Cover songs are good. Pros: More than likely, you play songs that are already deemed by the public as good. You learn a lot about good song writing and playing when you cover a song.
Cons: You can end up sounding unoriginal with your own songs if cover certain bands too much. You cover songs that no one wants to hear or one's that have been covered too much. The worst being you don't cover the song well!
Joined: way back United States Lessons: 2 Karma: 21
For new artists, Cover songs are the best way to get noticed. People listen to songs they know. It's easier to get the attention of people with stuff they already like then trying to sell them something new.
I enjoy listening to cover songs... as long as they aren't a carbon copy. I love when people take songs and change the mood, change the feel, change the sound.
Joined: 13 Jan 2008 United States Lessons: 8 Karma: 13
macandkanga says:
Cover songs are good. Pros: More than likely, you play songs that are already deemed by the public as good. You learn a lot about good song writing and playing when you cover a song.
Cons: You can end up sounding unoriginal with your own songs if cover certain bands too much. You cover songs that no one wants to hear or one's that have been covered too much. The worst being you don't cover the song well!
I think Macandkanga hit it on the head
I think it also depends on what your goals are. Looking back on my guitar playing and the time i spent I kind of wish I had put move vestment time into learning some cover songs.
Pros: you can see how an artist puts and applies practical music theory into a song. You learn about different parts of a song, verse, chorus, bridge, intro, coda etc.
Cons: you allow covers songs to over influence your playing. That is bad unless your goal is to play in a tribute band.
I've always looked a the guitar and music as a souce of self expression and a vice and release for real life. Not really cared much about working on my chops to get in the band. So I have a diffrent point of view.
Growing up in the 90's one of my bandmates uncle was in a band and got stuck playing cover songs and could not ever get out of that rut. They ended up being very successsful playing covers and made some decent money. That was not something I thought I'd be happy doing.
Joined: 26 Feb 2009 United States Lessons: 2 Licks: 6 Karma: 24
Concerning the cons:
I've never viewed learning covers as being stifling to my creativity. That's like the carpenter blaming his tools. If I can't come up with something, it's not because I jammed Master of Puppets too many times, it's because I'm drawing a blank.
I don't think that covers and creativity share any sort of negative link, in fact, I think of it like being a painter and instead of having just RGY to paint with,even though you can make your way around and get the job done using just the 3, adding more colors to your pallette would allow for more creative input because you are able to see the colors on the pallette and think of different ways to apply them to make the painting really stand out.
You guys aren't wrong saying that covers are bad for creativity-there's really no proof concerning either side of the arguement.
These are my views on it.
Covers are awesome; they can allow a good song a new life. I'd rather hear an ok cover (of a song I like) than a bad original. When I (try to) sing along, it's like a cover anyway...
Learning covers like randy rhoads solos and such can teach you a lot of different techniques. And if you don't use tablature to learn your covers you can learn a lot of music theory much better than if you did use tablature. I think it's very good to learn covers in order to get down techniques you wouldn't have learned otherwise.
Joined: 14 Dec 2009 United States Lessons: 2 Licks: 1 Karma: 16
Yeah I mean, I agree with case here. I don'tseeany negatives to covers. In fact, I really don't see any negatives with people making music period. Even if it is a genre I don't personally care for, the musician is still enjoying his/her time and that's the point to me - enjoyment.
I must say I think Slinger summed it up, I don't personally play them any more...but even when I did....it didn't feel right....doing what already been done..but I did...tell I couldn't take it anymore...I think I shaved my head once because of that...not sure? But just make sure your having fun bro....that's what it all about
Covers are a great motivator, especially when first starting out. Look up a tab of a song you really like that will also challenge you and you will be motivated to get good enough to actually play it
Joined: 26 Feb 2009 United States Lessons: 2 Licks: 6 Karma: 24
Not to be a douche, but I don't get why there seems be such a negative feeling towards a cover tune or two. I mean from my perspective-music is music, regardless of who writes it-and if it happens to be a badass tune(i.e. Disposable Heroes, Devil's Island, Comfortably Numb) I may spend some time learning it. It's only going to benefit me later to learn from someone who is waaaaay better than me-and that never stops no matter how long you have been playing.
I think overall covers are a good thing. Yes, there are some potential negatives but there are negatives to everything. Except bacon.
One of my favorite cover bands, believe it or not, is Dream Theatre. They cover songs from Yes, Genesis, Dixie Dreggs, Metallica, Iron Maiden, U2, Pink Floyd, Rush and many others. In fact, I started listening to them because of their covers. They cover great songs from great bands to show their appreciation why they do what they do.
I love DT though, man. I just downloaded a bunch of their stuff(legally-my phone is the Muve Music from Cricket) and it's AMAZING. Always cool to hear a big-time band covering a couple of songs to give some respect you know?
