Those of you in function bands, how strict are you on song structures?

[charlysays]

Currently nearing 2.5 hrs of disco/ funk/ dance music content in the band I'm in.
We have learned a lot since we started the band back in April 2022. Almost 30 covers, stuff like chic, in-deep, prince, J5, other random hip hop and even house music tunes. Recently been using a metronome during rehearsals in headphones (using a multi channel headphone amp) to really work on getting tighter too.

We still have issues with getting song structures right, even some of the ones we've been playing months.

I feel the changes need to be tight, if everyone isn't onboard with the upcoming change the dynamics won't be right at the minimum. The drummer says he often relies on the vocals to know when to hit a chorus. Personally I think that's a slippery slope.

I have been writing out sheets which show the structure, number of bars/ riff loops in each bit, even prompts for the chords. I'm slowly finding myself less reliant on them but every now and then the rest of the band will randomly go into a chorus way early. I just go with it at gigs to make it sound as good as possible but once again I feel it's a slippery slope to just start changing song structures literally based on a collective mistake. It makes practicing at home to the tracks kinda difficult too.

Endings, now that's different. We have an agreed way to end the song and we end it based on whether the crowd are enjoying it.

How do you guys tackle this issue? I can't see any way forward than people learning to count riff loops or even bars until the songs are so well embedded that it's second nature.

 

[KidBlast]

if you're aim is to put the band out to gig and work you're on the right track IMO.

things have to be tight, changes, intros, endings,..

how do we do it? usually -- Repetition and if someone can't remember something it's on them to write their own charts or notes or whatever.

I play occasionally with an orchestra that backs a Choral group There's also a jazz quartet that supports a break out vocal team.. (about 10 voices from the main group which is about 40/45 voices)

It's all sight reading, and everyone reads the transcript. There are no real variances, that helps keep everyone honest.

my rock bands,, jesus,, sometimes it s a free for all

 

[ido1957]

Basic structure should be very close to the original IMHO, that's what people want/expect in many cases. Being tight depends on practice, but it begins with individual commitment and study. To me it's a business/job, to some it's a party. Disinterest, laziness, arrogance, no fear of reprisal, tough to find replacements, on and on. Ah yes, band life, isn't it great?

 

[flyinguitars]

I'm currently in a tribute band so we do the songs exactly as the album versions except the endings.

When I was doing covers in multiple cover bands over the years, we kinda approached each song individually. Depending on the song or genere we'd decide if it had to be exact or if we were going to "remake" it. As an example most of my band consisted of hard rock players and a big portion of our sets were hard rock classics, VH, ACDC, GnR, Boston, Kansas, etc.... But we liked to have general favorites in our sets too so we could get the dance floor full.....mostly gay stuff like dancing queen, Sweet Caroline, Jesse's girl, 8675309, etc....material that I didn't like and was not interested in.

So we'd take those songs and redo them in our own hard rock style. I'd put a fun solo in most... we'd put harmonies in new places, change the arrangement, etc until we had a song that we liked to play and not dred. You guys who play 6-7 nights a week know what I mean about dreading a song that you hate....well our plan was if you can't beat em join em....and it worked for us. We'd do a version of sweet Caroline with cool runs, harmonies, and a sick guitar solo and we have a blast and look out and see grandma up dacing along side of 21yr old hotties...and the uptight rock guys who work behind the counter of the music stores would unfold their arms and start getting into it...
So that'l was our method.....

 

[charlysays]

thanks guys. on the right track. We're currently climbing the pay scale- we started as low as £50 each for 2 hours back in April and we're often getting £75-£100 each now. I'll keep on at the other members to get with it. They are receptive and we don't fall out about it which is good.

Totally agree with regards playing the songs as they are, there are certain aspects of famous songs where changing it just seems arrogant in as far as a covers band thinking they know better than the musician who wrote it. There will be exceptions but generally its always better if its authentic.

It's not really any different to a classical music player in an orchestra randomly doing their own thing when playing some famous concerto.

I don't think it has to be note for note at all times don't get me wrong- lots of solos/ fills and trills can definitely be improvised and the odd twirl can be added elsewhere (for this reason when I learn a famous cover I usually pick my favourite live version they played) but the structure, changes and groove should be authentic and tight.

A big one I notice with our drummer vs the chic drummer for example is that in disco and funk, 95% of drum fills keep the kick and snare going and in the same spot in the beat- so that people can dance to it- they just add in some extra hits around the existing kick/ snare pattern and 95% of the time the fill is there to accentuate a change. Trying to get our drummer on to this but I the fill placement is atleast partly due to shaky knowledge of the structures.

It's going in the right direction

 

[PelliX]

How do you guys tackle this issue? I can't see any way forward than people learning to count riff loops or even bars until the songs are so well embedded that it's second nature.

Pretty much. A little impromtu or 'flare' is good to prevent stuff from sounding too "oh, let's do this for the 72nd time, then", but it has to fit. Those little quirks generally shouldn't affect the layout of the song - as you point out, that leads to ... ehm, issues.

Click tracks?

I'm currently in a tribute band so we do the songs exactly as the album versions except the endings.

Yup, same, though sometimes some songs need a bit of "live" and "album" version blending. Sometimes an album version will miss something we all loved about a live performance or a number of live performances. There's some "seeing what works for us" in there, too. Endings are tough. When covering stuff, as you surely know, you start to appreciate the fact that a 'fade out' is generally where an artist couldn't figure out how to end the thing. Then you check it out live.... and see what they do there. I'm sure you know this drill, haha!

 

[JeffMcLeod]

...and clips get posted in The Cellar...

 

[Jethro Rocker]

We change up as we see fit. Nice to keep most of arrangement the same but the crowd really doesn't know or care. They just wanna sing along. We improvise solos often and sometimes it goes on longer. When singer kicks in, we follow.
Even getting paid, ya gotta have fun. We just go out amd enjoy it. Let the crowd sing the crowd pleasing choruses. This is party rock though, so a bit different. Don't take it too seriously. Enjoy it and play it tight and well. Change up whatever ya like.