I'm in the middle of a personal project to record covers of about 10-15 Smashing Pumpkins songs and am looking for recommendations. This cover project of mine is sort of a fun way to improve as a guitarist without taking lessons, and to get to know SP's music on a deeper level (for instance you start to notice certain things like how fond Billy apparently was of intervals, and the total randomness of his playing at times).

If there are any other guitarists here, what are your favorite Smashing Pumpkins songs to play on guitar? I personally tend to gravitate to the songs on the first few albums as they are the most guitar-centric, Gish and SD are my favorites because Billy was still interested in playing solos at that point in time.

Marquis in Spades is just plain flippin' fun.

Hummer is really cool, especially since it has three solos, and varies in mood and dynamics.

Tales of a Scorched Earth is really easy to learn, it's only challenge is playing it as fast and as frantic as you can.

Thru the Eyes of Ruby is sooo cool... I'm glad I picked that one up. I love the arpeggios.

Soul Power sounds like a bit of fun.

pretty much all of gish is awesome to play
tribute to johnny is a ton of fun too
silverfuck
hummer
bodies
mayonaise- the weird tuned guitar and the intro solos

Mayonaise
Silverfuck
bwbw
Jackboot
Tribute to Johnny

Hummer is always fun to play.

I always find myself picking around Tonight, Tonight. Usually when my friends come over that's ususally one of their requests.

Besides Crush and Daydream, I can't play much Gish

PistolPete wrote:
Hummer is always fun to play.

I always find myself picking around Tonight, Tonight. Usually when my friends come over that's ususally one of their requests.

Besides Crush and Daydream, I can't play much Gish

try siva, its got an easy solo and its not too hard. except theres this one chord that always screws me up.

oh, soma is fun to play

I want to get a band together and play a pumpkins song sooo bad. but none of my friends like the pumpkins.

Silverfuck + Jackboot.
Cherub Rock
Zero
XYU

Play these to learn Billy loves Double stops.

But seriously as mentioned before Silverfuck is a great/fun one to cover, the vocals/lyrics are very fun (and when I say fun I mean therapeutic) to get into and the guitar is just fun, there's so many ways to interpret the song.

Good luck with whatever songs you choose.

I always find myself nooling around to the end solo of Hummer. Cherub Rock is good, mayonaise is really fun aswell. And whenever im playing acoustic I always play To Sheila.

Haha right now im at school with an acoustic guitar in my hands.. i saw this thread, tined down to drop d and started playing Porcelina! love it!

Cherub Rock was the first song i ever played to a big audience, at school on assembly infront of around 800 mad song

jackson (snail_rocks) and i layed Ruby for his practical test in music earlier this year...

For Martha! First song i worked out on piano without barely knowing how to play piano!

Yew! I Am One! Rocks! + many more that i know (most lol)

i_am_juan wrote:
Cherub Rock was the first song i ever played to a big audience, at school on assembly infront of around 800 mad song

Cool, how was the reaction? Was it just you, or you and a band?

I'm not a very good guitarist, so my patience and skills are limited as to what I try to learn/play. But Tonight Tonight is always a kick, as is Drown and Cherub Rock.

I like to play Tonight, Tonight, bwbw, Here Is No Why, Love, and Zero...still learning other ones as well.

really fun songs to play for me are Drown, Cherub Rock, Silverfuck, XYU, Geek USA, Zero, Galapogas, and Here Is No Why.
adn i guess Czarina and Stumbleine are also fun to noodle around with.

what would you say is the hardest smashing pumpkins song to play? i feel like having a challenge

also, if you know piano, AUTUMN NOCTURNE, great fun song to play!!!!!!!!!