Do simple songs still work??

[SalFromChatham]

1) welcome!
2) simple is great. Our most requested songs are Growing Up, End of the Line, who'll stop the rain, etc... vocals are more important than guitar.

3) 214CE is a great choice to gig with. So is any darn acoustic with a Baggs M1A. Heck, on a budget I might get a Yamaha FS830 and add the Baggs M1A.

Good luck!

[BrunoBlack]

Welcome to AGF audix. It's a good place to discuss acoustic guitars.

[muscmp]

welcome to the AGF!

there was a recent thread about 2 chord songs so go for it.

play music!

[H165]

Simple songs are fine, especially if they tell a short and complete story.

WELCOME to AGF ! Glad to have you here and posting already.

Every performer brings a different interpretation of each song.

Let the audience tell you if you're good enough, because the self-critic is the most harsh. Give it a try.

[markrj]

Welcome to the AGF!

I have started to go down the path you are on. Trying to keep most of the songs as simple, but interesting as possible.

[ARiley]

Whether playing solo or with others, a steady confident tempo is the most audience-pleasing thing. Even if you totally miss the note, as long as that discordant twang is in tempo and you carry on as if you meant to do that (consider it a variation), your audience is happy.

Have fun and good luck!!
A.

[Audix]

Thanks for all of the positive advice and comments guys, they have given me the confidence to give this a shot, Mike Masse is definitely one of the best I've seen at getting so much out of so little and it is exactly the kind of set-up that I want to aim for although I feel like I'm a million miles from there at the moment! I guess we all need a target to hit though!! There is something very organic and impressive about a stripped down cover version of a well written song in my humble opinion and maybe it's the inescapable age locomotive coming down the tracks but having spent many years in a full band, I'm finding myself enjoying listening to live acoustic acts lately and I intend on getting out there as soon as I possibly can. Very interesting comment about the voice being equally as or even more important than the guitar when performing but I suppose It's easy to forget that most people tune into the singing more than to the guitar playing which is probably a good thing for us guys who are limited in our ability but maybe not so good for the guitar gods out there! anyway thanks again, I'm loving this forum and will keep learning from you guys, slainte.....

[fd943]

Three chords and the truth...
https://youtu.be/Ryo2T1AnBlE

[Everton FC]

Here are some great examples of "Simple". The average Jane and Joe "Doe" can relate to simple.

Dave Potts - "$12.99"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IK7Na0Jl-s4

Yves Duteil - "Prendre un Enfant"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OewgJYymCl4

Michel Fugain - "Une Belle Hisoire"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozIIejxrrgA

Tim Grimm - "80 Acres"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=um1SnlvYrRk

John Spillane - "All The Way You Wander"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5fk...8MCoiB_5dCQCy2

Trashcan Sinatras - "Wild Mountainside"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFH2ig4GscY

Pete Townshend/Paul Weller - "So Sad About Us"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sP5fl2gSb8

Martin Rappeneau - "Sans Armure"
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8b...e-teleth_music

Fuel - "Daniel"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXBNyMHAhgI

Simple is definitely affective!

[MichaelETC]

I would add that not only do simple songs work great, two of the best songwriters in the world use the same chords with different rhythms in the majority of their songs.
Jason Isbel uses the same chords in "decoration day" that he uses in "dress blues". Also, his hook in the song "different days" is basically the same chords as those two songs. He uses very similar chords in "children of children" that he uses in "cover me up" and comes pretty close in "relatively easy" as well.

Tom Petty.. king of the A, D, G

the point.. rhythms and lyrical content hold up to fancy stretched out DMB chords that nobody with normal hands can play..lol

[VJP5]

Welcome!!

First - there is a lot of respect for the 214 on this Forum, and rightly so IMO. It is a great gigging guitar.

Second - Eagles, Tom Petty, CSN have many songs that you can play without even using a bar chord. Of course, you can certainly use them as you advance along, but there a plenty of popular songs out there with just cowboy chords. Heck, there are many Beatles songs like that, as well.

Third - as others have comments, your voice will cover the simplicity in your songs. However, using a capo, palm muting, hammer on's and hammer off's will certainly add a complexity to your playing, without adding much difficulty. James Taylor has spoken many times about keeping the playing simple during the singing parts and then adding complexity during the portions of his songs where there are no words. If it works for him.....

[Judson]

Great song with powerful lyrics, but his vocals certainly enhance the basic three-chord progression. Especially when he takes it high on "The angel closes her eyes ... " it adds tremendous power and lift to the song even though the chords don't change until the end when he goes with the two minors. I did not know of this fellow before. Thanks for sharing!

Originally Posted by posternutbag

Oh, yeah. In fact, simple songs will probably be MORE popular than really complicated songs, but the standards are pretty high. Whenever I think about doing some solo acoustic gigs, I go listen to this guy, Mike Masse:



Then I ask myself, "Am I at least this good?" Thus far, the answer has been a resounding, "No."

[DukeX]

Neil Young. One man, some acoustic guitars...and a harmonica. It was amazing 45 years ago and remains so today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6vp1EMnqho

[sirwhale]

Amy Winehouse, largely respected as a great talent, has simple 4 chords songs that sound great.