i need some advice on preparing for song

If I was trying to use the original recording as a template, the first thing would be to use the transposed barre chords. And to play very sparingly on the verses. Basically hitting the first chord on the first beat of the first measure, then the second chord on the first second measure and then the third chord on the first beat of the third measure. On the recording in the fourth measue, the third chord ("C" in the tab as it is now) is replaced by Csus4 for the first two beats and then C is played for the second two beats. Again, hitting both chords once is more than enough.

In the chorus you can do some simple strumming to match the drummer and help drive the rhythm. Just giving the video a quick listen, it sounds like the guitar is using this sort of beat (divided into sixteenth notes):
1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a
D D U U D U U D

But you can certainly fill it out in many different ways. Since you're good with the drummer to begin with, work with him on it ahead of time if you can. I really don't think you're going to have trouble with this one is you simply stay sparse and keep the rhythm steady.

If you all hit it off, there's a lot of room in this song for the vocalist to trade riffs with a soloist and that could be very cool.

Good luck!

Peace

thanks David, i really appreciate you giving it a listen and lending me your advice.

i will give this a go tonight when i practice.
thanks again, Al

If it helps at all, months back I was playing at a jazz jam night as the resident guitarist and we had a pro singer who got up to perform. We did Summertime and a couple of others. After I played, she complimented me on doing a great job with the rhythm guitar for her. The fact is I'd simplified everything to make absolutely sure I didn't screw up an hit some duff notes/chords which could have thrown her off. Moral of the story, if you're there to support another musician (and in a band it's all about the vocalist/soloist), keep it simple unless you know what you're doing and are sure you can pull it off. Even then, try to keep it simple.

Plus, it's better to start with something simple you can perform well, and then build up to more complex sounds over the course of a few gigs than it would be to try for something complex straight off the bat and fail to perform it. Keeping it simple means the whole band can take the song somewhere else in rehearsal, developing a complex part ties the band to playing around your part when they should be supporting the singer.

Hope this helps. And a massive +1 on grabbing your drummer to run the tunes a few times beforehnd. Good luck with the audition, and congratulations on lil almann!!!

Good luck Al you'll be fine!

thanks guys, ill keep you posted as to how it goes.

Well, here is my update :D

To cut a long story short, i didnt even get to play my guitar today. Thats not to say i wasnt given the job, it was just a very strange audition. it seemed to be based on how much of her singing i was prepared to listen to.

As i said the singer was awesome, absulutely superb voice, but i spent all afternoon listening to her sing songs she liked and wanted to play, and to say i was there nearly 3 hours really says something about how odd the day was.

Deep down i dont think she really cares about how the band play around her, as long as she isnt drowned out. I think she is so used to being a solo singer, that she just expects us to replace the backing tracks she is used to singing to, so that she can carry on "as normal". That isnt to say she isnt pleasant, she does seem very nice, but she certainly loves to be the center of attention (which i assume will come across great on stage) and there will be no room for democracy in this band.

It was a bit depressing, but on the plus side, there are some meaty guitar songs in there, sweet child of mine, dont stop believing, and plenty of other songs like black velvet where i get to stick a few fills in and take a solo, so there should be enough there to keep me busy and give me my "two minutes of spotlight".

i know i wont have any say in the direction this band goes, i can like it or lump it, but she does seem to be already established as a singer and has plenty of contacts from her professional days - in fact she has already been asked by a "solicitors" group if we would perform their christmas function for £800, something she seems to expect regularly.

i have never dreamed of earning money like that for playing my guitar (badly), and as i am moving house in a couple of weeks and with the addition of the new baby i could do with the money.

i dont know how this will pan out, and i dont think i will enjoy it, but i am going to see how far i can go with it, and yes, sell out for the money im afraid.

my only concern musically is that she loves performing this huge celine dion type power ballards that are so over produced it would be almost impossible for one keyboard, one guitar, one bass and some drums to replicate - and she seems so determined that if we dont sound exactly like the original, we drop the song....

it could be a long road..........

Can you say Diva!

Of all the songs this should be the easiest, but it is in fact showing up a lack of creativity in my rhythm playing, i really am not sure where to take this song, because it sounds better with no guitar!

One of the most difficult things to learn is when NOT to play. As David suggested, I'd take a minimalist approach to this one. Sometimes less really is more.

Edit: yeah shoot from the hip, Moonie! Next time I'll read the whole thread . . . :oops:

Sounds like this lady has LSD (Lead Singer's Disease), and no experience at all working with anything but covers. Most truly professional singers understand that the arrangement needs to fit the instrumentation.

Given your description of the "audition," I would have told her that I wasn't a good fit for what she wanted about a third of the way through. Hopefully I would have been able to keep a straight face while I did. :shock: :lol: