Sheet music accuracy

Alice Cooper co-founder and Hall Of Fame inductee Dennis Dunaway answers your questions!

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Dannorama
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Sheet music accuracy

Post by Dannorama » Mon Nov 21, 2022 2:44 pm

Just wondering if you've ever noticed any pluses or minuses to others transcribing your music. "Alice Cooper Complete" comes to mind. How did you notate your song writing, anyway? I have to believe that songs like "Halo" were juggernauts that required some kind of writing to remind you how to get from one place to the other. Anything leap to mind?
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Dreary
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Re: Sheet music accuracy

Post by Dreary » Mon Nov 21, 2022 8:31 pm

None of us read music notation or tab. We played by ear and memory.

As you may know, lots of sheet music is designed for piano so songs are often transposed to the key of C.
It's often done on a short deadline, and on a budget that reflects today's smaller demand.

"Halo of Flies" is a medley of what we called germs, which could be a riff, a groove, or a vocal melody that hadn't yet found a home in a song. We wrote it in a couple of afternoons in a warehouse in Phoenix. We intended to write a song that would shut-up the many critics that were saying we relied on theatrics to hide our inability to play.
We set up our equipment in front of a large black board. We gave each germ a name - Galloping Part, Arabian Part, 007 Part, and so on. We listed those on the big board and tried various lists until we got them settled in. There was lots of erasing, drawing arrows, and crossing things out. It was complex but we were all focused on our goal, which was to create an epic medley of germs.

My bandmates, Joe and Albert Bouchard read music, so occasionally I'll ask them if a transcribed bass part is correct. They usually send them back corrected, except one bass notation for "School's Out" for Bass Player magazine was already correct. Unfortunately, they incorrectly credited Alice and Michael as song writers leaving off Neal, Glen, and I.

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Dannorama
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Re: Sheet music accuracy

Post by Dannorama » Tue Nov 22, 2022 1:52 pm

That was a real peek behind the curtain. Thanks! Your response about sheet music being quickly designed for piano in C makes so much sense. Also! I've been meaning to tell you that your tip about the Grammy Hall of Fame music opened a big door. I've spent a lot of time checking out all the entries, which I probably would have never known about if you hadn't mentioned it. See? Yet another education from you. I'm sure that Mrs. Sloan would be proud!
Move aside, mere drop of water - let the ocean pass.

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