Dock - Posted - 03/12/2007:  13:59:16

How many of you guys/girls play in a group and arrange your backup lick for lick etc. Do you just always wing it or do you have an arrangement just like you would for a break.

I have been improvising my backup I know my breaks like the back of my hand but my backup I catch myself sometimes hanging on a limb with no real way to get back with out breaking my roll.

Of course I have only been playing a couple of years now I have been jamming ever Monday and I practice with a band on Sunday evenings and have done this for about a year and a half.

Our band has a set so should I arrange my back up for the set?


Your only as good as you want to be!!

Rollingwolf - Posted - 03/12/2007:  15:29:15

I always improvise my back up, but I practice a handfyul of licks and such that I can draw on. I would hate to play back up from an arrangement, I'd feel like a robot. I love interacting with the other instruments and trying new things.
But then again that all has a lot to do with my personality. I'm in it for the jamming and improve.
I'm sure some folks are more comfortble working from a script.

Pick it like you feel it!

Matt

Texasbanjo - Posted - 03/12/2007:  17:08:08

If you're unsure of your backup and worried that you might make a mistake on stage, by all means, work on the backup to the songs you play on stage. Eventually you'll get to the point where you won't want to do that, you'll want to just "wing it", but until you get to that point, feel free to orchestrate all your backup playing, too.

Personally, I've always just "winged it" for backup and never had a problem doing so, but that's just me, others may be different and if so, do it however it feels the best for you.


Let's Pick!
Texas Banjo

rwkuta - Posted - 03/12/2007:  17:17:37

Playing back up has always been my favorite part about picking because of the "free form' nature of it. I would much rather play where my mind and fingers take me ...........rather than have a set "concrete" grouping of notes "written in stone" that must be played.

"Obsession is a great subsitute for talent" Steve Martin

http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists...5033&alid=-1

banjo pickn Dane - Posted - 03/12/2007:  21:54:43

Go to www.Banjoteacher.com, he has the book to teach you backup.

greatdane_c@yahoo.com

pick'n 'n' grinn'n
banjo pickn Dane

crowestyle - Posted - 03/13/2007:  14:10:10

Most players do "wing it" when it comes to backup, but sometimes you come upon a lick or phrase that works really well in the song and you want to throw it in most of the time. One example that comes to mind is JD Crowe's triplet lick in Devil in Disguise (Bluegrass Album Band: California Connection). Listen to the first verse, and you'll hear a really cool lick after the second phrase (at least I think it's the second). He still throws that lick in there most of the time when he's playing on stage. It can be a pretty cool effect.

"I don't have a girlfriend, I just know a girl who would get really mad if she heard me say that."- Mitch Hedberg

www.myspace.com/crowestyle

John Allison - Posted - 03/15/2007:  21:37:13

I can not speak for others but I wing it. How much improvising do I do depends on the song and whether I am doing the vocal or not ...... ie the more I sing / the less I improvise. One of the jams that I participate in (about once a month) relies a lot on banjo breaks and as I am the only banjo there and as I do not know some of the songs, breaks even become total improvisations. Want to improve your improvising, attend jams.

Froggie