Fingerstyle liberties

[larryb]

Is there any "ok" or "not ok" when trying to rearrange a song as a solo fingerstyle arrangement that wasn't originally written that way? For example, Elvin Bishop's "Fooled Around and Fell in Love" has been a favorite tune of mine since it came out in the 70s. I've decided that I want to turn this into a solo fingertyle acoustic arrangement. The original key is F, but for me it works better in D as I can take advantage of the open D string. But to get the melody to flow, I've got to take some liberties with it, and especially have to take liberties with the guitar solo as it was originally composed. My thoughts are, try as much to capture the "feel" and attitude of the melody and the solo in making my own arrangement and don't get too hung up on the details of the original.

Thoughts?

[Earwitness]

You may get different opinions, and I have heard some people who object to "fooling around' with the melody, but here's my opinion:

You love this song and have had a passion for it for 40 years. I would guess that the way you decide to interpret it would be an honor to its songwriter even if/especially if you modify it. Lots of songs don't get put on the record the exact same way the songwriter made it up in the first place, and lots of times a songwriter himself is playing the song differently by a year later anyway.

So I say, play it the way you love it most. That's what he would do.

[Bikewer]

If you were limited to an exact reproduction of the original tune, then an awful lot of jazz guys would be out of work.
It's called "arranging". As long as you maintain the melodic bones of the tune... As long as it's recognizeable, you are certainly free to play it in a more-congenial key, use chord substitutions, add different harmonies... Anything you like.

[min7b5]

Music is art. Follow your muse.

You play it however the audience will accept it. If the audience is you, you're home free. But I play gigs and I don't do stock versions of anything. I still get gigs. Do it your way.

[rick-slo]

Unless you have a gig as an Elvin Bishop impersonator what's the difference. Arrange it as you like it.

[RRuskin]

Originally Posted by larryb

Is there any "ok" or "not ok" when trying to rearrange a song as a solo fingerstyle arrangement that wasn't originally written that way? For example, Elvin Bishop's "Fooled Around and Fell in Love" has been a favorite tune of mine since it came out in the 70s. I've decided that I want to turn this into a solo fingertyle acoustic arrangement. The original key is F, but for me it works better in D as I can take advantage of the open D string. But to get the melody to flow, I've got to take some liberties with it, and especially have to take liberties with the guitar solo as it was originally composed. My thoughts are, try as much to capture the "feel" and attitude of the melody and the solo in making my own arrangement and don't get too hung up on the details of the original.

Thoughts?

Of course it's ok. Anyone thinking otherwise need not do it themselves or listen to the results of another's attempts.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by larryb

…My thoughts are, try as much to capture the "feel" and attitude of the melody and the solo in making my own arrangement and don't get too hung up on the details of the original.
…Thoughts?

Hi LarryB...

Of course players/arrangers do this (outside the classical realm) all the time.

When I'm prepping to re-arrange a piece, I'll download/locate at least 4-5 versions which are as different as I can find to listen to, and then work to come up with key, tuning etc which all affect the outcome.

Have fun!

[larryb]

Thanks for your encouragement, all. I haven't been able to find a single fingerstyle version of this tune (Fooled Around and Fell in Love) anywhere and I think mine is working out to be pretty cool. I'll post it in a month or so once I finish the arrangement and get it down.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by larryb

Is there any "ok" or "not ok" when trying to rearrange a song as a solo fingerstyle arrangement that wasn't originally written that way? For example, Elvin Bishop's "Fooled Around and Fell in Love" has been a favorite tune of mine since it came out in the 70s. I've decided that I want to turn this into a solo fingertyle acoustic arrangement. The original key is F, but for me it works better in D as I can take advantage of the open D string. But to get the melody to flow, I've got to take some liberties with it, and especially have to take liberties with the guitar solo as it was originally composed. My thoughts are, try as much to capture the "feel" and attitude of the melody and the solo in making my own arrangement and don't get too hung up on the details of the original.

Thoughts?

This depends a lot on the song, and what defines its essence. Normally that's the melody (and lyrics of course). That's why - traditionally - those are the elements that are copyright. And if you change them, it's on its way to being a different song.
Chords, and other aspects of arrangement, including rhythm and time sig, are up for grabs however.

But in a song like this, there's a fair amount of the original melody that's quite loose. The chorus is solid, IMO - you should definitely preserve that (and you'd probably want to ), but the way the verse goes - all those vocal embellishments - could easily be simplified for an instrumental version. You just need to decide what you think the significant notes are, that define the essential phrase shapes in the verse.
If you were singing it yourself, how would you do it? Make that your guide for how you phrase the guitar melody.

And find a key - maybe a different tuning? - where the melody does flow. That's the most important thing. Don't change the melody just to make it easy on guitar; change the guitar, as much as you have to.
If necessary, if parts of the melody (as you decide you it ought ideally to be) are difficult to fit with chords, forget the chords - play that part of the tune with no chord; but I'd be surprised if this would be necessary, for any more than a beat or two.

As for the original guitar solo, forget it. It would be silly (IMO) to change an original arrangement substantially but then keep the only part that was improvised!
You could just omit that section entirely, or - if the arrangement is too short without it - make up your own solo (over those chords). Keep it simple, of course, if you're also playing the chords!