Musicians’ Roles: Professional Playing Fundamentals
ALTHOUGH THE MUSIC EACH PLAYER PLAYS contributes to creating the full communication of the tunes, the sound coming from the entire band is more important than what each individual is playing. Because of the composite factor of more than one person contributing to the creation of a whole, a group can only be as strong as its weakest or least aware member. A group of musicians playing together is a creation unto itself.
If you analyze any good performance you’ll see that everything falls into three categories: support, color and main focus. Although any instrument can provide any function at any given time, as well as flow in, around, and out of that function, each instrument has specific functions that need to be present for a good performance. The music supporting the vocals, the music supporting a soloist, or the rhythm section’s tight grooves establishing the mood as a type of solo are some examples. A horn section playing fancy lines in between lyrics is an example of color, which periodically could weave into being the main focus if it becomes predominant. A fancy bass part on a funky tune is an example of a supportive role being a secondary focus while holding down the bottom.
The creation of these elements, in addition to good material and good musicians, are what largely contribute to great music. Part of a musician’s craft is functioning within these parameters.
Being a professional greatly entails knowing how to play in order to make the group sound good. If a player’s concern is to constantly sound flashy with little regard for the rest of the players, he could make the group sound bad, he could frustrate the other musicians by being self-centered, and will likely get fired or just not called again. It’s a group creation, a group sound and knowing this is one of the differences between an amateur and a professional. Professional players have all encountered the musician who overplays, the drummer who fills at the wrong spot because he is staring at his hi-hat and not paying attention and the musician who doesn’t groove. None of these things work; neither do the people who commit these sins on the stage.
Whether dance music, jazz, classical or folk songs, music is a language that involves communication. As people speak together, musicians need to play together. Music at its best is an art form. Just as a group of people speaking all at once is unintelligible without some kind of order so is a group of musicians playing all at once without some kind of order.
Situations vary between styles of music, what kind of gig it is, and what the purpose of the playing situation is. When you understand the big picture and put aside any personal ego games, you can determine how you should play. If you acquire good musicianship and pay attention to what’s going on it’s very easy, completely obvious and totally fun.
This is a brief write-up of what is expected of everyone to do a good job, not get fired, and make the group sound good. When everyone plays according to the basic roles that are inherent in their instruments, a creative and enjoyable environment is created for all musicians and audience both.
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Lead Singers
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The lead singer’s role is obviously to be the main focus when singing, and at times dancing. The singer presents the lyrical, melodic and verbal emotional impact of the tune through his or her stage presence, vocal quality, emotional output and general physical appearance. If a singer also plays hand-held percussion, he/she at that point becomes a member of the rhythm section. (Definition is coming up.)
A singer needs to be able to clearly cue the group. Musician lead singers playing hand-held instruments (e.g. guitar, bass) often use the instruments to cue with. Other instrumentalists will commonly use part of an instrument (like drum sticks), a physical expression, hand gesture or a musical cue, depending on the situation. The instrumentless singer standing in front of the band needs to cue in a manner that’s appropriate to the type of music and gig. Rock tunes might need big bold cues, whereas a jazz tune could use a delicate flick of the wrist or a quick glance.
Cues need to happen at the right time or the musicians won’t be able to get it. Generally, if you cue something at the beginning of a phrase or section, or during the final part of a section (two to four bars before the end), it will work. It all depends on the tune. The idea is to ensure the musicians get your cue in time to actually do whatever they need to do to change to the next part. A musician might need time to change an effects setting, turn a page or whatever. Of course part of being able to give good cues is having players who willing to pay attention in the first place, then DO pay attention so they get the cues.
When there is a conductor or musical director they will normally give all the cues whether determined by his or her own choice or by observing what’s going on and acting accordingly. A singer cues the director who cues the musicians. A stage manager gives the go-ahead or a producer says “Take it away,” however it goes.
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Rhythm Section Instruments
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The main function of the rhythm section is to groove and support whatever the main focus is. Though any instrument can be a soloist in any given situation, rhythm players support what’s going on. The bass player and kick drum need to be coordinated, the keyboards and guitar need to have compatible grooves and all the pieces of the puzzle need to fit. Fills add color and interest to the music and occur between phrases, lead in new sections and punctuate various parts of a tune. The rhythmic pattern of a groove can vary for interest, but how it varies and how often it varies would be determined by the style of music being played. A jazz/funk tune gives the rhythm section more room for playing than a show ballad with the spotlight center stage on the singer. Fills add color and interest as long as they don’t distract from the groove or main focus. The more able a musician is, the better he can groove, fill, and vary rhythms to best fit any given tune or piece of music. Musicianship and experience are where it’s at.
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Horns and Strings
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Being melodic instruments, horns and strings often solo thereby having main-focus functions. When not soloing or playing the main melody line, these instruments are often used to add color and interest. Sustained background strings, background melody lines and keyboards simulating these, are all color or support elements and are used to enhance the main focus and general listening quality.
It’s all a matter of common sense. A singer needs space for the vocals to be in so don’t fill when the singer is singing unless it’s done tastefully as an uninterfering additional counter melody. A high register bass fill is colorful but if you drop the bottom out when it’s needed the fill will lose its value. If it’s overdone could lose you the gig. That’s the idea - it’s a game to be played.
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Instrument Concept
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When a keyboard player plays bass or horn parts he needs to be them, play the role of those instruments, and think like those players would. The concept of the instrument needs to be expressed rather than just playing notes that have a similar or identical tonal quality. This is why some guitarists can’t play bass; they’re playing guitar parts on a bass, rather than playing bass within the role and inherent function of that instrument.
Part of being a stable working professional player is fulfilling the role of the instrument you play and playing to make the others sound good.
Author Bio: World class musician, Marty Buttwinick, has spent 35 awesome years jamming in the music world. His books and “The Musicians’ How-To Series” showcase his passion for educating and inspiring musicians to reach their goals. Seminars, workshops, private instructions – visit www.MusiciansHowToSeries.com
Musicians’ Roles: Professional Playing Fundamentals / Author: Marty Buttwinick