I am thankful that I started learning guitar and found this wonderful learning platform and community.
I jumped back into more formally learning in the last month with Grade 2 Module 12 - the rock module! Been learning power chords and kind of wishing I had an electric guitar with some distortion pedals
Some of the songs that are recommended for practicing are Nirvana songs and so I’ve been on a massive Nirvana deep dive for a couple of weeks. I’ve re-fallen in love with the Nirvana unplugged MTV show from 1993 - it’s a really incredible performance by a deeply troubled and amazingly talented artist.
The album has inspired me to continue to persevere with practicing power chords on the acoustic guitar. Here is one of the songs I’ve been practicing - Kurt’s version from the MTV unplugged show where he does it solo is hauntingly beautiful.
As with many of Nirvana songs but this one especially, I feel it is a good one that you can really make your own. Here is why.
If you listen to the original and then the unplugged you can hear the differences, other than the obvious being acoustic . If you can get a hold of the ancient release of recorded expanded practice sessions from the day before the recording. The band had practiced the song a number of ways and in different keys and accompaniments. They ultimately choose the Key of A minor, No percussion or bass, hence Kurt’s joke “Am I doing this by myself?” He also dropped the solo which he almost messed up during the recording, you can hear a pause in the song.
Today and even then, many would have not been down with t hat error or pause. The song would have been stopped and started again, but kurt just kept rolling with it (another lesson for me). He always just went on with the show. Thank god he did because the results, this song these vocals, are what me and many people consider Kurt Cobains pinnacle of his vocal achievements.
Lol sorry I get strange when it comes to Kurt and that music.
My point is it just shows that this song can be moulded many ways, its cool like that. And If kurt and the band didnt mind changing stuff up the day before a show why can’t I? Kurt would be stoked for you.
Again awesome playing and singing and thanks for sharing.
Thanks for such a thoughtful reply. Great to hear even more context around Kurt’s performance for the unplugged show. Even on the released album you can hear him kind of joking around about worrying about screwing up songs. I think what kind of makes that show so incredible is that even the imperfections work out great and those performers just feel so on the same wavelength with each other and Kurt’s vocals are just raw and real and amazing.
. If you can get a hold of the ancient release of recorded expanded practice sessions from the day before the recording. The band had practiced the song a number of ways and in different keys and accompaniments. They ultimately choose the Key of A minor, No percussion or bass, hence Kurt’s joke “Am I doing this by myself?” He also dropped the solo which he almost messed up during the recording, you can hear a pause in the song.
