The Steel Guitar Forum

How do You handle a song You do not like?
There have been several times I have had a band set list which included a song or two I did not really like and sometimes I was not keen on a particular arrangement of a song on the list.
I found it difficult to put "feeling or emotion" into My playing of these songs.
Is this Me creating a mental block by saying I will not play this song to the best of My abiity.
I have had "what I call a mental block" (in the past) when I was having difficulty playing a particular intro or break. I had a negative thought before playing the passage and sure enough I made a mess of it I did overcome that obstacle when I realised I needed to practise the passage many more times.
Please tell Me I am not alone L.O.L

You are Alone. Billy. All alone.

When it was time to play a song that only the audience liked,we'd discreetly put a can of Alpo somewhere on the stage and say off-mic "Here Cerberus.Here Cerberus".

Guardian of the entrance to (Musicians') Hell.....

Jim I do like OH Solo Mio
Best regards to The Family

I always tried to make the best of it. Sometimes I will play the song different than I normally do. I like to explore and play the song in C6. Playing some of these songs I am not that fond of in C6 made it more fun and interesting.

There are many songs that I NEVER want to hear again in my life, but I don’t mind playing. If the interaction with the band and audience is good, I probably will enjoy it, or at least be able to grit my teeth for 3 or 4 minutes.

When I was playing Bluegrass 7 nights a week back in the 70's, I always cringed to get a request for Fox on the Run, Beverly Hillbillies, Foggy Mountain Breakdown, Orange Blossom Special etc. But if they wrote that request on a $20 bill, I was happy to oblige.

Dave

When I have to play a song I don't like or feel no connection to; I will approach it in a "new challenge" way.
I'll choose a certain approach; like: "I play intro; fills; solo; ONLY on strings 1 thru 5 E9."
Also; choose strings 6 thru 10 E9 on another song.
Or choose I can only play between first 12 frets and not above.
Or choose I can only play above 12th fret and not below.
Doing these different challenges; always helped in how melody or scales work in ONLY those areas of the challenge. It always helped and challenged me HOW to listen to my steel guitar with those limitations.....
So ya'll that actually read this; do you see now how you can alter the way you think, without even hearing the stupid lame song that just came out of nashville you have to play that sounds like CRAP!!!.ha..
Ricky

Billy Murdoch wrote:How do You handle a song You do not like?
There have been several times I have had a band set list which included a song or two I did not really like and sometimes I was not keen on a particular arrangement of a song on the list...

Please tell Me I am not alone L.O.L

I'm with Jimbo! Unless you're the leader of the band, you don't get to say what others do, or what you don't have to do. You're a sideman, a contractor. Just do what you're asked to do.

In other words, give it your best, and grin and bear it.

Nicely said Ricky
Thanks

After the Singer puts it on the play list and we learn or relearn the arrangement, I play it for Him/Her...keep the good vibes on the band. We all don’t like it but we’re still pickin!

I'm pretty certain I've played songs that were not my favorites for my entire journey, still do. The set list is not my call especially for sit in gigs. Much like Ricky stated, I approach them as a challenge. These days I migrate toward strings 8 and 5. I'm also thinking that these types of songs is where we learn the most about our own playing and style. Wouldn't it feel good to hear the singer turn and say, "man you played that great" , in a song you were trying to avoid playing at all !

I play duo gigs on guitar very often , sometimes I tell my bandmate " I hate this song" he says "Shut up and play it".

Sometimes he says " I hate this song" and I say "SHUT up and sing it, THEY LOVE IT "

Stay positive !

Much as I appreciate Ricky's positive attitude, I'm more inclined to just grit my teeth and wait for it to end, like visiting my mother-in-law.

If you play for a living liking or not liking a song or even form of music is not a significant part of the equation. Do plumbers not work on bathrooms that have ugly wall paper ? Listening and playing without the indulgence of judgement can be a great skill for having a happy life anyway.

I can usually deal with almost anything except for when I’m asked to play along with a guitar player playing those dreadful pedal steel riffs. I have had to back my way out of my horrible rants after I find out the producer played the parts all by himself. I have threatened violence on stage. I’m getting better at keeping my mouth shut. Baby steps, baby steps.....

For recovery from a crappy song recording session ear worm I go to an avant-garde jazz gig. Also singing amazing grace to the melody of gilligans island or the other way around really works.

Bob Hoffnar wrote:Also singing amazing grace to the melody of gilligans island or the other way around really works.

It's good to know that someone else does that--the words to Gilligan's Island can be fit into most any melody if you're so inclined...

Dave

I grit my teeth and play it to the best of my ability. I am NOT paid to like the song. I am paid to play it as best I can.

I think maybe a third or more of the songs I have to play, I don't care for. Although some of the songs I don't like can be very fun to play.

Yeah, when I'm a sideman, I think of myself as a hired gun. Come in, do the job to the best of my ability, get paid, leave, go home, kiss the wife.

Same if I'm called for a studio session. Most of the songs I'm called to put steel on in the studio are not that great, nor is the singer. Doesn't matter, give them a good steel part, make 'em happy, get paid, leave, go home, kiss the wife...

Starting to see a pattern here? (Yeah, your wife gets kissed a lot...)

Now if it's my band and I hate the song, well, that's a whole different animal. Ain't nobody gonna get kissed in that scenario...

Billy, DO. YOUR. JOB.

What makes me start to kinda not like a song is when the leader wants to play a song that I am not that crazy about in the first place, on every single gig.
It's usually not the song itself, but the particular rendition of the song.
One guitar player band leader wanted to do his instrumental guitar version of Last Date, on every gig. Oy. I love Emmy Lou Harris' version... I could do that version every gig no prob.
Another band did a slowed down version of Dwight Yokums version of Thin Lizzies "I Want You To Want Me". A song that usually would pack the dance floor became a plodding durge that was barely recognizable. Uugh. With that said, I loved playing that bands uptempo amped-up almost electric-bluegrass version of "I don't wanna lose your love Tonight" by The Outfield.
So I take the good with the bad and pull my hat brim way down sometimes.

Interesting topic. My personal opinion would be, unless you only play in your own living room or practice space, it's all part of the game. I would be curious to read Mr. Franklin's take on the subject. Undoubtedly he's had to play lotsa stuff he's less than enamored with over the course of his career. It's part of being a pro, and likely one reason why the Time Jumpers exist.

Real Pros play things as it should be. How many times do you think Ray Price sang Night Life or George Jones sang White Lightening and done it like it was the first time?????

David Ball wrote:When I was playing Bluegrass 7 nights a week back in the 70's, I always cringed to get a request for Fox on the Run, Beverly Hillbillies, Foggy Mountain Breakdown, Orange Blossom Special etc. But if they wrote that request on a $20 bill, I was happy to oblige.

Dave

I recall someone on here telling of the band not wanting to play Steel Guitar Rag despite a patron's request. The patron finally produced a $100 bill and the band suddenly remembered how to play it after all!

To whoever that was, forgive me if I don't repeat it perfectly, but I never forgot the general idea.

Just stand up and yell I am an artist and can not work under these conditions.They'll get the message and you won't have to play these songs any more.

Dick Wood wrote:Just stand up and yell I am an artist and can not work under these conditions.They'll get the message and you won't have to play these songs any more.

That's what I'm talking' about!

A long time ago I played in a really competent top-40 country cover band. Most of the songs were by late 80's to mid 90's pop country artists which were faithfully recreated. However, I didn't like a majority of the songs and never listened to them away from when the band played them.

My approach to doing my best while playing them was to just think of the songs from a musical reference and not a lyrical reference. In other words, I would think of them as etudes, including specific intros, solos and fills. By doing that I could play and enjoy performing these songs.

Keep on pickin'!
Glenn