The Songwriter Forum - songwriting reviews, tips and chat
Songwriter Forum => The Bar => Topic started by: Martinswede on June 15, 2017, 12:00:25 PM
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Hi all you 4k+ guys and gals!
I had this idea...
Why not do a cover month? Say August or September. I'm not saying eat a bowl of
habanero salsa and sing 'Life on Mars' I'm saying covering each others songs.
My thought is that you either re-post a song that was posted longer than a year ago
or you post a new song saying it is a part of the Cover Month. This gives ALL members
the opportunity to do a cover of your song. Of course you can also ask a member to
be allowed to cover any of their songs as I guess some already do.
The point of this is that:
Some/most here are great performers and singers but since we can not post covers of
other peoples work without permission covers are (almost) impossible to post.
Also you can be a great performer but writing isn't your strong side. Posting a cover
can be a great way to get input on your interpretation.
This is of course opening the door to mayhem. What if a hundred people, like
me, wants to do a cover of PaulAds 'Stand Down'? The only solution I see is to make separate
space for it in the forum. So it tuns into an administration issue I guess.
Maybe this has been done before and all went to a very hot and fiery place.
But a bad idea isn't stupid until it has been tried and failed twice, right?
Martin
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I really like this idea Martin
Lets have a bit of discussion in this thread and then work out the best way of making it happen
Here are my thoughts:
How about only longs more than 3 months old can be covered
We have a single thread (perhaps a sticky in its own forum area) where members can post a list of links to the songs they are offering up to be covered
If someone wants to cover it they PM the original writer for permission and the original writer has to send a Chord/lyric sheet
Cover songs can then be posted for review/comment in this new forum area
Thoughts?
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Great idea, Martin
I'd like to cover some songs...and am happy to have anyone else cover anything I've written :)
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Yep it's a great idea, be really interesting to hear how people reinterpret different songs.
I don't see a problem if we had 100 covers of "Stand Down" for example - would be fascinating to hear how the versions differ.
I also don't see why we need to post of list of songs 'offered' for covering... couldn't members just cover ANY song they remember that they liked from the boards, and just reach out to the song writer in advance to ask permission to cover it?
Cool idea Martin.
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Hi I thinks it's a good idea. Perhaps we could have it as our next competition in Sept.
I'd love to cover someone's tune, they'd need to give permission as you say and be even more delighted if someone wanted to cover mine.
The real question is their sufficient interest from the forum?
Only one way to find out...
:-)
Neil
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I also don't see why we need to post of list of songs 'offered' for covering... couldn't members just cover ANY song they remember that they liked from the boards
I would just like to see a delay of at least 3 months so I think it would be better to build up a single library of songs in a single place that are "pre-approved" to be covered
There are many songs buried deep in the forum that would never be found so I just think it would help manage the process if each member offered up 3-5 songs
There is nothing stopping anyone asking anyone to cover any song but I am just thinking of ways to have a manageable process
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Hi!
This idea of a library sounds good but it would have it's downside.
Say I'd like to cover song X by Y. Either I send Y a pm or I wait for
Y to add song X to the library thread. Why wait when I can pm?
What if X by Y is very popular and Y gets many pm:s about it but
Y doesn't want people to over X? Pm:s all over the place.
And also lets say this thing gets popular. Maybe 200+ songs are added
to 'the library'. It will be very hard to find your way among all the songs.
In the best scenario it might turn into a Alice in Wonderland thing,
that if you not know where your going, how can you then tell if your
going the wrong way?
On the other hand. If you don't have to write the song, maybe spending
45 minutes to find it is not that much to be asked for.
So, spend 5 minutes every Monday thinking about this and we'll get
to work July 31st!
Martin
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I'd be up for this, time permitting.
This could be a boost to some people if someone with more exposure covers their song and may also aid people in gaining PRO membership if they want/need it.
Yodasdad
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If the library is comprised of posts by members listing their pre-approved songs, I think it could be fairly manageable, especially if each member is limited to ONE post. Each person can edit their one post whenever they want to update their list of pre-approved songs. And they would include links to sound files of the songs, right?
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Funnily enough,this idea of Martin's also crossed my mind. It could be interesting.
Would Boydie need to get the spanners out to create a new sub section dedicated to covers? It would be handy if the idea had it's own little corner,especially if the notion takes off.
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This idea of a library sounds good but it would have it's downside.
Say I'd like to cover song X by Y. Either I send Y a pm or I wait for
Y to add song X to the library thread. Why wait when I can pm?
What if X by Y is very popular and Y gets many pm:s about it but
Y doesn't want people to over X? Pm:s all over the place.
But wouldn't a library of pre-approved tracks make it much easier and reduce PMs all over the place
And also lets say this thing gets popular. Maybe 200+ songs are added
to 'the library'. It will be very hard to find your way among all the songs.
To make things manageable each member would have a maximum number of songs they could list as "pre-approved and available to cover"
However, there would always be the option to contact anyone directly and ask to do a cover
Would Boydie need to get the spanners out to create a new sub section dedicated to covers?
I would try ;D
I could see it working as a new forum area - eg underneath the WORK IN PROGRESS area
There could then be a sticky post listing the "rules" and then a list of the songs offered up for covering by the members
eg members would post their song list with links to their songs - a mod would then copy these in to the first post and delete the members post to keep everything in one message
I think the easiest way would be to try it and see what happens
I will have a look at the options available
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We must be on the same wavelength, as I had the same thought when listening through so many member tracks on SoundCloud recently. There are so many good songwriters and artists here. I'd love to hear a mixup of covers done and think it would be great fun.
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Thanks Boydie for your understanding of what web pages can do and how
to make computers work for you!
(I can't even type in a civilized fashion. The only upside is that if I broke an
arm I wouldn't type that much slower).
Yes it's not the strangest idea in this context. I can only assume
that you will be participating in your fullest potential!
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Ha! I hope you're not referring to me! Participating to my fullest potential would be some yackety yack in the feedback section. :P Of course, I do like to toy around with the rhythm feature on my DAW, so there's that.
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Before I get the spanners out I just want to clarify one thing...
We are wanting to limit this new forum area to covers of other member's songs only?
I.e. Not covering classic, released, songs - which could open a can of worms from a copyright point of view as I would not want the forum to be seen to be promoting covering songs without the relevant permissions etc.
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Yes.
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Just had a read and the conversation here sounds very similar to the discussions which led to the creation of the Collaboration League (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=11878.0).
- which though doesn't mention the original artist doing a version first, encourages multiple versions of the same song.
One thing I really do like the sound of is user's managing their own content (to remove the bottleneck). Beens we can link to individual posts (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=13352.msg128656#msg128656) (as well as threads) - the 'main' thread can simply link to the individual user's response containing their editable post of approved songs.
All the best,
Scott.
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Boydie,
We are wanting to limit this new forum area to covers of other member's songs only?
Affirmative
Neil
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Hi Scott!
Until now I didn't know of The Collaboration League.
In a way what I thought of is the opposite. :)
An independent process (reproduction HAS to be the wrong word)
and no score chart.
I see this as a way of simplifying the option to make a cover of a
Forum member song. Also a way for those who do not (yet) write, has just
started or are at the moment not creative in that way to get feedback
on their interpretation.
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This sounds like an interesting idea. I'm looking forward to this developing further. :)
Paul
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Hi!
As an experiment I posted this song.
Any forum member(s) may post a cover of it.
Just include a reference so others can find the original song.
http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=13409.0 (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=13409.0)
Martin
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Martin,
So are we, the mighty forumites, going to give this a go for the Autumn?
I think its a great idea, provides us songwriters with a different perspective, how to interpret someone else song and potentially having one of your own covered. But having just co-cobbled the Summer Comp I'm not proposing to do more than participate..
:)
Neil
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Hi Neil!
Yes I think so. I have faith in this.
I have no experience or skill in this area but I do have, at least some, time to spare.
I can PM the admin(Hi!) and see in what way it can be realistically arranged.
Martin
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Hey Martin,
Happy to provide some support and advice. My suggestion would be to have a look at the other competition threads which outline what you need, its mainly are the rules for the comp, outlining the who, what how and by when, and generating enough commitment from the members.
Its pretty easy but helpful having a partner to share the load, evidence fairness in voting and generally share the load. Once its out there then its about communication, keeping track of entries and then the easy bit voting and announcement.
:)
Neil
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Sounds interesting..don't think it should be made into a competition though... :) :)
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I never intended it to be a competition and have no intention of making it so.
A simple version that doesn't need that much work would be for me to make a thread in 'The Bar' for posts allowing/suggesting songs to be covered and then the 'Finished Songs' will be used for posting as usual.
My big dilemma at the moment is what to call it. Preferably one that gives a cool acronym.
Forum Member Cover Month doesn't really have a ring to it. It's a wip.
I will try to set some guidelines but it will mostly be some kind of open for all agreement.
HELP WILL BE NEEDED when formulating this, mostly in the fashion of guidance.
Does this agree with you all?
Martin
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Sounds cool..I only mentioned the competition thing because someone suggested it in the thread somewhere...
this could lead to some good places musically.. :) :)
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It's a great idea Martin! Be interesting to hear people's new takes on other songs!
You could call it Covers of Others month :P
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Cracking idea :) Looking forward to hearing more about this as the idea develops.
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You could call it Covers of Others mont
is good.
Covers Showcase might be another.
I guess the main thing is to ensure people get permissions and we have a date and thread to post to.
I'me already onto it :-)
neil
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Cracking idea :) Looking forward to hearing more about this as the idea develops.
If you are offering to do covers .....I think people might have to form an orderly queue ;)
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Is there any more gen on the structure of this one. Will it be in the shape of a thread with posted covers?
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Late arrival to this thread - I don't get out much ;D
Good idea - there are some lovely songs on this forum I'd like to do a version of, providing someone is willing to have their song butchered by a canuck.
I personally like the idea of voting for Cover of the Month.
We could pick from ALL covers posted in a month and it would increase the attention the new (section?) concept gets.
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Before I get the spanners out I just want to clarify one thing...
We are wanting to limit this new forum area to covers of other member's songs only?
I.e. Not covering classic, released, songs - which could open a can of worms from a copyright point of view as I would not want the forum to be seen to be promoting covering songs without the relevant permissions etc.
Yeah.
Are we there yet? :P
:D
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I'm up for it. Can we combine with martinswede to agreee formats and dates etc?
:-) neil
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I'm up for it. Can we combine with martinswede to agreee formats and dates etc?
:-) neil
Format? Ask the song writer's permission to cover the song,if permission granted...cover song. :D
Post in the shiny new room specially built by Boydie and keep all sticky fingers off the fresh paint and mirror wall tiles,at least until some one inevitably takes the new shine off by blowing their groceries in the corner.
Dates,we don't go on dates,do we? :o
Anyways,we needz the new forum first,don't we? ;D
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Before we create a dedicated area of the forum (which could turn in to a dusty corner of the concept doesn't take off) I would suggest anyone that wants to do a cover of anyone else's song simply contacts them via PM and asks
The results can then be posted in the BAR for comment
This will then really indicate how much appetite there is for this and if it is popular I will gladly set up a new area of the forum
My fear is that I could go to a lot of work for this to be a "flash in the pan" idea (although I hope it isn't as it would be a great thing)
I would suggest that when you post a cover you put a link to the original song in the post (i.e. A link to the original "Finished Songs" post, which may help get some comments on older songs
I would also suggest that songs must be at least 3 months old - i.e. Songs covered must have been posted in the Finished Songs forum at least 3 months ago
Go go go...
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Good idea Paul. I'll start a thread hopefully tonight,unless someone gets on the ball before that.
I have two covered songs,but one may be hedging the 3 month rule.
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Hi again!
I see there has been some new posts here during my absence.
Thank you Skub for starting the The Bar thread!
http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=13752.0 (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=13752.0)