Acoustic Rant

Subject: Acoustic Rant Wed May 14, 2008 2:52 am

Hey all -

This thread is about what makes a good acoustic version of an otherwise electric or other song. This is what I feel an acoustic version should have to be good:

* Should not be the same song played on an acoustic guitar - it should be different, acoustified, slowed down, re-worked.

Against Me! did that on their b-side for YOU LOOK LIKE I NEED A DRINK - which is brilliant, Neil Young did that mostly on his 'Unplugged' - as did Nirvana actually quite well for the most part.

For the most part AM! acoustic songs are songs that are played as usual on the acoustic guitar - I find that sad. Thrash Unreal, for example, would be great if just the acoustic guitar did the 'dadadada' part of it - and it was slowed down to the way that they showed it in the video. Might sound nice on piano actually, or maybe with a violin.

Anyhow, that is my "acoustic - version" rant.
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Subject: Re: Acoustic Rant Wed May 14, 2008 7:41 am

Completely unrelated, if you play Ocean at 45rpm it sounds like a pyschobily song
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Subject: Re: Acoustic Rant Wed May 14, 2008 7:49 am

i think that what generally makes a song great is if it can be played just as well acoustically and electrically. that's what i like about the song "new wave", to me it sounds just as good, if not better, than the song on the album when played on an acoustic guitar

Subject: Re: Acoustic Rant Wed May 14, 2008 5:41 pm

I think that the discussion of "acoustic" versus "electric" is irrelevant. A good musician should be able to play the same song on an electric guitar or a banjo. Regardless of whether or not it sounds "the same", it should still be good.

Against Me!'s acoustic version of the songs are still good, and are basically the same songs. I don't think this is a negative at all.

I have heard really shitty bands do acoustic versions of their songs, and it just sounds like they can't play guitar, and can't sing, and generally cannot perform without a million dollars worth of electronics behind them.
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Subject: Re: Acoustic Rant Wed May 14, 2008 9:01 pm

A wise man once said that a good song is a good song when it can be played on the piano.

Now, thats a very simplified statement, but I'm just throwing it out there for fun.

Subject: Re: Acoustic Rant Wed May 14, 2008 9:10 pm

A good song is a good song when it's a good song. I don't really care about how they play it acoustically as long as all the arrangements fit. Some songs sound better acoustic when they're played the same as normal, and some need to be re-worked. It all depends on the piece of music at hand.

Subject: Re: Acoustic Rant Wed May 14, 2008 9:50 pm

I hear you all - but you can't blindly swap acoustic and electric, and they don't do the same songs justice. Songs do need to be re-worked for the acoustic guitar, or re-worked for electric guitars.

I like their Miami acoustic with the horns! But do you like Unsubstantiated Rumors [electric] or [acoustic]? They sound different [as they should - case in point]. One is good, and one is less good - imo.

Like hearing fur elise in elevator music style or on a cell phone - it is just wrong and sounds like shit.
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Subject: Re: Acoustic Rant Thu May 15, 2008 9:12 am

sink, florida, sink acoustic > electric
reinventing axl rose electric > acoustic
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Subject: Re: Acoustic Rant Thu May 15, 2008 10:16 am

You Look Like I Need a Drink electric = acoustic

But for their own different reasons.

Subject: Re: Acoustic Rant Thu May 15, 2008 11:01 am

yes i agree i think i love you look like i need a drink electric just as much as the acoustic version...i love the acoustic intro though
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Subject: Re: Acoustic Rant Thu May 15, 2008 1:27 pm

They're all good in their own way...

Subject: Re: Acoustic Rant Fri May 16, 2008 10:15 am

Subject: Re: Acoustic Rant Sat May 17, 2008 9:34 pm

In my opinion every song on Axl done acoustic on the ep or live is better than the album version, but that's just me.

All of this holds true for covers as well - ie, a band should add something new and interesting to a song for me to enjoy it, if it sounds like the original, why bother?
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