Do You try to replicate songs you learn exactly or put your own interpretation?

[campfireplayer]

I try to do as close to original as I can, but sometimes put my own spin on it.

[Murphy Slaw]

I put my own spin on everything I do.

Why would I even want to copy something exact?

[Nymuso]

Short answer: Never!

If you want to hear the original, put on a CD, download it or whatever. Ever notice that singers are referred to as "artists?" Well, if they didn't write the song, where's the artistry? The artistry is in the interpretation, and given that I do my own arrangements, in the arranging as well.

People also talk about so-and-so's version of thus-and-such song. What makes it a version? It's different! It retains enough of the original to make it identifiable, but contains enough difference to make it interesting. As an example I will point to Dolly Parton's version of Collective Soul's Shine. It's brilliant.

Long answer: I don't do no note-for-note nuthin'

[rokdog49]

We do a bit of both but we don’t get too caught up in it.

[Slothead56]

I like to do recognizable songs that no one would expect from a 66 year old suburban guy with a Martin OM.

I haver to do it my way. How else do you explain my version of Hot Stuff by Donna Summer?

[Mr. Paul]

Depends on the song. Sometimes, the original guitar arrangement is just perfect and that is why I want to learn to play it. Paul Simon's guitar parts are like that for me. I would never want to change a single note of a Kishibe composition or Doug Young arrangement.

Most of the time though I'll try to get the hook recognizable and then go with whatever else happens.

[Rick Jones]

Maybe sacrilegious, but I love Bob Dylan songs best of all when they aren't done by Dylan! Truly great songwriter, not my taste as a singer.

Imagine if his covering artists tried to do it just like him? I'm glad they don't because they allow me to properly appreciate what I perceive to be Dylan's talent.

Then there's the whole interpretive thing. I try to do songs that mean something to me, and whilst the incredible John Denver's 'Country Road' (I know he didn't write it, btw) is a joyful homecoming song, to me it evokes the feeling of not living where I come from anymore... hence:



I tried to change the 'feel' to match my own sentiment. I do that a fair bit.

[Rogerblair]

Pvfederico wrote:

“For example, I'm just starting to learn Besame Mucho. There are 15 chord changes in the verse alone -- different shapes all over the neck. For me, that's the hard part. Once I know what to play with the left hand, the right hand figures out the rest.”

Respect!

Rb

[zombywoof]

Nope. Never have. But that probably had more to do with my limitations as a player than any desire to come up with my own take on a tune.

[min7b5]

I'm never had the ability or desire to replicate a performance of a tune.

[rllink]

Originally Posted by Rogerblair

As long as it’s recognizable, that’s close enough. I try to capture the spirit of a song as I interpret it.

Rb

That's me. My wife plays bass and she is very literal. I'm not so much so. If we get a song from somewhere it has to be played exactly like it is written by whoever wrote it. That's not to say it has to be just like the original, it just has to be played how it is written. I like to doctor it up. We clash once in a while over it but I usually win. I'm good at wearing her down till she tells me to do whatever I want.

[rollypolly]

I always try to make it my own but I definitely see where it's important to learn the original.

[QuestionMark]

Interpretation.

QM aka “Jazzman” Jeff

[rllink]

Sometimes there isn't an original to learn. Born Under A Bad Sign by Albert King, I doubt that there is an original. If there is, he never played it again. Every video or recording I hear is different. I like to play along and I found a YouTube of him and Stevie Ray Vaughn that went for eight minutes. I'm sure there wasn't a lot original there. Most songs I cover are covers by someone else.

[TheGITM]

I try to get as close to the original as I can. That's part of the fun for me.