Songs you can get away with playing solo?

TheMasterplan · 11-26-2009, 01:59 PM

Recently I was asked to be a sort of "backup" act for when bands cancel at some of the smaller venues that my friend books for. I was looking for a variety of song, instrumental or not and of any genre that I can add to my repertoire. I would start doing this in like January I think. Any suggestions? I know a slew of classical/acoustic pieces that are instrumental - I have a bit of a hard time singing along when playing unless the vocal melody follows the guitar to a 'T'. Think Open Car by Porcupine Tree for what I can sing and play simultaneously. So give me some suggestions please.

MaxOfMetal · 11-26-2009, 02:16 PM

Look into artists who have done just that such Bod Dylan, Neil Young, and theres a whole bunch of Eric Clapton stuff that can be done solo. A lot of the softer acoustic Who songs can be arranged for a single guitar as well.

Varcolac · 11-26-2009, 02:51 PM

Damien Rice. The albums have a lot of cello, piano, bass, and all that overdubbing, but many of his songs stand on their own as acoustic guitar busking songs.

vampiregenocide · 11-26-2009, 05:09 PM

Try reworking some popular songs into acoustic versions.

Sober by Tool sounds great acoustic.

Bloody_Inferno · 11-26-2009, 10:53 PM

You also may want to incorporate classical fingerstyle plucking techniques. James Taylor songs are also good examples, plus with fingerstyle you can incorporate some piano songs (from Stevie Wonder to Alicia Keys and various pop ballads etc) into your set.

troyguitar · 11-27-2009, 12:08 AM

Bush - glycerine is always popular for electric guitar and voice

Opeth21 · 11-27-2009, 12:16 AM

Any City and Colour, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Jack Johnson sounds great solo and is fun to practice singing along at the same time with.

TheMasterplan · 11-27-2009, 12:20 AM

Thanks for the suggestions guys, I'll be doing some research this weekend and I've got some good stuff to start with. Can I get some more recommendations of some tunes I can play with my electric as well? Like I said Open Car by Porcupine Tree is a good example for the type of thing I can do well. Thanks again

Randy · 11-27-2009, 12:23 AM

There's a ton of Opeth songs that sound great soloed, acoustically.

Harvest, A Fair Judgment or Porcelain Heart come to mind first, but songs like The Drapery Falls are fair game if you replace teh br00talz vokills with a more melodic, albeit "strained" adaptation.

Also, some of the "old standby" alt-rock acoutic metal songs, like:

Staind - Outside
Seether - Broken
Stone Sour - Bother

EDIT: If you're looking for some electric songs to play, as well... consider some Tool, like Ross said. The complex stuff is mostly in the layering and the D&B department. Vocals+guitar sounds fine for 85% of their stuff. Especially any songs people would be familiar with.

Bloody_Inferno · 11-27-2009, 01:48 AM

Also don't be scared in rearranging songs into acoustic format. Great songs are also adaptable and can be reinterpreted through any media and instrument. You may get the same vibe, and maybe not, but that's not bad.

Jewel is quite good at this, arranging her pop album into acoustic stuff live for instance. Tool songs are also good: Sober, H, The Patient, etc.

Anything by A Perfect Circle, Tea Party, Foo Fighters as well.

More examples:
Cog - Bitter Pills
Karnivool - All I Know
Anything by Birds of Tokyo
The Butterfly Effect - In a Memory, Final Conversation, all their mellow stuff

Basically any song that can stand on it's own regardless of instrumentation or arrangement.

11-26-2009, 01:59 PM	#1
TheMasterplan Pro Combobreaker Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Trenton, NJ Posts: 618 Real Name: KC Main Seven: Epiphone Les Paul 7 Rig: XXX Thanked: 14	Songs you can get away with playing solo? Recently I was asked to be a sort of "backup" act for when bands cancel at some of the smaller venues that my friend books for. I was looking for a variety of song, instrumental or not and of any genre that I can add to my repertoire. I would start doing this in like January I think. Any suggestions? I know a slew of classical/acoustic pieces that are instrumental - I have a bit of a hard time singing along when playing unless the vocal melody follows the guitar to a 'T'. Think Open Car by Porcupine Tree for what I can sing and play simultaneously. So give me some suggestions please.

11-26-2009, 02:51 PM	#3
Varcolac Bassist in disguise. Join Date: May 2009 Location: London Posts: 215 Real Name: Pete Main Seven: Squier Stagemaster Rig: Marshall MG100DFX Thanked: 5 / 1	Damien Rice. The albums have a lot of cello, piano, bass, and all that overdubbing, but many of his songs stand on their own as acoustic guitar busking songs. "In all affairs it's a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted." -Bertrand Russell my band: Prometheus.

11-26-2009, 05:09 PM	#4
vampiregenocide ~Ross Da Boss~ Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Sawbridgeworth, Herts, England, UK Posts: 5,638 Real Name: Ross W Main Seven: PRS SE Camo Main ERG: Modded 7321 w/ Painkiller Rig: Marshall AVT100 Thanked: 111 $vampiregenocide is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $vampiregenocide is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $vampiregenocide is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $vampiregenocide is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $vampiregenocide is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $vampiregenocide is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $vampiregenocide is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$	Try reworking some popular songs into acoustic versions. Sober by Tool sounds great acoustic. My Photography Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/rosswildishphotography DJENTDJENTDJENTDJENTDJENTDJENTDJENTDJENTDJENT. DJENT.

11-26-2009, 10:53 PM	#5
Bloody_Inferno The way of the Heiho Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Melbourne VIC Australia Posts: 2,409 Real Name: JP Main Seven: Ibanez RG1527GK Rig: Peavey XXX Thanked: 31	You also may want to incorporate classical fingerstyle plucking techniques. James Taylor songs are also good examples, plus with fingerstyle you can incorporate some piano songs (from Stevie Wonder to Alicia Keys and various pop ballads etc) into your set. http://www.cracked.com/article_15231...miserable.html http://www.cracked.com/blog/really-m...ngry-dickhead/ http://www.cracked.com/article_17522...-internet.html http://www.cracked.com/article_15663...-agree-on.html

11-27-2009, 12:23 AM	#9
Randy Argbadh/RHLC© Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: The Electric City, NY Posts: 7,374 Real Name: Randy Main Seven: N7 Virgin->SC-207 Main ERG: "Vilayat Khan" Sitar Rig: Rivera M-60->Oak 412 Thanked: 74	There's a ton of Opeth songs that sound great soloed, acoustically. Harvest, A Fair Judgment or Porcelain Heart come to mind first, but songs like The Drapery Falls are fair game if you replace teh br00talz vokills with a more melodic, albeit "strained" adaptation. Also, some of the "old standby" alt-rock acoutic metal songs, like: Staind - Outside Seether - Broken Stone Sour - Bother EDIT: If you're looking for some electric songs to play, as well... consider some Tool, like Ross said. The complex stuff is mostly in the layering and the D&B department. Vocals+guitar sounds fine for 85% of their stuff. Especially any songs people would be familiar with. Interested in learning how you can help keep SS.org clean and troll free? Click here.

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11-26-2009, 02:16 PM	#2
MaxOfMetal Likes trem wankery. Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Peoria, AZ Posts: 2,178 Real Name: Max Main Seven: UVs Rig: Carvin/Ampeg Thanked: 12	Look into artists who have done just that such Bod Dylan, Neil Young, and theres a whole bunch of Eric Clapton stuff that can be done solo. A lot of the softer acoustic Who songs can be arranged for a single guitar as well.

11-27-2009, 12:08 AM	#6
troyguitar ss.org Regular Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Detroit Posts: 2,491 Real Name: Troy Main Seven: Magenta RG7420 Main ERG: Troy Guitars HD-9 Rig: Boogie Mark IIC+ Thanked: 25	Bush - glycerine is always popular for electric guitar and voice

11-27-2009, 12:16 AM	#7
Opeth21 ss.org Regular Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: British Columbia Posts: 131 Thanked: 3	Any City and Colour, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Jack Johnson sounds great solo and is fun to practice singing along at the same time with.

11-27-2009, 12:20 AM	#8
TheMasterplan Pro Combobreaker Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Trenton, NJ Posts: 618 Real Name: KC Main Seven: Epiphone Les Paul 7 Rig: XXX Thanked: 14	Thanks for the suggestions guys, I'll be doing some research this weekend and I've got some good stuff to start with. Can I get some more recommendations of some tunes I can play with my electric as well? Like I said Open Car by Porcupine Tree is a good example for the type of thing I can do well. Thanks again

11-27-2009, 01:48 AM	#10
Bloody_Inferno The way of the Heiho Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Melbourne VIC Australia Posts: 2,409 Real Name: JP Main Seven: Ibanez RG1527GK Rig: Peavey XXX Thanked: 31	Also don't be scared in rearranging songs into acoustic format. Great songs are also adaptable and can be reinterpreted through any media and instrument. You may get the same vibe, and maybe not, but that's not bad. Jewel is quite good at this, arranging her pop album into acoustic stuff live for instance. Tool songs are also good: Sober, H, The Patient, etc. Anything by A Perfect Circle, Tea Party, Foo Fighters as well. More examples: Cog - Bitter Pills Karnivool - All I Know Anything by Birds of Tokyo The Butterfly Effect - In a Memory, Final Conversation, all their mellow stuff Basically any song that can stand on it's own regardless of instrumentation or arrangement.

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Songs you can get away with playing solo?