Whether you’re dancing on piano keys or dreaming on acoustic guitar, reimagining your favorite songs for solo performance with just you, your voice, and a single instrument can be as fun as it is challenging. Read the post.
Before and after the Carpenters scored a massive hit with “(They Long To Be) Close To You,” others tried, but they all seemed to miss what Richard Carpenter figured out: When you have a great melody, great lyrics, and a great singer — less is more. Read the post.
Not only does “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” hold the distinction of the being the first and last number one R&B song in 1968, it is the only song to have been a number one R&B hit for three artists. Read the post.
When learning a song or diving into ideas for music production, multiple listens to an inspiring track can help you discover arrangement and recording tricks that you can apply to your own music. Read the post.
This is the second in a series that examines cover songs that went on to be huge hits, even though the original versions were mostly unknown. This post covers Crosby, Stills & Nash’s “Southern Cross.” Read the post.
How did a forgotten 1965 B-side become a 1981 smash? “Tainted Love” had hidden elements that Soft Cell unlocked to turn it into an enduring (and often covered) hit song. Read the post.
Borrowed chords (chords “borrowed” from a key’s parallel minor) are commonly used in music influenced by the blues, including rock, jazz, R&B, even country and folk. Today we’ll focus on the flat-six chord. Read the post.
Sixth chords have an inherent lack of identity and purpose that can be riveting — a sixth chord can provide ambiguity, set curiously dark moods, and add a layer of complexity to your music. Read More.
There are many diverse kinds of ninth chords, and they are used in different ways. In this post, we’ll explore different kinds of ninth chords, how to use them, and provide examples of their use in popular music. Read More.
Though he covered tunes by many diverse artists, Cornell was no stranger to having his own songs covered as well; perhaps none has become as popular amongst other artists as Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun.” Read More.
Listening to Chris Cornell cover various songs from a wide range of styles can teach you a lot about how to make the most of your own attempts. Read More.
Disturbed’s cover version of Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence” is exemplary in many ways – from its intention to pay homage to its power to stand on its own. Read More.
Playing cover songs can boost your visibility, warm up a crowd, or be a way to earn a living. Whatever the end goal, there is more than one way to approach playing someone else’s well-known – or little known – song. Read More.
Not everybody wants to pursue the path of marathon gigging, but for those with a deep love of music and a desire to share it, it can be a great way to get paid for doing what you love. Read more.
It’s a cliché to say that show business is tough, but the reality is that it’s worse than that. It eats good people alive. Here are three survival skills I’d like to pass along that have helped me get through 15 years playing solo acoustic cover songs in bars, restaurants, private parties, corporate events, and pig roasts in cemeteries. Read more.