What and Who You Cover

In this edition, we look at the importance of…... what and who you cover

There are a lot of factors that go into deciding what songs a group should perform--some subject to opinion, some questions of practicality or necessity. Every group will choose material for its own reasons, but there remains the common thread that the songs a group performs help shape its identity, and are of the utmost importance in determining what the group will accomplish.

It is important for a group to pick songs that suit the group. For thing, there's the practical element of making sure you can effectively cover the parts. No where is this more immediately evident than in the solo. It's not unusual for female groups to cover songs originally performed by male artists, or vice-versa. Oftentimes, this can be quite successful, as it puts a different and unique spin on a song, helping a group make the song its own. Other times, this can be downright disastrous. For example, I recall hearing an all-female group cover Evanescence's "Bring Me To Life." Sounded like a fair enough idea, until the women tried to emulate Paul McCoy's guest vocals, in a raspy growl that came off as downright comedic, completely subverting the song's power. Specifically when you're crossing gender lines, you need to approach a song with a specific vision of how you'll make it your own, and not just try to emulate the original.

In addition to picking songs that you can cover effectively from a musical stand point, it is important for group's to think about the place of a song in their repertoire. If a group has nothing but slow songs in its repertoire, the group is just going to be a bore to watch. Conversely, if everything's fast and upbeat, there may never be a chance for the group--or the audience--to catch its breath, or a chance for the group to demonstrate its full range of emotion and ability.Therefore, its important for a group to pick songs with an eye toward diversity, and also an eye toward what fits the groups personality, and the image it is building for itself.

Lastly, it's important to think to pick songs and artists that translate well to a cappella. If there's nothing interesting going on in the instrumentation of a song, its doubtful you'll be able to present it any more interestingly. Similarly, if it's not really a 'singing' song, on which the soloist can strut his or her stuff, it might be difficult for the crowd to connect with the solo, and so, with the song in general.

A group is only as good as the songs it chooses to perform, which means that what and who you cover makes all the difference in the world.