Music: Exact copy or Fair Copy? by inara78

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Music: Exact copy or Fair Copy?

POSTED BY: INARA78
UPDATED: Friday, June 10, 2005 01:39
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Wednesday, June 1, 2005 11:42 PM

Recent posts on
http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=2&t=7155#92133
(Here's the Chords & Tab 4 Hero of Canton)
and
http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=2&t=10424
(Hero of Canton accurate chords. Enjoy!)

have brought up a question for me, which I'd like to put to muso browncoats; what do folk want more, exact note for note copies of how songs were performed on the show or versions which any competent musicians can use and adapt?

The differences between JohnsMusicBox's version and my own are not great, but on TAB fora differences between versions of songs can often be staggering, and Fair Copies are often critisised with "That's not what they do on the recording".

Personally, as my best singing keys are Eb and Bb - and the guitar is best suited to sharp keys - means I usually have to transpose an Exact Copy into something I can use myself - a low sharp key I can capo to suit my voice; playabilty takes precedence over accuracy for me. And when I transcribe for others, getting a playable version that sounds good is much more important to me than getting down exactly what the original musicians did in the original key.

But for others, reproducing exactly what was on the original recording seems to be the entire point of the exercise. Learning such things are fun, and educational, but as far a being able to produce a version I could publicly perform go, quite useless.

So which do Muso Browncoats want? And why? Or are both ways of doing things appreciated?

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Thursday, June 2, 2005 4:11 AM

JOHNSMUSICBOX

No offense intended, and I certainly hope not to make anyone upset. The difference here is that the version you posted is not just the proper chords transposed into an easier singing key. We're both basing it off a "C" position (which, if you play it with a capo on the 2nd fret, gives you the proper key. If you need to change the key to match your voice, just move the capo and play the exact same chords). The chords you posted give sort of a bizarre effect in places if you're singing the melody correctly, such as a minor 3rd over an A7 (unless you meant Am7, which I assume you probably did) and on the word "mudders" in the verse, singing a 2nd where it should be a 5th, among others. I see no problem with arranging a song to suit your voice, but some of those chords are simply not the correct chords for the song, regardless of what key you're playing it in. I just feel that some (if not all) people who want to learn the song want to know the chords used in the song. But I digress, I say just let people try both versions and play it however it sounds good to them.

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Friday, June 3, 2005 12:21 AM

INARA78

Quote:
Originally posted by johnsmusicbox:
No offense intended,

None taken John

The chord marked as A7 was Tabed as Am7, and the name's correction is later in the thread, as well as runs and inversions to enhance the sound. Personally I, and several other folks, don't hear the E7 chord you use in your version and it just don't fit the melody to me

I think in our cases we hear and perform variants of the melody under different circumstances. What I sing fits with my tab and what you sing fits with your tab.

Certainly I'd find your version better to play in a "concert" setting where the guitar can be heard better and takes a bigger role - and I'll use it too

but in accoustic "busker" like environmnets where the guitar is just a jangling harmonising accompanyment in which subtlties are lost, I'll use me own version.

When trying to "belt it out" thy version doesn't quite fit the melody to my ear either. I'm sure your melody is as recognisable to the audience as mine is - but which is truly the "original" melody? We'll never know until Joss finally (please Joss please) publishes the Sheet music for the wonderful tunes in Firefly.

I think that answers your points about the versions, But I *really* wasn't wanting to debate the merits or otherwise of our 2 transcriptions, rather the general point of Exact Copy verses Fair Copy.

Quote:
Originally posted by johnsmusicbox:
I just feel that some (if not all) people who want to learn the song want to know the chords used in the song.

Which is more on the point John, we're aking what people want; do they want to know how the orginial artists did the song or do they want a "fair copy" they can just get on with? Until now we've presumed our own preferences are universal.

I think it is time to test that and ask folk what *they* want.

Just as a point here; Fair Copies are not always simpler, or dumbed down, versions of the original. Me & Bobby Magee as written is a 3 chord tune, but arranging a few 7ths in there dosn't half liven it up. I do an instumental Waldzither arrangement of the Firefly theame which incorperates the banjo and fiddle parts of the tune as well as the melody which always gets a round of applause, and the best version I've ever heard of the theame was sung to and played on a guitar tuned to DADGAD.
So how do ya'll feel about arrangements of Joss's tune then? Judged on merits, or sacralidge?

My rather gloomy companion said "They're like trekies and their show props - if a home built show prop is not an exact duplicate of what's on the show, if it has just one flaw, then it's cr*p. Wait and see, songs will be the same way!".

Well, is he right? Is there no room for personal creativity in Firefly fandom?

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Friday, June 3, 2005 4:02 AM

JOHNSMUSICBOX

I think you're missing my point entirely. I believe there is unlimited room for personal creativity in anything you do. But I also believe that when someone asks, "What are the chords to this song?", they, in fact, want to know what the chords are in the song.

I would, however, enjoy hearing your take on the song so I can better understand where you're coming from. Could you perhaps send me a soundfile?

johnsmusicbox@yahoo.com

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Friday, June 10, 2005 1:39 AM

INARA78

1st, appologisies for the tardy reply - my son was in hospital with a serious chest infection: cleared up now and he's OK I'm glad to say

Quote:
Originally posted by johnsmusicbox:
I also believe that when someone asks, "What are the chords to this song?", they, in fact, want to know what the chords are in the song.

That's the meat of our difference John, because you also hear the sub-text "how exactly is it played on the recording?" But the sub-text I hear is "*I* want to play that tune: how do I do it?".

Perhaps that's because I'm a folk/contemporary muso and that actually is the question another muso is asking in that environment. In another environemt the same question undoubtably has other subtexts

Quote:

I would, however, enjoy hearing your take on the song so I can better understand where you're coming from. Could you perhaps send me a soundfile?

I've just gotten a prog that should let me do that! (once I get an awful mains hum prob solved) I wouldn't mind taking an ear to thy version either

It's always interesting to hear what other people hear in the same tune. I've been approached by folk who swear there's no Am in "Hero" or that there is an E major in there! Personally I just do not hear it that way. Oddly their version of the melody differs very little from the original and is still recognisably "Hero"!

Sadly, setting our versions of Hero aside for a mo', it seems, as we're the only two posters, that the browncoat community is not interested in exploring the wider issue it the title of this thread; pity. (I would have liked several folk who've learned both versions to say which they prefere to use and why).

The issue effects professionals too; just look at the reworkings of Evita and American Pie done to suit Madona's voice- are these still the same songs? How far can a reworking go before the original is lost?

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