reading the Beatles listing

[vicky]

NEW LISTING -- COVERS OF BEATLES SONGS are needed by an Independent Music Publisher who has tons of Film/TV placements. He's looking for quality cover arrangements with excellent performances. These submissions will be to pitch for Film/TV projects, so they must be broadcast quality. Male or Female vocals are okay. Hi...I'm still trying to master the "reading of the listing"...before I spend too much time in the wrong direction (again)...I'd really appreciate a few pointers...when I see this listing...1. must have vocals? instrumental OK?2. Are they looking for unique versions....R&B or elecronica for example..3. is it cool to rearrange song (start with chorus for example)...and key and chords?4. pick a really obscure song5. change "she" to "he" lyricallythanks so much...i just got two listing returns that didn't have critiques, and this one doesn't either.....my returns are usually 'wrong for listing'...and I'm trying to cut back love you madly....vtbp

[mikegoudreau]

Hey Vicky,Unfortunately, I don't have answer for you but I think you should call Taxi and ask...These are good questions.I know in my case they will be vocal versions and they will be close to the original versions...Is that good or bad ?...I don't know But I have 3 songs already canned so the next one will follow suit...I learned how to play guitar with the ''Beatles complete'' song book when I was 15...27 years ago...ouch ! Needless to say I learned a lot and still am learning from those guys.P.S. After quite a few returns lately, I'm trying to be on target too as much as possible these days but it's an on going learning process here for me too. Good luck !Mike

[Casey H]

Quote:NEW LISTING -- COVERS OF BEATLES SONGS are needed by an Independent Music Publisher who has tons of Film/TV placements. He's looking for quality cover arrangements with excellent performances. These submissions will be to pitch for Film/TV projects, so they must be broadcast quality. Male or Female vocals are okay. Hi...I'm still trying to master the "reading of the listing"...before I spend too much time in the wrong direction (again)...I'd really appreciate a few pointers...when I see this listing...1. must have vocals? instrumental OK?2. Are they looking for unique versions....R&B or elecronica for example..3. is it cool to rearrange song (start with chorus for example)...and key and chords?4. pick a really obscure song5. change "she" to "he" lyricallythanks so much...i just got two listing returns that didn't have critiques, and this one doesn't either.....my returns are usually 'wrong for listing'...and I'm trying to cut back love you madly....vtbpHey VTBPThe way I read this is it has to be a vocal because it's a Beatles cover and it didn't mention instrumentals. My guess would be male vocal preferred (but that's a great question and I really don't know) and alternate arrangements would be OK. I don't think a really obscure song would make sense since in this film/TV use they probably want the song to be recognizable.After I wrote the above I Googled for key words like Beatles, "cover version", "female vocal" and got some interesting hits... Sheryl Crow did a cover of "Mother Nature's Son"... So maybe it would be fine...Of course, you really need to call or email TAXI on this one. What song(s) did you have in mind? Are you going to play your bass left-handed? Casey

[billg]

Hey Vicky, I'm going to say that since they mention male or female vocals that vocal arrangements would take priority but if you're thinking of an instrumental you should probably call first. I have had a handful of covers forwarded and mine have been all over the map, some very much like the original & some very different. I think this is one of those situations where it's a "we'll know what we want when we hear it" kind of thing. At least from my forwards (ahem, & my returns!) that's my take on this.

[vicky]

thanks...everyone....I was going to do a hip hop-ish 6/4 version of "Happiness is a Warm Gun".... with me singing .....I can already see the return and "While my Guitar Gently Weeps" on fretless....(played with my pinky only )ummmm...thanks to you all....I'm still in the game because I'm placing my 4 band CDs....but...I want to be like you guys and crank the tunes out from home...So bare with my questions....thanks for helping...vtbp

[gongchime]

Just as an aside, one writer on the Beatles said they had congealed their own harmonic system from the popular music of their time. Just as the blues uses dominant seventh chords on the important chords of I, IV and V, the Beatles had a conscious system of building dominant sevenths chords on the important chords of THEIR music which of course is the minor pentatonic scale. This creates a dominant seventh chord on the I, bII,I IV, V, and bVII. Pure genius.

[vicky]

thanks everyone....there is a TV commercial that uses Hello, Goodbye.....and it's in, I guess 3, 2,or 1...depending on how tired ones' foot is.... I really like the song....and the commercial runs so often, that it's stuck with me all day....for a few weeks, now.....bass-ically I've been thinking about Beatles covers for a month or two....and the possibilites are vast and wide....I will not do an instrumental.....thanks so much,Vicky

[silvercord]

dang !i would want to hear your (Vicky) version of happinessis a warm gun in 6/4hmmmm (gears start turning in my head about doing an ethereal Beatles cover!) ooooh!