Nirvana Nevermind cover challenge - Lithium

[Tadpui]

I think that this one is as done as it's going to get. Vocals are still iffy, and apparently I had some tuning issues on various instruments as well. Hopefully the idea still comes through.

The concept started as an energetic bluegrass cover of Lithium, but as I worked through it, it comes off more like somebody that heard bluegrass one time and heard Nirvana one time made a crossover cover. I guess that's not too far off the mark

After much frustration at my lacking banjo skillz, I finally had to cheat. The song is at 110 bpm, so I slowed it down to 80 bpm to get the banjo arpeggios nailed down, then sped it back up. I'm just not at a point with the banjo where I can use those damned finger picks and do anything even remotely fast. For an instrument that's so similar to a guitar, it's still in a different universe. Oh, and I changed the key to a more banjo-friendly E.

I hope that you guys appreciate that I actually bought brushes for my drum kit for this project. So this is me on day 1 of brush experience, trying to keep up. And I tried something new with the drum miking as well. That's probably what I'm happiest with in the whole project!

This was a ton of fun though. Always happy to hop on one of these challenges to see what the heck I end up with at the end! I haven't been playing, writing, or recording much for the last several months so this was really a much needed encouragement to get back into the swing of things.

20230807 nirvana cover-001.mp3

[Greg_L]

This is the only nirvana song I even remotely sort of like and I like your version better.

[Tadpui]

This is the only nirvana song I even remotely sort of like and I like your version better.

That's high praise coming from you! And I'll take it, thanks man it's much appreciated and it put a smile on my face

[rayc]

Yeah, Banjo is a weird thing. I keep trying but crikey it's an entirely other world.
You do really well - even given the bpm adjustments.
I did borrow a six string banjo once - sounded ace and, well, dead easy.
Your take on the song works a treat and the brushes make the thing seems legit.

[JD01]

Haha, tad. That's excellent. You've got a really good sound there, great idea and I love the timing changes for the chorus.

One critique is that I don't think you're playing the bass line right in the verses.

[Armistice]

Yeehaw! LOL - nice work Tad.

I've never really tried banjo, apart from a 6 string guitar-jo thingy. Good luck getting on top of that one...

[Bubba]

Haha, tad. That's excellent. You've got a really good sound there, great idea and I love the timing changes for the chorus.

One critique is that I don't think you're playing the bass line right in the verses.

As far as I can hear, the bass is the same in the verse and the chorus. What Tad is missing out is that the last two notes of the riff are dyad chords.

[Bubba]

I loved it, Tad. Great to hear an interpretation like this. The upbeatness is quite joyful, in direct contrast to the subject matter. Well done!

[JD01]

Haha, tad. That's excellent. You've got a really good sound there, great idea and I love the timing changes for the chorus.

One critique is that I don't think you're playing the bass line right in the verses.

As far as I can hear, the bass is the same in the verse and the chorus. What Tad is missing out is that the last two notes of the riff are dyad chords.

I think the bass in the verse starts off going: E, Eb, C# before the A. Its only apparent from the 2nd verse on the record.

[Alison]

Damn, @Tadpui that was brilliant! I love hearing covers that have a different slant on them. You have inspired me. Think I'll start all over again. . . really well done!

[vomitHatSteve]

The concept started as an energetic bluegrass cover of Lithium, but as I worked through it, it comes off more like somebody that heard bluegrass one time and heard Nirvana one time made a crossover cover. I guess that's not too far off the mark

It does come off that way, but I'm having a great time hearing it anyway!

I like the gang chorus work. The sloppy bluegrass vibe is very in-tune with how Nirvana sounded.

[Tadpui]

Yeah, Banjo is a weird thing. I keep trying but crikey it's an entirely other world.
You do really well - even given the bpm adjustments.
I did borrow a six string banjo once - sounded ace and, well, dead easy.
Your take on the song works a treat and the brushes make the thing seems legit.

Indeed it is! The different tuning, different scale length, skinny neck, the drone string, and mine has really light strings on it to boot. Add in the finger picks, and I feel like I'm on a whole different planet compared to a guitar. And thanks for noticing the brushes, it validates my purchase

Haha, tad. That's excellent. You've got a really good sound there, great idea and I love the timing changes for the chorus.

One critique is that I don't think you're playing the bass line right in the verses.

Thanks JD! When I was listening to the original, the descending thing on the bass sounded kinda messy when I tried to do it. So I just stuck with the bass following the root notes of the chords. At least that kept it simple enough for me. This chord progression makes no sense until the vocal melody ties it all together, I couldn't get my hands and brain on the same page to try anything very fancy

Yeehaw! LOL - nice work Tad.

I've never really tried banjo, apart from a 6 string guitar-jo thingy. Good luck getting on top of that one...

Thanks Armi! Ray mentioned one of the 6 string banjo guitars as well, and I've seen them a few times. Honestly for a guy like me that'd probably be an easier instrument to deal with. But someday I'll be pickin' and a grinnin' with that banjo, instead of uttering the worst curse words that I can think of in-between botched takes.

I loved it, Tad. Great to hear an interpretation like this. The upbeatness is quite joyful, in direct contrast to the subject matter. Well done!

Thanks Bubba, much appreciated!

Damn, @Tadpui that was brilliant! I love hearing covers that have a different slant on them. You have inspired me. Think I'll start all over again. . . really well done!

Thanks Alison! Looking forward to hearing your rendition!

It does come off that way, but I'm having a great time hearing it anyway!

I like the gang chorus work. The sloppy bluegrass vibe is very in-tune with how Nirvana sounded.

Thanks Steve! It took me a few attempts to figure out what I was doing with the gang vocals. I could hear it in my head, but that never means that I can make it happen in reality. Basically everything except bass and drums is miked from a distance, with the backing vocals about 6 feet from the mic in our pretty reverberant living room. I like how it made the room a part of the song. Honestly I just like recording in that room because it's so much more cozy than my musty basement studio room.

[WhiskeyJack]

DUDDDDDEEEEEE

Amazing. this was not at all what i was expecting but it is perfect. You killed it dude. The banjo part is deadly. I'd liek to hear it with maybe a little bit more attack and up frontness in the mix during the verses if that were ever possible. But again like VHS's offering this is a homerun as is.

2nd listen. Am i hearing like.... a flutter picking something or other on the banjo in places?? i.e between 0:56-0:58 respectively? That sounds cool as shit whatever it is you are doing. Immdiately grabbed me.

Drums sound really cool. What was it you did differently? other than buy brushes?

[paulman]

Nice! The “yeaaaah” parts where the banjo goes double time are my favorite. I’m going in a similar direction with “Something in the Way”. Harmonica for sure, and hopefully I can figure out how to make banjo work on it.

[Lt. Bob]

lol ........ that's SO good man!

You're one of the secret killer recordists here ..... this is what I want to hear when someone does a 'cover' ..... I want to hear them make it theirs and you did it and this is just an awesome version .... really good sirrah.
The banjop came out great, especially given what you had to do to play it.
The doubletime sections really had me laughing and happy every time ..... very good piece of work.

[Tadpui]

DUDDDDDEEEEEE

Amazing. this was not at all what i was expecting but it is perfect. You killed it dude. The banjo part is deadly. I'd liek to hear it with maybe a little bit more attack and up frontness in the mix during the verses if that were ever possible. But again like VHS's offering this is a homerun as is.

2nd listen. Am i hearing like.... a flutter picking something or other on the banjo in places?? i.e between 0:56-0:58 respectively? That sounds cool as shit whatever it is you are doing. Immdiately grabbed me.

Drums sound really cool. What was it you did differently? other than buy brushes?

Hey thanks WJ! I agree on the verse banjo. It's on its own track and plays through the whole song, and I never could figure out how to make it a little more present but not annoying. I'll have to keep playing with it...this was only my 2nd or 3rd time trying to mix a banjo. The panned ones came out better, but they were played with picks instead of fingers so they kind of "pop" a bit more. Oh and the thing you're hearing in that first double-time part is a 16th note guitar strumming part that I totally forgot to replicate anywhere else in the song

For drum mics, I went with a mono 3-mic setup that I haven't tried before. A Cascade Fathead on kick, an Audix i5 on snare, and a Beyerdynamic M160 as the overhead. That M160 really shines!

Nice! The “yeaaaah” parts where the banjo goes double time are my favorite. I’m going in a similar direction with “Something in the Way”. Harmonica for sure, and hopefully I can figure out how to make banjo work on it.

Thanks paulman, and I hope your harp and banjo comes out well! I hope you have an easier time with the banjo than I did, I was really frustrated before I decided to just cheat

lol ........ that's SO good man!

You're one of the secret killer recordists here ..... this is what I want to hear when someone does a 'cover' ..... I want to hear them make it theirs and you did it and this is just an awesome version .... really good sirrah.
The banjop came out great, especially given what you had to do to play it.
The doubletime sections really had me laughing and happy every time ..... very good piece of work.

Thanks LT, I really appreciate the kind words! This was so much fun to do, I hope I can keep the momentum going and work up a few more songs while I've got all of the gear strung all over the house.

[TheTestingYak]

good choon brav