Guitar Club – ABBA Performance – April 24

Community Recordings Playing Live
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Well I have managed to be involved in another performance with the Guitar Club. A little bit different this time as we were asked if we could perform some ABBA songs for a Charity Fund Raising Evening.

This invitation only occurred less than two months ago, so a bit of fast learning required among those that were interested. Fortunately, two of females agreed to do the vocals rather than play guitar.

Here are a few video extracts that were taken by my daughter, she was near the back of the hall, so quality not the best. I am the one in the red top at the right-hand side as you look at the video. The guitarist between the two girls did all of the fancy instrumental bits and if I am honest, I just did some basic strumming.

A lot of time and thought was spent with the arrangement of the songs as they are not the easiest to transfer for acoustic guitar. There were a lot of difficult new chords for me such a Daug and A/G# now that is quite a stretch, for a beginner like me and if I am honest, I just played A. Quite a few barre chords and a lot of fast changes in some of the songs.

The songs we did were
• Mama Mia
• SOS
• Fernando
• I have a dream
• Waterloo
• Chiquitita
• The winner takes it all
• Dancing Queen

I hope we went down well, and we finished off at the end of the evening with Mama Mia, everybody was on their feet, singing along and waving their hands, quite an experience.

Michael

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Very nice performance Michael, you look very comfortable on stage.
You sounded excellent, especially having in mind only two months for all those songs!

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Bravo Michael. Bravo.
Pulling so many songs together for a group performance in little time is a superb feat. Well done all.
Those ABBA folk did write some terrific songs with tricky bits for sure.
Who arranged and made the guitar parts?
It is hard to make out in the clip - what other instruments are there?

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Very nice, Michael! Seems like the audience was really enjoying the performance.

I’m impressed that you learned all those songs in such a short window of time. I’m trying to get a set of 10 songs performance ready and it’s tough committing them all to memory together so they can be played at the same event. Thank you for sharing!

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Hi Michael,
It is amazing to see (and Hear) what the live guitar brings you in life :smiley: :sunglasses: :clap:
Greetings :partying_face:

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Boris @Boris1565

Thanks for the kind words. I am pleased you said I looked comfortable on stage and I was, no stage fright just absolutely delighted to have a chance to get up there and do it.

Richard @Richard_close2u

Thanks, when you start late in life like me you have got to seize the opportunity when it comes along.

Answering your points, the band consisted on the two singers, drummer and two guitarists, me and Mike. We didn’t have a bass player although the hall has a mixing desk and the person who operated is every experienced in that role and is also a member of guitar club. Mike is the founder and leader of guitar club and has been playing all of his life and skill level I would rate as definitely an advanced guitar player whereas as I am in Grade 3, Justin would call me an advancing beginner, sounds better than just beginner.

It was Mike who provided the chord sheets and oversaw the arrangement of the songs. He transcribes them but also checks out cover versions to see how they handle some of the difficult parts. He is very hot on what you need to do in a performance, you are entraining the audience not just playing the guitar for your own enjoyment, although that has to be part of it. With ABBA songs the vocals are very key to how it sounds, and the rhythm guitars have to be really be secondary and compliment the singers. We spent a lot of time on the dynamics of the song, when to play and when not to play, moving the capo around to suit the singers. Given the short time we had then it was not possible to include too many instrumental parts.

Yes, ABBA songs are quite a challenge to convert them for just playing with guitars. Justin even mentions it during his recent lesson on Mama Mia, I have briefly looked at the lesson but didn’t want too absorbed in the detail so as to confuse myself but will give it more of a look now.

Jenny @Jenndye429

Yes, I really enjoyed myself

Don’t be fooled I had chord sheets in front of me, no way could I learn and play them in the time available. Although I have a dream is basically a three-chord song.

Roger @roger_holland

Thanks, I am really glad I rediscover the guitar. You probably know my back story. Did a bit when a teenager before real life took over, fast forward and I have time and fuel a life ambition to play the guitar. Even I am surprised how far I have got.

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Well done Michael. Clearly a great time being had by all. :smiley::+1:

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Well done Michael.
You’re gaining a lot of good experience with your Guitar Club performances.
ABBA songs aren’t easy to do because they were unique in both their song writing and the girl’s diction/accent. And, of course, they were top notch singers! :guitar:

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Thanks David @BurnsRhythm
Yes I am very fortunate to have a very active local guitar club.
ABBA songs as you say are not easy to do cover versions of as they contain quite a few innovative things that hadn’t been done before.
Singing was well outside my range so I didn’t even attempt it.
Michael

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Thanks Gordon @sairfingers
I think the organisers were happy that the evening was a success and those attending seemed to enjoy themselves.
Michael

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Awesome job Michael - the thought of all those expectant faces looking up!
The band sounds really good.

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Great live performance! The vocals are simply magnificent! My applause to all of you and of course the vocalists!

Mike

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Phil @twistor59

Thanks, I think those that came along intended to enjoy themselves, which helps.

Mike @MikeSebastianP

I take no credit for the vocals, I thought they did very well, especially as one of them has never sung with a microphone or indeed in public.

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Hello Michael, I’m a bit late to this party…it must have been so much fun! It all sounded great…I loved the ladies’ vocals too! Thanks for sharing it, very inspiring!

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Thanks Silva @Silvia80
Yes the female vocalist really did well especially one of the it was her first time to sing in public. The ABBA are very much about the vocals and this was emphasised during practice session the guitarist are secondary apart from the instrumental parts. The lead up was very intense practice given the short period of time and was happy not to do another ABBA song for a few weeks. Having said that have decided to include Mama Mia and I have a dream in my personal repertoire.
Michael