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two more covers

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doggyd69b:
I tried to reply earlier but the post didn't send and i lost all that I had typed... :(
Anyway, I was saying that it doesn't matter what level of proficiency you have, what matters is that you have fun doing it.
when you set a camera it generally adds a lot of pressure to be perfect, I say set it and try to forget that it is there, just play like you are live and be excited but relaxed (if that makes sense).  See Jen Majura (she is not the best player don't get me wrong she is good but there are many that are better..but she plays guitar/drums/sings with all she's got. That counts more than being a really good player with no personality...The more you do that, the easier it gets and the better you will start to sound. I personally just listen to the song a few times or a lot (not on the same day) I mean I know a song that I  have heard a few times, I like the drum part so I pay more attention to that and when I want to cover it I actually play along with the song usually one or two times before I record a cover. (which is why you see so many mistakes), but then again it is my interpretation and not a note by note (Meytal Cohen) cover. However if you do want to get that Note for note down, you can:
1 place the audio track in a DAW.. Audacity is a free one if you don't have one, I recommend Reaper  (very cheap but great)
2 Select a small portion (20 sec or so) listen to it a few times and play along until you get it perfect.
3 Select the first portion and add a second same size portion (this puts you at 40 seconds into the song)
4 Play both sections until you can get them perfect.
5 Keep doing that until you finish the song. To me that kills any creativity you have but you do learn some technique..
6 Bonus tip for really intricate fills or parts, you can select them and slow the tempo down to get a better understanding of what is going on.
7 I forgot to mention to add count (metronome) before the song starts, it will use the song's tempo so it allows you to start exactly where the song begins (usually leave 2 counts 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4 before the song) and then the song will start, you can remove those counts once you edit the video, and if I am not mistaken Reaper now let's you edit video as well.
About the majority of my YT videos, I have heard all of those songs, but never played them before, it's like I know them but never practice them which to me is not too different but to others it means they can't play them at all... I did most of those videos in one take meaning I didn't practice the playing along with the song , I just pressed record and played once. I regret that now so in the future I will be re-uploading more polished versions that show that I can play much better than what it may seem by watching those... I guess it's just personal vanity I should just leave my original attempts and put new covers...oh well..  :-\

AlanK:
All great tips, Doggy! I do plan on adding a click track and/or countdown to the cover song so it doesn't take me by surprise. I'm using Ableton so I can do that in there, and totally agree that it's a good idea to play the song a few times prior to the video and get it down.. I can certainly pick sections of the song in Ableton to loop over and over so I could technically get my grooves figured out. I've been just a bit too hyper and excited to get a bunch recorded and not practiced enough.. hopefully next one(s) will be better.

That Jen Majura is awesome, love her stuff! she's damn good at all the instruments she picks up, she's really adorable and easy on the eyes but most of all, like you say, she's sure enjoying herself. I'm going to watch a ton of her vids in the next few days.. think I'm crushin on her a bit.. lol

Thanks again! Inspiring words of advice.

doggyd69b:
Great, I am glad to be able to help.
One of my biggest Mistakes? when attempting to play guitar was to try to learn too many songs at the same time instead of focusing on just one, learning that one well then moving on.
I know from first hand experience about being too excited, like I said, all of those youtube videos i posted before was me being too excited and not really practicing enough.
 I promised myself to be more strict with getting things right in the future.
Jen Majura is what I wish every guitarist/bassist/singer was like.. hell, I am like that when I play in bands. I think a big influence on my playing was Tommy Lee (Motley Crue) because he just looked like he was really playing hard. I think that you can be an average player but if you look like that, your performance automatically improves (and that is what I see when I watch Jen Majura).

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