So… I had one idea. Not sure if a good one or if even feasible, but a idea nonetheless.
What about we, as a community, organize monthly or bi-monthly cover challenges to encourage community participation, feedback and discussion on common issues. I think it would also help shy people to build up confidence.
It doesn’t need to be a full song per se, maybe a somewhat complex riff, a verse of some song, something that another community member brought up, etc. To keep derails to a minimum have it in specific threads (July 2020 Cover Challenge, p.ex).
Every month we would vote on the next month’s (or month after that) challenge.
Mhhh… I like the idea. A month time sounds about right to me. I probably have finished after a week in my current situation but imagining going back to work full time that might be different.
Then there’s another problem - skill level
Sure it should be a challenge but I think finding something that is a challenge to everyone here is next to impossible so what skill level should be aim for?
While I like the idea I think it’s a lot of organization and preperation that would have to go into this with either offering multiple skill levels or assuming a skill level of “recent badass”
It’s a challenge not a contest. There are no winners nor losers, just participants. The nature of it is to do the best you can, and get feedback on what you achieved. What’s the point on giving feedback to 100% correct covers?
It’s too much for you to do the whole song? Ok, try doing just the verse, or the bridge or the chorus. What did you struggle with?
The skill level of a song would even out by voting on the next challenge. Or not. As a noob I really wanted to learn Hysteria (Muse) or Schism (Tool)… and I did my best with what I had at the time. Would love to have had feedback back then.
I’m more inclined to a bi-monthly challenge, as this would give time to share progress and struggles until the final result.
A community wide cover workout (homework?). Instead of random covers. You would have a few people covering the same song and discuss it with a hands on approach on the same time frame.
I can just speak for myself so let’s see if there are more people interested but to me it feels like I would just take part if I want to learn that song anyway. Both examples you stated would be examples of me tapping out because I don’t like the bands, don’t like the sounds.
Schism is a famous bass line I know. RHCP makes good bass lines and I’m still tapping out of RHCP bass lines
I think that’s part of the beauty of it, it would “force” us to get out of our comfort zones and try new rhythms and grooves that otherwise we wouldn’t.
P.S: Muse and Tool was an example I’ve been through, not a suggestion.
I like the idea, I’m just now learning some very basic songs so if the chosen song is out of reach I just don’t post that months effort, pretty sure that’ll be most people…there is only so much ego that can be checked at the door…its a great idea that should make those interested put in the time and effort
The example we are talking about would not force me out of my comfort zone rythmically or technically but musically and I don’t see the need for a hobby player to get out the musical comfort zone.
I personally have enough “homework” to work on that’s out of my comfort zone and step into my homework work often enough that I don’t feel the need for a push. There are tons of things I have on my list to practice and play so forcing another one in there I don’t even like isn’t for me. As said - I would take part depending on the cover that is currently the challenge.
Again this is my personal opinion for this. I doubt you get others regularly to play songs they aren’t interested in without an incentive or personal reasons (those family challenges we see here).
Not to disagree with your post. But I seriously doubt* Tool wouldn’t force you out of your comfort zone rhythmically or technically. But then again, those were not suggestions. I regret mentioning those covers by name now.
(*) Not putting your skills into check. Just stating Tool deviates a lot from standard.
The bottom line is, you don’t need to like blues (insert random genre) to learn something very valuable from it.
Yes, we had tried this idea a couple of times, in various threads like the one you referenced. Not sure why it didn’t take off fully, I think it was just hard to agree to one song that everyone was willing to learn, and to get people to actually do it, record it, and post.
