Original vrs covers

[jjbigfly]

“I only play originals”
“ I only play covers”
It’s special to play something you created and have people say they enjoy it.
It’s special to play any music at all and have people say the same thing.

Not really trolling, but would like opinions.
Making any music is special, that’s my opinion. Would like to hear yours.

[jklotz]

I play in 2 bands, one original, one a cover band. Well, at least I used to before this virus thing. I write guitar parts for the band. Acoustically, I've been enjoying doing fingerstyle arrangements of songs I like. Why limit yourself to one or the other?

[MikeBmusic]

If you are playing somewhere where others hear you, play music that they want to hear. That could be covers, originals or both.

[Goat Mick]

I have a lot of original music and currently have 4 CDs in distribution. When I play a show I play mostly cover songs because people want to hear music that is familiar to them. Occasionally I'll throw in some of mine and I'm finding now that people actually request to hear my songs. I think that because I work hard to play the cover songs they love, it makes them want to hear my songs too. I started playing guitar and singing because of all of the great songs out there that I love. I don't see a reason to abandon those songs just because I've written a few that are pretty good.

[mc1]

I play both covers, which I try to make sound as unlike the original as possible, and originals, which I try to base on classic overplayed songs. But that's just me.

Seriously, I like both originals and covers. However, while I think it's fine for people to play covers that sound just like the original, and that's an excellent way to learn, I have very little interest in those. If you are going to play a cover, do something to make it interesting and give it a twist.

This doesn't necessarily apply to open mic or bar bands, where people want to hear tunes as they know them. More in terms of what I like to listen to.

[rmp]

I'm in a band that plays both covers and originals

We have about 15/20 originals that this iteration of the band is doing.

We have a blast doing both types.

[mercy]

Its my experience that audiences like what they are familiar with even if its a super group like Rolling Stones. You can throw some of your stuff in there but if its all originals, Im walking out.

[russchapman]

Without original music we are doomed to classic rock hell.

Even the venerable Johnny Cash is begging 'please stop playing ring of fire!' from somewhere in the great beyond.

[Chipotle]

Originally Posted by mercy

Its my experience that audiences like what they are familiar with even if its a super group like Rolling Stones. You can throw some of your stuff in there but if its all originals, Im walking out.

Many places these days specify "no covers" when you book a gig. Probably because they don't pay their PRO fees. That doesn't mean folks don't throw a few covers in, but at least around here, you hear a lot of originals. If you had that attitude, you wouldn't spend much time at any bars with live music.

Due to this, I play a majority of originals and public-domain stuff (old folk songs are great; familiar but no copyright issues). If the venue allows, I'll bump up my number of covers to 25-30%. With public domain stuff, up to 50% of my set might be "familiar" songs.

[DukeX]

To each their own guitar journey. I write and play my own stuff but don't gig.

[Tahitijack]

Even if you play originals someone will eventually approach and request a song...older folks Beatles...younger women Jack Johnson. When money is presented the customer gets what they pay for. Play on my brothers and sisters.

[KevWind]

I try to play what moves me personally and musically, and try to represent how that makes me feel, as authentically as possible .
Cover or original is immaterial.

[rockabilly69]

I usually play 5 to 6 nights a week (preCovid), and in my 3 hour sets, I try to find a balance between my originals and the covers. Usually every other song is original in my first set, as it's typically a bit quieter, and I feel people are listening a bit more. And I swap out the originals every night so that I can keep all of my own stuff well rehearsed for when I do all original concerts. I also try to make the covers my own, while still staying true to the essence of what made the original so great to begin with. That also is a balance,

[Mandobart]

I only have maybe 2 originals.

When I play out lately its been in a bluegrass band. We play mostly old time trad tunes.

When I used to do solo shows it was all covers, but mostly obscure tunes by obscure artists - Kurt Fortmyer, Slaid Cleaves, Jeffrey Martin, Eric Taylor, Joe Pug....

I've always known there are 1000's of guitar pickers around me playing Dylan, Wonderwall, James Taylor, Neil Young, etc. And they do a better job than I could.

But no one else is playing the artists I mentioned above, or old Celtic tunes on a 10 string Hardanger viola, or Hawaiian slack key on a 26" 10 string mandocello. This stuff goes over well at wineries, corporate gigs, other places where they're mostly looking for "background."

At least one person at every gig would come up and ask me about my instruments and the music I play. That's how I reach them - one at a time.

[TBman]

I write my own instrumentals and I play "covers" of others' instrumentals, but I don't play out.

My own instrumentals are influenced by the covers I learn.