Play it like The Record?

Chuck Cusimano · From: Weatherford, Texas, USA

Just curious, I have, in the past sat down and learned some of the licks that we hear on the Record of a certain artist, and it is a great learning tool. I do like to play certain rides (solo's) like the record, as a way of paying a compliment to the studio picker that made them popular. The ones that come to mind are: "Act Naturaly" sung by Buck Owens, and the guitar turn around played by Don Rich. To me it dosen't get any better than that! Also the "Mama Tried" lick from the outstanding Merle Haggard with Roy Nichols playing the Telecaster. (I'm aware of the fact that James Burton played the banjo type roll that also goes along with it on a fretted Dobro) I have learned (pretty close) to the recording, at least enough to where I'm not embarrassed to play it that way.

However, as time goes by, I find myself not playing most of the licks I learned off the record on most songs, including "Workin' Man's Blues", "Stay here and Drink, and several others. I'm not sure if its because I'm getting lazy, or just want to "Play It My Way" I'm not EVEN saying I'm in the same class of picker as James Burton, Roy Nichols, or Don Rich,
but I like to express myself in a lot of those songs.

I've been told that I have my own style. (that don't mean it's a good style.) It's just a mixture of a lot of players from Joe Blow ( John Q. Guitar Player) to Brent Mason. I was just wondering how many of you folks (No matter what instrument you play) "Play It Like The Record".

Theresa Galbraith · From: Goodlettsville,Tn. USA

I like to hear it like the record! Smile

Leslie Ehrlich · From: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

I gave up on that. I'm too lazy to struggle to sound exactly like someone else.
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Ellis Miller · From: Cortez, Colorado, USA

If there is a specific lick that really identifies the song, such as the intro on "Mama Tried", I will learn it. The rest of the time I improvise.
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John De Maille · From: On a Mountain in Upstate Halcottsville, N.Y.

There are certain tunes, that, have musical hooks or intros or endings, that, identify them and them only. I've always tried to copy a lick, where it was pertinent. There are certain steel breaks that actually "make" the song to me and I try to play them as close as possible. But, there are times when on a bandstand, that, certain tunes get extended. If you're to play multiple breaks in a tune, then, improvisation is a must. It just gets too damn boring to keep playing the same thing over and over again. Most of the audience won't notice it, but, the musicians will, as will your bandmates. I try to play it exact or close to, for notoriorty and improvise for extended times and experimenting.

Bill Hatcher · From: Atlanta Ga. USA

If the band leader wants it like that and gives you the directive then you do it.

If you play in a band with good players who understand how lame it is to play things the same every night then you can get by with not doing it.

If the part in question is an integral part of the song that would cause someone to throw a beer bottle at you for not playing it then play it.

If your girl makes you sleep on the sofa for not playing like the record then decide for yourself...

If your girl makes you sleep on the sofa for playing it like the record then consider marrying her.

If you play it like the record and you really enjoy it and can't think of anything that would really improve it then you must be playing Beatles songs.

I ramble..

Rick Campbell · From: Sneedville, TN, USA

I think everybody should play everything the same way and try to all sound alike. It seems to be working for the Nashville singers nowdays.

I'm trying to learn all the Snoop Dog material, just in case he should call.

Ellis Miller · From: Cortez, Colorado, USA

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

well, there is another thought,I come from the school of learning signature licks which identify a song, I guess if you do not sit down and learn the song then you will not be able to play signature licks when you feel like it or if they are called for.

Once you know them it doesn't meant you have to play them , if you don't know them , then you can't play them. That seems pretty straight forward to me.

Knowing signature licks offers the player the ability to work "around" them and embellish.

I couldn't imagine playing Workin' Man Blues and one of us not playing something very close to the initial signature solo , either on Steel or Guitar. If you don't, it's not Workin' Man Blues !

A week back I did not sit in with the band on a Thursday night, someone wanted Momma Tried,The guitar player did not know it,they played it anyway. When I played Sat. night the Bass player told me this and I asked him how they played Momma Tried without the intro and the signature Nichols lick, his answer..

"it was easy, we played it very poorly "

Guys, learn your signature licks, it doesn't mean you have to play them all the time.

It's got nothing to do with playing the same way as someone else. If thats the thought, why not just make up your own words to every song ?

Ronnie Boettcher · From: Brunswick Ohio, USA

In all the years I have been playing, I do not try and copy another artist. Yes I will make sure the song is recognized, but after a few signature licks I play my own style. If other musicians do not agree with me, so what. Why fight learning how to play like X,Y, or Z. Let your own feelings express yourself.
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Brett Day · From: Pickens, SC

I like to listen to steel parts on records and see if I can play them, but I also like to try my own steel parts too.

Brett

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

If you leave signature licks out of a song you are just lazy or a poor player. Bars owners and patrons will not tolerate it. Its like leaving out the turn around in "Margarittaville". I've heard so called "Country Bands" butcher songs. Wrong chord changes included. No signature licks. Made me embarrassed to call myself a country player. The opening steel lick in "Gone Country" by Alan Jackson comes to mind.

Jim Walker · From: Headland, AL

It might take me longer than some of you but I really try to learn the signature licks and put them where they go. Some of the music my band does didn't have a steel on the record so that's when I improvise.

JW
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Jerry Hayes · From: Virginia Beach, Va.

I usually try to do the "signature licks" as close as I can as I think they identify the song as well or better than any vocal could. In my band when we do "Workin' Man Blues" our bass player sings it and I get two guitar breaks so the first one is usually close to what was on the record and the second one is my own......

Sometimes it's hard to do a signature lick because of the key the vocalist wants to sing it in. Case in point is a bandleader I worked with a few years ago who was the drummer & lead vocalist in our trio. He did "Pretty Woman" in G instead of A, "The Fugitive" in F instead of G, and some others. A lot of signature licks require use of "open strings" which you can't fake. If going up a key or two you can use a capo but not going down. I always carry an extra guitar with heavier strings tuned two frets flat from D to D which helps a lot.

In my Tuesday and Thursday night gigs, the bass player does "Together Again" in G so it's really hard to play it "like the record" as you'd have to go way up to get the part Brumley plays on strings 3 & 5 where he keeps the note going on the third string and walks it down on the fifth. I've been doing a version on strings 4 and 7 where I just play the 4th string open and do the "walk down" on the 7th string which is OK but not "like the record"....JH in Va.
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Ray Minich · From: Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra

I find that duplicating an original/signature lick is a personally rewarding accomplishment. Spent many years asking "howde do dat...". Once found, it's "put that one in the tool box and on to the next...".

Chuck Cusimano · From: Weatherford, Texas, USA

I sure appreciate the feedback on this. Mostly I like to learn any "signature" licks, that help make the song identifiable, and put out there for the ones who CAN tell the difference, what their expecting to hear. I also agree that when EVERYBODY gets a ride, maybe two rides each (or more) and somebody else plays the "SIGNATURE" lick, I'm gonna play something else. Hopefully, it will be unique to my style, and still fit the song. I am a firm believer that you always respect the song.
A very long time ago, I spent a lot of time working out the ride to "Workin' Man's Blues" and thought I could play it pretty close. I met another guitar player that wanted me to teach it to him, so I showed him what I was doing, and EVERY time we worked together, he would play what I showed him, and I'd have to play something different to keep it from looking like I "STOLE" his licks. But, all in all I'm thankful that I learned to Improvise. Now I wait to see what the other pickers are going to do, and act accordingly. At other times, I've worked with other instrumentalists, (Steel/Fiddle/Piano) that when given the first ride on "Workin Man's Blues" they would play the guitar part, and I'd play something different again. Oh Well, It ain't no big thing.
How about TONE? Have you ever worked with the "guitar player" that played the signature lick to "Silver Wings" with his FUZZ on stunn? I have.
I always figured there must be some reason there are two pickups on a Telecaster, and a tone control knob. I have seen guitar players that play the same tone on every song, and sometimes it wasn't very good.
But who am I to say? Thanks again Ya'all.

Tracy Sheehan · From: Fort Worth, Texas, USA

IMHO i believe it is what one wants to do on the steel.I was still on the road a few years back when music became out dated.The best advice i ever got many years ago was from a friend of mine Harley Brendal who is no longer with us.I had been playing fiddle in bands before taking up steel.As i knew so many steel players who i worked with they helped me when i took up steel.Harley could play any thing,any style.Buzz Evans,Harley and i were friends back then and used to jam a lot together.
Any hoo,after i had been playing steel a while Harley told me to quit listening to records as i had leaened enough and would develope my own style if i quit listening to other steelers.(Country records that is.)
Like Buzz,chalker, Reece etc. Harley was a monster on steeel and copied no one.Harley used to jam with Reece Anderson also.He showed me so much on the C6th.So what did it for me was i later worked the east coast,also Wa.and Ore.Country music was not popular in those states or wanted back then.But i had learned to play big chords from the help i had got from those monster players so i was able to work steady.If i had only been able to play country i would have been out of work many times.
So i suggest to any one who wants to play for a living learn all you can but be able to back off when playing country which is hard for some pickers.And if you know any good pickers don't be afraid to ask them to show you things.Any good player will be more than happy to help you.Just my opinions from my experience of playing for a living for over 50 years.Tracy

Mark Lind-Hanson · From: Menlo Park, California, USA

I don't believe in "play it like the record."
Granted, you want to play the song so it's recognizable AS the song- but people who can't play it Their Own Way probably have not developed enough musically to take the leaps of faith necessary. If you have developed a highly personal style, by all means play it your way.
Even, play the licks you heard the Guy On The Record play, Your Way. It makes no sense to be imitative to the point anyone can tell you haven't got a lot to say musically, otherwise. Besides, every time you play the song, it'll be different somehow from the last time, so why worry >?
Just my .02.

Eric Jaeger · From: Oakland, California, USA

I suppose it all depends on context. As a listener (note I said *listener*, not "drunken dancer") I'd rather *NOT* hear it like the record. With the exception of a signature lick, like the openings of "Mama Tried" or "Someday Soon", I don't go to hear someone to "hear it like the record". If I did, I'd play the record. I like Ray Benson's (Asleep at the Wheel) comment. There is no set form, standard solo, or standard arrangement. It changes every show.

As a player I enjoy the challenge of figuring out the original, but I also enjoy the challenge of figuring out an arrangement that says something new about the song.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Playing it like the record doesn't mean you are not a good player or not an able player, or can't find your own way, what it means is you are playing it like the record or something like the record.period.

Quite frankly as working players we should be able to play it like the record or not like the record, if you can't, meaning play signature intro's or licks,you really don't have much choice in the matter when it comes time to play the song, you are not going to add the signature lines, perhaps the ones that made the song famous.

We are mostly musicians here, good ,bad ,in the middle , whatever, we are not the same as the average club attendee who is NOT a musician going out to dance in the clubs. They go to hear songs and dance, we as musicians go to listen to the players.

Is Johnny B Goode the same without the signature Guitar parts ?

Is Wonderfull Tonight the same without the signature parts ?

Coccain ?

Ramblin Fever
Momma Tried
Workin Man
The Fugitive
The Love Bug
Drift Away
Peaceful Easy Feeling
Take it Easy
Gone Country
Together Again
Remember When

etc

etc

etc

I'll go on record here, if a band is playing Peaceful Easy Feeling and someone is not playing something close to or similar to the guitar solo , it ain't Peacful Easy Feeling, you can't fake probably the most identifiable guitar solo on the planet and if you do fake it, the audience knows it. They may not tell you but they know.

When we say play it like the record, it means identifiable, recognizable, similar siganture lines where everyone knows what song is happening now .

Bands go out and play and get called back when they are successful in pleasing the audience and club owners. As much as we would like to say we are going out to please each other, that is not quite why we do it. It's not why I do it . I do it for the expense account and vacation time !

Regarding Ray Benson, I have 3 or 4 different Asleep at the Wheel records where they play Route 66 the exact same way, I am guessing, just like the record ! The signature lines are in all of the versions, so someone call Ray up and tell him he is playing it like the record , and doing a good job of it too !

I have personally found that studying some of the phrases on some of the records out there have been a reward. There is nothing better than seeing then bands faces when you play the Gary Stewart intro to She's Actin' Single as a turn around in a totally different song !

John Macy · From: Rockport TX/Denver CO

I like the old line..."well, that's what it would sound like if I had played on the record..." Smile

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John De Maille · From: On a Mountain in Upstate Halcottsville, N.Y.

I'll be the first to admit, that, I'm not a master of the steel guitar. I've stumbled around the neck on many occasions looking for something sweet or sharp and sparkling to play. But, when I take the time to learn ( figure out ) a lick or lick sequence from one of my heroes, I've reaped the knowlege and forthought used in creating that particular phrase. Learning a part and learning how to use it is a big plus to your PSG arsenal. In fact, using signature licks in other tunes can really stimulate innovative steel playing. You're teaching yourself to improvise with, most of the time, class material. Learning to play like the record doesn't bracket you into being a copy player ( like a copy band ) it will definitely expand your pedal steel knowlege. I see nothing wrong with it.

Eric Jaeger · From: Oakland, California, USA

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Eric, I think we are on the same page. If we are paying to see a known act,(ARTIST) the act does what it feels is appropriate for there show. We are going to see them specifically .

Thats not quite the same as a bar band doing a local gig at the legion or gin mill. That would be a cover band, and a cover band plays..uh..covers ! All I am saying is if you are playing in a cover band we should learn the songs and perhaps the phrases that made the songs "cover" songs !

When we play out (covers)we don't play it exactly the same each time but one of us will play the familiar phrases and/or one of the solo's that is identifiable. We are a cover band , we play covers, so we should cover the covers !

If and when I go see an artist( specific) I expect them to just play and blow me away !

tp

Eric Jaeger · From: Oakland, California, USA

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