# Bluesificiation?



## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

Our singer in the band would like to do a blues version of you Shook me all night long.

I haven't a clue or maybe it's too early in the morning!(Working too many hours) How would one go about doing this? I know I would start off with a slower tempo but the rest I am struggling with!


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## Merlin (Feb 23, 2009)

Slower tempo, make it a shuffle.

Angus' solos rely heavily on bluesy pentatonic licks, so you're good to go.


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## Guest (Jul 14, 2016)

Couldn't find a blues version.
How about bluegrass? lol.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

What Merlin says.


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## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

Leave it like it is. If you want to do some blues, do a blues song.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

JBFairthorne said:


> Leave it like it is. If you want to do some blues, do a blues song.


The singer says he doesn't want to burn his voice out! When your doing the band thing you sort of have to keep everyone in a good frame of mind. Everyone's voice and opinion matter.

Besides, it's something different to explore. It keeps the grey matter ticking. lol


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

I think I found what I am looking for. Give this a listen. This is just pure blues and a really kick ass rendition of the original song. The singer we have can do this. It will sound amazing. He has such a powerful voice! I can do a solo over Lord's keyboard part. I always wanted to learn harmonica too. Now is an excellent time to do so! You can just change this up in so many ways to suit your band's talents and make them sparkle. Ya baby, this is perfect!


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## amagras (Apr 22, 2015)

It's going to be hard to shake the zeppelin off of that version. 
Alternatively you can grab any classic blues riff and play the chord sequence of the song but replacing the original riff with the bluesy one...and do the tempo change of course.
Good luck and have fun!


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## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

Actually, the original was a purely blues song. So maybe you think the Zep is more a kick ass version (a matter of preference), but it's certainly not MORE blues. Beyond the original, it's been covered a lot. It's kind of a blues standard.






Regarding the singer saving his voice. That's cool, if he can't sing AC/DC then maybe that's just how it is, or maybe he has to adapt his singing and not try to emulate the vocals. That's a big stretch from adapting vocals to completely changing the song. I'm a bit of a purist in this respect. I don't mind massaging a song a bit but I wouldn't want to completely change the groove or the vibe. That being said, music is all about fun, there aren't rules. Do what makes all of YOU collectively happy right? If you DO work out a blues version I wouldn't mind hearing it just to hear it.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)




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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

I'm a big fan of changing things up. Music, especially live, should be dynamic and not static. And, as Devy says: "It's just entertainment".

Nobody's going to out-AC/DC AC/DC or out-Led Zep Led Zep. These guys didn't try, they just had fun with it.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

JBFairthorne said:


> Actually, the original was a purely blues song. So maybe you think the Zep is more a kick ass version (a matter of preference), but it's certainly not MORE blues.
> 
> .


They actually tie for first place. Same song, different vibe! 

I know that this is a classic blues song! This song is based on the 1, 4 and 5 blues chord progression!


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

I want to play the song in a different style just for the sheer experience and joy of playing it will bring me. Just to figure out what to put together for my own version of the solo would be a great experience to learn a little more and up my learning curve and once I learn it, then, I can choose which way I want to play it. I will be able to play it either way at rehearsal but this is my own little personal project!

I love the blues! Soul satisfying, expressive and it's just let yourself go and run with it! Nothing is set in stone. It's you and your knowledge and how you apply it to this particular type of music!

OMG just so much fun!


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

High/Deaf said:


> I'm a big fan of changing things up. Music, especially live, should be dynamic and not static.


And a lot of bands do that with their own songs--It may not always work for everybody--but I prefer that approach myself--at least for some of the songs in a set.

(That goes whether I am listening or playing)


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## Guest (Jul 15, 2016)




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## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

zontar said:


> And a lot of bands do that with their own songs--It may not always work for everybody--but I prefer that approach myself--at least for some of the songs in a set.
> 
> (That goes whether I am listening or playing)


It's different when you're changing your own song. It's yours, you have the right. Some songs though (other people's) it just seems somehow disrespectful to me to change it too much. That's just me though, how I feel about ME changing someone else's song. The only unchangeable/universal rule I believe music should have is...have fun.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

JBFairthorne said:


> It's yours, you have the right. Some songs though (other people's) it just seems somehow disrespectful.


Disrespectful? Me? I think not! lol I am THE biggest AC/DC fan on this forum that I know of. I would never disrespect their songs! 

It's fun to do something that makes you really think and try to do justice to their material!


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## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

Maybe you should read my post again. I described how *I* feel about *ME* changing a song drastically. I made no comment on how you do or should feel about it other than the fact that you should have fun.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

JBFairthorne said:


> It's different when you're changing your own song. It's yours, you have the right. Some songs though (other people's) it just seems somehow disrespectful to me to change it too much. That's just me though, how I feel about ME changing someone else's song. The only unchangeable/universal rule I believe music should have is...have fun.


I can see that perspective. National anthems shouldn't be screwed with, IMO (a current topic elsewhere). The way some people sing the Star Spangled Banner just irks me - my first thought is "are they doing that because they can't actually sing it correctly?"

Same with songs. I want to know I can play a song fairly accurately. But once I can - and have repeatedly - I like to mess with it. Respectfully, I think. I'll play War Pigs and Paranoid at an acoustic jam. Or heavy up a song like Ain't No Sunshine at an electric jam. To me, this is just a one-off thing. spontaneous and creative. No disrespect to the originator is ever intended. I've seen some of them do it to their own stuff, so I think 'no harm, no foul'.

Mind you, if I was playing for and audience and wasn't playing for fun, I wouldn't be doing that. This is just 'shits and giggles' kinda stuff I'm talking about here.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

JBFairthorne said:


> Maybe you should read my post again. I described how *I* feel about *ME* changing a song drastically. I made no comment on how you do or should feel about it other than the fact that you should have fun.



I am so sorry I misconstrued what you said. Pls accept my sincere apology!


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

Sounds like a time for some Richard Cheese


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

There's no rules when it comes to music.

There's some people who will get very upset that you massively changed a song - and then there will be those who say "cool take on it, good work". Can't please 'em all, might as well keep yourselves happy!


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

JBFairthorne said:


> It's different when you're changing your own song. It's yours, you have the right. Some songs though (other people's) it just seems somehow disrespectful to me to change it too much. That's just me though, how I feel about ME changing someone else's song. The only unchangeable/universal rule I believe music should have is...have fun.


I guess that's where we disagree.
take a song & mess with it--it's more interesting to me.


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

I don't like a changed song even if it's the same band doing their own tune. Maybe that's why I avoid concerts when I can.

On a side, but still somewhat relevant: I also find it odd that doing covers is something we accept. I realize it's to please a lame-ass audience, but I would much prefer to hear what the player wrote. It's rarely good, but I still prefer it. 

Hope that didn't come across too dickish. I've been forcibly subjected to at least 2 decades of mediocre bar bands.


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

Mooh said:


>


Now you're talking !!


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

Outside of the fact that the titles are the same there is nothing that ties the two songs together (AC/DC vs any of the other renditions of Muddy Waters original).


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## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

davetcan said:


> Outside of the fact that the titles are the same there is nothing that ties the two songs together (AC/DC vs any of the other renditions of Muddy Waters original).


Hmmm, I was wondering if anyone was going to mention that. 
Not a cover, actually the title isn't even the same, 'you shook me' vs 'you shook me all night long'.
The latter is a completely original AC/DC tune.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

adcandour said:


> I don't like a changed song even if it's the same band doing their own tune. Maybe that's why I avoid concerts when I can.
> 
> On a side, but still somewhat relevant: I also find it odd that doing covers is something we accept. I realize it's to please a lame-ass audience, but I would much prefer to hear what the player wrote. It's rarely good, but I still prefer it.
> 
> Hope that didn't come across too dickish. I've been forcibly subjected to at least 2 decades of mediocre bar bands.


Not dickish at all. I wish radio would play something besides the same 16 songs over and over again in heavy rotation. Lowest common denominator mentality (funny, I actually typed demoninator first - freudian slip? hmmmm). 

As far as jamming, I've seen people try to jam originals with others who've never heard it (being as it's original and only the author and his girlfriend have heard it). Those usually don't go well - except for the author's girlfriend, who is just thrill he's playing her song in public. 

But I know what you mean about rehearsed bands, I'd prefer an original band, even in a genre I don't prefer, than one playing covers of stuff I do listen to. I love live music and very seldom find any live stuff objectionable. Hey, if it is, its most likely over shortly anyways. But I like to see bands 'put it out there'.


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

jb welder said:


> Hmmm, I was wondering if anyone was going to mention that.
> Not a cover, actually the title isn't even the same, 'you shook me' vs 'you shook me all night long'.
> The latter is a completely original AC/DC tune.


Was wondering about that too. Those are 2 different songs. 

I think one of the ways to make the AC/DC song 'bluesy' would be to slow it down and give it a different tempo.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Chuck who held a gun to your head and made you listen to bar bands?


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

Budda said:


> Chuck who held a gun to your head and made you listen to bar bands?


Two of my closest friends - each a lead singer for brit-pop style music (morrissey influenced - not my genre at all). 

It was our circle of friends - if you don't go, you don't go out. Eventually, in my mid-twenties I put my foot down - even if "someone from a record label was going to be there".


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

Chito said:


> I think one of the ways to make the AC/DC song 'bluesy' would be to slow it down and give it a different tempo.


Maybe it's just me but when I hear these lyrics I want to rock. The hell with slowing it down. Tell your singer it's just the way it is. He can pick something else, like the Muddy Waters tune for example 

She was a fast machine
She kept her motor clean
She was the best damn woman I had ever seen
She had the sightless eyes
Telling me no lies
Knockin' me out with those American thighs
Taking more than her share
Had me fighting for air
She told me to come but I was already there
'Cause the walls start shaking
The earth was quaking
My mind was aching
And we were making it and you


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

davetcan said:


> Maybe it's just me but when I hear these lyrics I want to rock. The hell with slowing it down. Tell your singer it's just the way it is. He can pick something else, like the Muddy Waters tune for example
> 
> She was a fast machine
> She kept her motor clean
> ...



Absolutely right! I want to rock!


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