# If you were doing a single/duo



## teleboli (Aug 19, 2009)

So, just for fun. If you were doing an acoustic single or duo ( 2 acoustics/1 acoustic, 1 electric ) what songs would you want on your song list? They could be songs that go over well or that lay out well on the guitar, whatever.


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## urko99 (Mar 30, 2009)

Into the Mystic, anything Eagles, would be my choices, just to start. You would also have to have two strong voices and a Harmony pedal to cover any missing Harmonies. Would you have Drum and Bass tracks behind you as well? If so, that would also open a whole new spectrum.
I've contemplated the same.


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## teleboli (Aug 19, 2009)

New spectrum indeed. Backing tracks = limitless possibilities. Yes including backing tracks and two strong voices. Mainly focusing on two guitars ( acoustic and electric ) and two vocals ( emphasis on harmony ) for now, just to ensure the foundation is strong. Feel free to include 'acoustic based' group songs or...whatever. The backing tracks will be an option.

Thanks for the thoughts


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## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

Honestly, just about anything is possible if you arrange it right. Sometimes it's nice to hear a bare bones version of a more polished song. Roxanne or Message In A Bottle by Sting from The Secret Policeman's Other Ball comes to mind in that realm. Just Sting on the stage with a guitar. I think it's more about what makes you feel good when you play it. Something that touches you or something you feel you do well. It's a whole different ballgame when it's just you up there and there's no one to lean on.


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## urko99 (Mar 30, 2009)

teleboli said:


> New spectrum indeed. Backing tracks = limitless possibilities. Yes including backing tracks and two strong voices. Mainly focusing on two guitars ( acoustic and electric ) and two vocals ( emphasis on harmony ) for now, just to ensure the foundation is strong. Feel free to include 'acoustic based' group songs or...whatever. The backing tracks will be an option.
> 
> Thanks for the thoughts


A shame that we didn't live closer.


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## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

urko99 said:


> You would also have to have two strong voices and a Harmony pedal to cover any missing Harmonies.


I have one of those BOSS VE 20 pedals. Seven Bridges Road and all sorts of possibilities. Even some straight singing into it can sound very good as it lays harmonies on top of it. I do find that it can seem to bring some ear fatigue if you use it too much like say, if you sang an entire song and kept the harmonies on all through but it can be fantastic to hit it once in a while or on the choruses or whatever.


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## urko99 (Mar 30, 2009)

I have the TC Helicon Harmonizer, and with selective use, (less is more)it's very effective in nailing those fill harmonies. It's also a great rehearsal tool, and gets your pipes in shape in a hurry. I would think, in this spoken circumstance, each of the guitar players should have one, as they trade off lead Vocals. Pretty much a mandatory thing on the pedal board.


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## 4345567 (Jun 26, 2008)

__________


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

It would depend on the setting. Is it indoor in an intimate setting or an outdoor stage? Will there be dancing expected or just listening? I agree the Eagles are a good choice and a few Neil Young ballads would go over nicely in a few settings.

Then you have this:

[video=youtube;vdDg_sJ5bCI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdDg_sJ5bCI[/video]


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## urko99 (Mar 30, 2009)

nkjanssen said:


> Backing tracks = significant possibility of me, as an audience member, immediately leaving.
> 
> Backing tracks made on the fly with loopers and whatnot can be cool if done right. Pre-recorded stuff? If it's a large band triggering samples or loops as a small part of the whole experience, no problem. When I've seen solo performers use backing tracks, though, 9 times out of 10 it ends up seeming like karaoke. Not good. If it's just background music nobody may care. Then again, maybe nobody will care either way. I might be in the minority on my hatred for backing tracks.


Not a minority at all. I hear it often when I talk about it. Especially with Bass players and drummers. I've seen it done effectively, and I've seen it butchered. It depends on what approach you want to portray from the beginning of the Duet and what crowd you want to play for.


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## blam (Feb 18, 2011)

for songs with 1 acoustic and 1 electric a couple songs I enjoyed my old band did were:

Pixies - Where Is My Mind (one of my favorites to play)
Stones - Satisfaction
Knockin on Heavens door


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

While I mostly play solo instrumental stuff, I occasionally do a short solo vocal set at our local open mic. My "go to" songs are:

Thrasher - Neil Young
Superman's Song - Crash Test Dummies
Brain Damage - Pink Floyd
The Old Apartment - Barenaked Ladies
If I Had a Boat - Lyle Lovett
Lace and Pretty Flowers - Willie P. Bennett

Pretty much all of these lend themselves to a second guitar part and/or vocal harmonies.


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## marcos (Jan 13, 2009)

nkjanssen said:


> Backing tracks = significant possibility of me, as an audience member, immediately leaving.
> 
> Backing tracks made on the fly with loopers and whatnot can be cool if done right. Pre-recorded stuff? If it's a large band triggering samples or loops as a small part of the whole experience, no problem. When I've seen solo performers use backing tracks, though, 9 times out of 10 it ends up seeming like karaoke. Not good. If it's just background music nobody may care. Then again, maybe nobody will care either way. I might be in the minority on my hatred for backing tracks.


Oops, sorry, wrong thread.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

What I don't enjoy are two guitars strumming along playing virtually the same thing, or the same thing badly, all gig long. Many duos suffer from this. Different parts, registers, etc, are better to my ears. Consider a bass with that guitar too, or a mandolin. Counterpoint and harmony lines help a lot.

I play in two duos, one is guitars/fiddle, and the other is guitars/concertina. Both have some vocals but mostly instrumentals. Both benefit from having a variety of sounds in the accompaniment, so I will use a 6 string acoustic, 12 string acoustic, dobro, baritone, and sometimes a classical...though it will depend on the gig and how much I can carry and switch between.

I like Rolling Stones acoustic tunes (not Angie, please), as well as the usual Neil Young, Eagles, and other typical bands, and they seem to be crowd pleasers, but I'd rather hear off the wall material. Bluegrass, old time, early rock instrumentals. Consider some Gordon Lightfoot, he's well known but not as often covered as the Eagles for example.

Peace, Mooh.


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## Option1 (May 26, 2012)

blam said:


> for songs with 1 acoustic and 1 electric a couple songs I enjoyed my old band did were:
> 
> Pixies - Where Is My Mind (one of my favorites to play)
> Stones - Satisfaction
> Knockin on Heavens door


Another Stones song that's worth considering is Wild Horses. Actually there's a ton of Stones ones that can be done as an acoustic/electric mix.

Neil


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## Guest (Dec 7, 2014)

[video=youtube;b0eknUtEMWw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0eknUtEMWw[/video]

- - - Updated - - -

[video=youtube;W4vd9OVLO7Q]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4vd9OVLO7Q[/video]


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## teleboli (Aug 19, 2009)

Ummm, that's a young man's game. LOL


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## teleboli (Aug 19, 2009)

Actually what I'm really wondering about is a pedal board set up for the electric guitar in a duo. Is the 'traditional' pedal board, with separate pedals, favourable or is there a product, from Line 6 or whoever, that actually sounds excellent and is straight forward to use? Thinking about ease of use and taking up very little precious stage real estate. Really only need say, comp, versatile delay, verb, boost and a couple overdrives.


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## Robboman (Oct 14, 2006)

nkjanssen said:


> Backing tracks = significant possibility of me, as an audience member, immediately leaving.


I wonder if this opinion is only shared by musicians, or if normal folks at the pub ever feel the same. 

In my area there are lots of guys who play to tracks and get booked and re-booked all the time. Mostly in the electric guitar rock context. I did it myself years ago. Pub crowd gets to hear lively rock music and if they look to the stage to see the 'live performance' they'll see live singing and guitar playing, the two elements people pay most attention to anyway. Yes, it's karaoke and I'm not saying I love it personally, but it works. I don't think pub customers care. Pub gets varied pop rock music into their limited space, with easy volume control, and they only have to pay one (or two) guys. 

I don't see singles and duos with only acoustic guitars getting booked a lot around here, but they come out in droves to play for free at acoustic jam night, often hosted by a well-equipped 'tracks' guy. The big problem with a straight acoustic show is, no matter how great it sounds and how talented you are, it get's boring after half hour or so. Because it's the same base sound all night.. voice and guitar, song after song. And you need to span 4 hours in a night.


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## JHarasym (Mar 27, 2007)

Depending on what era you're drawing from, I would look for duos to cover eg. Simon and Garfunkel, Seals and Crofts, etc.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Robboman said:


> I wonder if this opinion is only shared by musicians, or if normal folks at the pub ever feel the same.
> 
> In my area there are lots of guys who play to tracks and get booked and re-booked all the time. Mostly in the electric guitar rock context. I did it myself years ago. Pub crowd gets to hear lively rock music and if they look to the stage to see the 'live performance' they'll see live singing and guitar playing, the two elements people pay most attention to anyway. Yes, it's karaoke and I'm not saying I love it personally, but it works. I don't think pub customers care. Pub gets varied pop rock music into their limited space, with easy volume control, and they only have to pay one (or two) guys.
> 
> I don't see singles and duos with only acoustic guitars getting booked a lot around here, but they come out in droves to play for free at acoustic jam night, often hosted by a well-equipped 'tracks' guy. The big problem with a straight acoustic show is, no matter how great it sounds and how talented you are, it get's boring after half hour or so. Because it's the same base sound all night.. voice and guitar, song after song. And you need to span 4 hours in a night.


At the end of the day, for me it comes down to preparation time. If you have put time and energy into your backing tracks they can be quite effective. Or you can put time and energy into your live arrangements to keep them interesting. 

A night of repetitive sequenced tracks or someone strumming the same basic chords leave me equally cold. There are too many acts out there that don't put nearly enough effort into their preparation.


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

Here's a list of what I currently do in my one acoustic duo. There are a lot of others I will pull out if requested and this list is only the songs that I sing - typically my partner and I take turns and she has her own list.

All I Have to do is Dream
All The Things That I've Done
American Kids
American Pie
Bad Timing
Better Be Home Soon
Bobcaygeon
Boys 'Round Here
Brian Wilson
Chicken Fried
Colder Weather
Country Girl (Shake It For Me)
Demons
Desperado
Drift Away
Drink In My Hand
Drunk On A Plane
Follow Me
Friends In Low Places
Give A Little Bit
Gold On The Ceiling
Good Riddance
Hasn't Hit Me Yet
Here Comes The Sun
Hey Baby
Hey There Delilah
Homeward Bound
I Love This Bar
If I Had a Million Dollars
I've Just Seen a Face
King of the Road
Kiss A Girl
Knocking On Heaven's Door
Let Her Go
lonely boy
Long Line Of Losers
Lost Together
Love Is All Around
Mr. Bojangles
My Eyes
Patio Lanterns
Point At You
Radioactive
Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy)
Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off
Three Little Birds
To Love Somebody
Wagon Wheel
Wheat Kings
Margaritaville
Norwegian Wood
Piano Man
Secret Agent Man
The Boxer
The Joker
The Weight
Til I Am Myself Again
Wonderful Tonight
You May Be Right
Your Mama Don't Dance

I don't do them all on any given night but it's proven to be a pretty good list. Typically these are all done with just me playing and my partner provides harmony vocals.


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