The myth that playing covers for money is somehow ‘selling out’ because you should be working on your original stuff is absolute BS.
Let me tell you what happens when you get regular paying ‘cover’ work:
Your musicianship gets better and better
Play Six nights a week for six months, you get really competent and ‘free’ with your playing. Your technique improves, you find that you can play things that you never thought you would be able to… I’m always exploring the music, always trying to express it better… Playing every night, you really begin to think into the music, you find that you can play exactly what you are thinking ‘in the moment’.
Your creativity is enhanced
By being exposed to diverse music, and by developing the the tools to express yourself, your writing inevitably benefits. Because of constantly playing and thinking about music, when you do sit down to work on your own stuff, you will be more prolific – and (I find) more inspired.
I’ve always written songs and music. And I’ve always been into improvisation and ‘weird’ stuff ( from early Floyd and John cage to Kait Dunton) as a result of the years spent playing covers 6 and 7 nights a week I feel totally free now to really express myself (click here and here for two of my recent improvisation projects).
Also, I’ve done two (covers) gigs this last weekend (June 2017), a wedding and a 50th party …and I’ve earned enough money to pay all my bills for the next month.
Working with great music.
Spending time learning and discovering the structures and harmonies of Songs and pieces put together by great writers and composers
Whatever the genre or style, it’s of great benefit to your musicality to discover how the music hangs together and works. Even if it’s not your thing personally, it’s an education – and often an inspiration for your own creativity
Money
You’re getting paid for making music! Look around, what are the majority of people doing to earn money! I know plenty of musicians with crap day jobs, doing stuff they don’t enjoy to finance the music. Wrong way round I would say.
Fancy the gig on a cruise ship? Click here for my complete guide
Satisfaction
You are doing what you love doing, what you were put on this earth for. If it’s in your heart, if you are a musician – you should be playing music. And a gig in a covers band leaves you with your days free to concentrate on your own creativity.
Confidence
Your confidence will increase Both as a musician and in your personal life. Large numbers of people enjoy your playing and music, you are appreciated. The better you get at it, the more your originality and creativity will shine through – in the way that you perform and interpret the music you are playing.
Inspiration
Not only with your own music but in the music you play on stage. Ok, when you are learning something you may have to ‘copy’ the original, but once you know it, you can often take it somewhere else again – really give it your own spin.
[warning! Playing in a tribute band you’ll have to just copy the original. Good for your technique maybe but not for your inspiration. Do it if needs be – but be aware – the limitation and repetition will drive you nuts.]
So, to conclude. Anyone who’s done a 6 or 9 month contract playing 7 nights a week on a ship will tell you – your playing and musicianship really flies. You just get better and better at it.
Don’t be safe – live. Do what you love doing. Imagine financing your life from playing music. If you don’t feel quite ready for it yet, get practicing, get in a band – play, play and play some more. You can do exactly what you want to do if you put your mind to it.
That playing other people’s music is somehow ‘selling out’ is an absolute myth. You will be earning money, developing your skill and advancing your career. Win win win.
I try to avoid using the word “covers”. Good songs,especially the great ones that become standards can be interpreted in many ways.
My current focus is on music from the 30s and 40s AND my own stuff.
I started in bands in the mid 1960s !
Hi Terry, yeah, ‘Interpretations’ I like that!
Are the top notch musicians who play in symphony orchestra ‘sell ours?
Even the great artists of the past performed music (and a lot of them) that they weren’t the ‘original’ performers. I can’t stand these so-called purists badgering people about the superiority of those who write their own songs. I agree with this article, and I think to sum it up, it all boils down to what the artist’s intentions or motivations are. From where I come from (a country where ‘cover’ musicians outnumber creative ones by 100 to 1), we have a saying: If you cover, it has to be equal or better than the original, and bring something creative to an already existing interpretation. Some artists are better in writing, some are better in interpreting, and some can do both.
I couldn’t agree more Nikos, thanks for this comment 🎼😊 Rob
Playing covers is fine and it makes sense. People want to hear songs they recognize. Sometimes people like to hear just original songs but that’s not as common as people that want to hear covers. And it does improve your ability to play so keep playing colors. I do.
Thanks Francis, yes, I agree 👍🎼
Someone who argues against playing covers…..is like a house painter that only paints certain houses or colors….a plumber who only works on certain problems. I am starting my 52nd year of playing. 25 of those were spent leading a 20 piece big band. Someone is paying you to play (insert here). You don’t want to play that, then don’t take the job. Most people I have come across that want to limit their work to only their original pieces have an audience that in reality could be limited to themselves.
Having said that, I do believe playing covers is sometimes taken too far. There are unfortunately a boatload of cover musicians there that argue if you are not playing the song in the original recorded key, then you are playing it wrong. Wrong? It was in that key because that recording artist couldn’t sing it higher or lower, not because God etched the recorded key in stone. It could have been the original artist did not know how to play it in any other key. Over the years, I have noticed that musicians with this attitude mostly don’t read music either.
I am feeling a little like the cranky old guy that tells kids to get outta his yard. But you are paid for a service to perform. And unless the gig is a solo one, you are also being paid to play well with others. Don’t complain about the job with your mouth full of the dinner you just bought playing it.
Great comparisons Gary. I just beat you, I’m in my 55th year of playing (started when I was 10!) When I play someone else music – which I mostly do for a living – I always ‘interpret’ it in my own way. I put my own stamp on what I do, always. And playing with others is all about listening I agree. Thanks for this comment 😊🎼 Rob
I began writing at age 15 and played my originals more than other people ‘s stuff. In retrospect, I would have learned my instrument more thoroughly and learned applied more effective songwriting techniques if I had done a lot more covers.
It is not selling out. If its a good song and you like it, play it, learn from it, enjoy it as much as you hope someone will enjoy your material.
Yay Donald, Likewise, I started just doing original stuff – chasing record deals and unpaid original gigs! Once I started playing covers (‘interpretations’!) for a living, it helped me have some success with my original material too. Great to hear from you, thanks 😊🎼 Rob