions is what keeps me working. I've replaced more than a few drummers who couldn't or wouldn't grasp the concept. Just sayin'...

Bermuda
 
There is completely nothing creative about playing in a coverband..Like, really nothing..

Yeah there is. Ignore the note-for-note, and you can do all sorts of things with cover bands. I lead a rockified Lady Gaga tribute group where we play all her songs with sweeping guitar solos and heavy guitar/organ sounds and people *LOVE IT*. You get the recognition of the songs themselves while also being creative and slightly experimental at the same time.
 
Word on the street is that some bands don't get called back if they use the same set list at the same venue more than once. At this point it's just a rumor I heard once about what a restaurant owner said about a band in the area, but from a restaurant owners perspective if you want return clientele then you better not have stale entertainment.
 
Call me....just a little...confused?

If you don't like hearing cover band standards don't go to those venues.
If you don't like playing cover band standards quit the band.
If you want to play a broader range of tunes form your own band with like-minded musicians. (With the responses in this thread seems like there are a lot of them out there).
If you want to play originals and lack venues get together with a bunch of other original bands and start renting venues to play at a make your own scene.

But don't blame the people that just want a night out to blow off a weeks worth of stress by getting sweaty to Play that Funky Music and Jump.

Also-what I see around here (NJ 20 min from Philly) locally are established bands that are able to stretch their set lists because they have the respect of the regular crowd. So you get Mustang Sally-BUT you will also get Peg from Steely Dan and other gems thrown in at times. Also, the age of the crowd here average ls around 45-50 so that is one of the main reasons for the choice of material. That demographic has more money to spend than say 20 somethings so it pays to keep them happy if you want steady work.

Bottom line if you don't like the scene-change it!
 
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The cover band I’ve been in for 20years has 150+ songs on our list, and if we play the same venue regularly we try and do a completely different set list every second gig. Alabama, Brown Eyed Girl, Hotel California, Mustang - are all in there, but not every gig.

We’re doing an eight hour gig next weekend, 9 different 40 minute sets from 9.30am to 5.30 pm at a winery. Will be exhausting, but also a chance to play a lot of different songs and see which ones work the best.
 
That's a common perspective for musicians. You have to understand (and accept) that the vast majority of people that musicians play for in bars, clubs, corporate events, weddings, etc., are not other musicians. Conversely, jazz and funk venues tend to cater to musicians as a core audience.

If you want to make money - and I think that most musicians would like to make money from their craft - you give the people what they want. In fact, even if you're doing original, eclectic music, it still has to appeal to people, or nobody will want to hear it. You have to give the eclectic crowd what they want, too.

Personally, I enjoy most juke box music. I've never let being a musician get in the way of my enjoying music. I see that a lot in other players, and I honestly don't get it. It's like they lost something along the way. Or they've become cynical about music, or maybe too self-absorbed with their own art. I still enjoy playing everything that comes my way. Give me Mustang Sally, Midnight Hour, Brown Eyed Girl, Chain Of Fools, Grapevine, Proud Mary, etc and I'm happy. I guess because I just enjoy playing.

Bermuda

Make money? Playing music? I've heard about that. You are a professional, and a wealth of knowledge BTW. I have learned much from reading your posts. I have only had periods of time where my attempts to express myself musically have paid the expenses of the endeavor. And not feeling bitter about that. We both love music and the world needs both of us. I have been playing some instrument (whether publicly or privately) for almost 50 years and will continue to do so. We should celebrate each others endeavors and not always make this a covers vs. originals fight.

So last night I went out - a somewhat rare occurrence these days - and saw 3 original acts at two different bars. Knew most of the players, had a few beers and had a great time hearing their songs and chatting. I really appreciate the folks from my generation of musicians that are still out there and kicking it out.

Last weekend I went to see a band that plays Southern Rock, Americana, Country style covers in their own way. The crowd loves 'em. They have been ending the night with Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. Working it out in it's entirety as time goes on. They are nailing it in their own way and I love it.

So what's my point. We have choices for what we want to see or play. I can go and see originals or covers done creatively and my friends can go and see note for note covers. It's not like we are in N. Korea where we only get to listen to what Dear Leader wants to hear
 
The cover band I’ve been in for 20years has 150+ songs on our list, and if we play the same venue regularly we try and do a completely different set list every second gig. Alabama, Brown Eyed Girl, Hotel California, Mustang - are all in there, but not every gig.

We’re doing an eight hour gig next weekend, 9 different 40 minute sets from 9.30am to 5.30 pm at a winery. Will be exhausting, but also a chance to play a lot of different songs and see which ones work the best.

This is exactly what I’m referring to. Having a list, a real list where you can play a punch list of songs to call from depending on the venue, the crowd, etc. I’ve been in original bands in the past. They are way fun and you can build a pretty good following if you have a catchy sound. That’s way more work than most with full time jobs and other responsibilities can dedicate to. It’s not about not playing Mustang Sally or Brown Eyed Girl, but mixing things up. If people like them, I’m good with playing them, but not every time. The last band I was in, I tried to convince everyone we needed an expanded playlist, but the argument was we play what people want most and have enough for a three hour set. We did a gig one night and was asked to cover for another band that canceled the following night. We were never contacted again. I think it was a combination of both a limited set list and sloppy execution that led to the decision. Kinda proved my point and trying to avoid the same.

I attended a wedding last night and the music was provided by a DJ. Everything he played was popular songs from the 50s all the way to today. The dance floor was filled the whole night with young and old alike, except for a couple of occasions where rap songs drew out only the few with seriously funky dance moves.

This confirmed it for me. So long as it’s danceable and people identify with it, they don’t care. Some of the songs would arguably require the right singers or it would be a no go, but that’s just a few.

It’s been said already and I agree. It has to be laziness to be better at your craft. There are great popular songs out there, but require technique. I’ve seen bands pull them off, but they are only a few I’ve seen do anything outside of the standard, done by every other band in the valley (classic rock) playlist.
 
Punters are more clued up than most covers band musicians think. They dont always want to hear Mustang Sally, yet again. If you have a vocalist with an absolutely amazing soul voice, or you do it in a different style, then fine. We do covers , but we find different versions on youtube or give the song a twist of our own to make it memorable, or we do popular songs that other local bands dont do. If you play the same stuff as everyone else how are you going to stand out and get more gigs?
 
A year ago last month I joined a covers band, mostly because I enjoy the company of both the other guys in the band. Prior to that, I was part of two originals bands, both of whom had CDs full of originals (and I'm still in one of them). And both have their upsides and downsides. Long ago I accepted that I was not ever going to be writing a speech for induction to the RRHOF, nor was I going to be buying luxury yachts with my music earnings. I also choose not to live in a major market like Nashville, NYC, LA, or even Seattle (3 hours drive from me), so my income for music basically sustains my ability to play (heads, sticks, the occasional cymbal or bit of kit here and there). So the only thing that really matters to me is enjoying the experience of playing music with and for other people.

One of the secrets about playing covers is that they're songs that somebody, somewhere, already has liked enough to buy. Even if you're a Nickelback tribute band. They have a lot of instant recognition and their content is generally tried and true. Meanwhile, your originals - how indispensable are they, really? What sets them apart from other music? Are you saying something worthwhile? Or are they the same old pop tropes set to only very slightly different beats and riffs? And how many people know them, can sing along to even one line, let alone the entire song?

Another secret about playing covers is that if you are well-versed in enough musical history and theory, you can quickly amass several hours' worth of material between your band members. Someone already went to the effort of writing that hit song, so you don't have to - you just need to learn it.

The third secret about playing covers is that you can play nearly anywhere, to anyone, at any time. My covers band has a repertoire spanning six decades and over twice that time in accumulated performance experience. If we play certain songs more often, it's because they're proven crowd pleasers. You better bet at the RV rally we played at last night, we opened with "Brown Eyed Girl" and closed with "Mustang Sally". But we also dug deep into our collective pockets and pulled out some Elvis, some swing tunes, and a bunch of country waltzes, because that was our audience. When we have a younger audience, we throw in White Stripes and Cake tunes. For the Seattle retiree vacationers at the wineries, we pull out a lot of 80s tunes. Every July, we become a blues band for a local Humane Society benefit concert. We've been invited to cafes, concerts in the park and car shows.

Do I get to indulge my muse at all these gigs? No, but I have a blast. Who would you rather play for, a bunch of folks who are dancing and cheering, or twenty people with their arms folded?

Covers bands get a lot of flack for not being "as good" as originals bands, but I've seen plenty of both kinds of bands (from the inside and the outside) where the work ethic is lacking, the musicianship is lazy, and the commitment simply doesn't match the ego. If the shoe fits, wear it well. We *all* have a responsibility to present our craft professionally and proficiently, otherwise the DJs and mp3 setlists will win. Covers bands, learn a bunch of songs and perform them well. Originals bands, same thing, except get to writing too.
 
Punters are more clued up than most covers band musicians think.

+1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

That one annoying dude asking for some Creedence tunes isn't representative of everybody.

In most cases, changing things up, doubling up on a solo etc... There's nothing wrong with it.

Really, though. Just gauge things based on the last gig and do some obectively based improvements.

Honestly, I just think it's more professional to want to change things up and improve all the time. There may seem like there are many reasons why some want to keep stuck in their old ways, but really, there's just one.

In general it shows a lack of caring.
 
..If you mean in the literal sense to create, you're right. A cover band is about re-creating..


Thats the essence of what i said..

If you want to become a creative drummer, then playing in a coverband where people try to play a song as close to the original as possible is not the best idea..Especially when the bandleader of that coverband speaks a lot about having a full agenda and pleasing the audience..And i speak about the typically (at least in my country) wedding bands, discotheque bands, business party bands, etc..

However, once you are actually in such a coverband, then yes, i agree that you should try to play those songs as convincing as possible..

But again, if you want to become a creative musician, then in my opinion such a band is useless and i would advice to stay out of that world..If you want to just have a nice time playing drums, earning a lot and entertaining people, then is perfect..

Personally i can be very jealous when i see a guy like Han Bennink play drums..or..Brian Blade..A guy that can go on a stage with just a piano player, to close the eyes..and..just play..To just play and make a conversation through your instrument with eachother..

I dare everyone here who plays in a coverband to suggest to try that at the next rehearsal..And then see if your bandleader takes this serious..or..just starts laughing..

Thats what i meant..

..Then you've never played the blues. If your band covered a jazz standard note for note from the original recording then you ain't doin it right..


I was speaking about the typical (rock-) coverbands that only want to please the audience..

When you speak about covering songs in genres like blues and jazz, then you are right..But people that play blues and jazz are in general focussing much more on being creative than people who only want to please..
 
I'm not sure about cover band musicians not being creative. In fact, I don't think I've ever been in a note-for-note cover band - there was always some stretching and spontaneous improv or structure change going on. We just didn't come up with the idea for the song - which isn't a bad thing. We stick with the basic idea, but there's nothing wrong with making it your own.

So should there be degrees of separation that we're talking about here? Are there actually note-for-note cover bands out there? If I was hiring a cover band, I don't mind spontaneous improvisation, and if I wanted note-for-note perfection, don't you think I'd hire a DJ instead?

This was one of my cover bands from years ago - ace players - other than the song being familiar, our execution was our own:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKhRyuFkcgM
 
Obviously, there are many top-notch cover bands out there with skilled players. I know many players who had a very wide repertoire of songs they can reproduce flawlessly with no rehearsal at a moments notice.

But there are many more with players of limited skill set. Or bands who are held back by the one player who just can't be bothered to learn more than 20 songs.

A lot of cover bands are players who work 9-6 all week and have players who don't' strap on their guitar/instrument until they get to the bar. The gig isn't about making money or doing a fabulous job, it's just about blowing off steam and reliving a bit of their youth for 4 hours. They don't do much variety, because they don't know how. So they just repeat what the last cover band they saw did.
 
I'm not sure about cover band musicians not being creative. In fact, I don't think I've ever been in a note-for-note cover band - there was always some stretching and spontaneous improv or structure change going on. We just didn't come up with the idea for the song - which isn't a bad thing. We stick with the basic idea, but there's nothing wrong with making it your own.

So should there be degrees of separation that we're talking about here? Are there actually note-for-note cover bands out there? If I was hiring a cover band, I don't mind spontaneous improvisation, and if I wanted note-for-note perfection, don't you think I'd hire a DJ instead?

This was one of my cover bands from years ago - ace players - other than the song being familiar, our execution was our own:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKhRyuFkcgM

That was fun and awesome! Although, Id be more comfy in the 28"
 
I think covering thirty or forty different drummers with one drum set requires creativity, especially bands with multiple drums and percussion like Allman Bro's and Santana.

My cover band tries to play more B side singles than big hits, in hopes of keeping it more interesting.
 
Im in a cover band and we create our set list based on three things.

1) Our 80s rock/pop genre

2) the popularity of the songs via youtube hits

3) our ability to cover them closely.

There is no mustang or sweet home on the list but when i listen to an 80s radio station or streaming platform, our playlist is significantly represented. We have to avoid using spotify etc for break music because its guaranteed that a couple off our list will play in that 15 minutes.

Do I care about any of this? Nope. Play whatever you want. Its all good. Im just sharing what we do.
 
Don't play in a cover band. Find a jazz-oriented or blues-oriented or NOLA group. Find a group that does more originals. Plenty of band genres besides covers of Top-40 and Oldies.

When my wife & I go out to listen to music we avoid these kinda shows, and try and find jazz or blues oriented bands. And by Blues I'm not talking Allman Brothers I'm talking about NOLA and Chicago blues that isn't the stuff typically heard.

That's the kinda band I'm in and we mix a bit of jazz and blues. Even some non-original material we re-arrange to make it our own sound.

Groups and artists like Ricky Nye's group in Cincinnati. Or the West Market Street Stompers in Louisville.

It ain't all covers. Think outtathebox.
 
If you want to become a creative drummer, then playing in a coverband where people try to play a song as close to the original as possible is not the best idea..

I think there's a lot to be learned by listening to a variety of other drummers who've enjoyed some success. All of those ideas go into our library of parts and fills, far exceeding what we could come up with on our own. We can create based on that, although sometimes there's just nowhere else to go with a song - you play the part, or you're not playing the song.

I don't know if I'm creative or not, I have so much collective experience to draw from, I can't think of a time where I was stuck for an appropriate part or two or ten.

Especially when the bandleader of that coverband speaks a lot about having a full agenda and pleasing the audience..

Let's not look at pleasing the audience as a bad thing. Without an audience, and this applies to any type of performance art, is there a reason to attempt do it at all in a public place?

It's not selling out or catering to people who may not be as educated about music as we might be, it's about bringing the joy of music. It's kinda futile if there's nobody there to hear it.

Bermuda
 
I think there's a lot to be learned by listening to a variety of other drummers who've enjoyed some success. All of those ideas go into our library of parts and fills, far exceeding what we could come up with on our own. We can create based on that, although sometimes there's just nowhere else to go with a song - you play the part, or you're not playing the song.

I don't know if I'm creative or not, I have so much collective experience to draw from, I can't think of a time where I was stuck for an appropriate part or two or ten.



Let's not look at pleasing the audience as a bad thing. Without an audience, and this applies to any type of performance art, is there a reason to attempt do it at all in a public place?

It's not selling out or catering to people who may not be as educated about music as we might be, it's about bringing the joy of music. It's kinda futile if there's nobody there to hear it.

Bermuda

At church today, the sound guy said that you and the Weird Al band are the best touring musicians because of all the different styles you cover.
 
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