The Steel Guitar Forum

Would you say that steel backup is mainly made up of passing chordal patterns?

Thanks in advance;

Sherman

I would say it is based on the melody line harmonically.

i always play the melody

I know a lot of players who don't pay much attention to what the steel players are doing in the background of a tune. That's a big mistake! there's a treasure trove of golden licks in those "fill" verses!

No, it is everything. Playing back up is an art, not everybody gets it. Personally, I think the more tricks in your bag(knowledge), the more interesting your back up can be. John Hughey was a master of back up, his fill on some songs was way more interesting then the song itself, in my opinion. I don't believe we spend enough time studying fills and how to make the singer shine. We've all seen players that could play a song start to finish, as an instrumental, but then get lost trying to back a singer on a song they have never heard. Or even one they have heard. Playing over the singer or another instrument, when you shouldn't, is hard to unlearn if you've only learned to play the melody. Also my opinion.

Jeff Newman's beginner / intermediate material shows a lot of diatone (two note) partial chords that follow and even lead the chord chart, and pretty well stay off the melody and singer's timing. He expressed someting like "you only need to be hot for a few seconds at a time, in between the singer's lines." I think the diatones are basically related to a harmonized major or minor scale.

I also believe that either you get it, or not. It is a way of hearing the melody and responding to it in fills and then passing tones to advance the melody while the singer is silent.

Newman's Bandstand Backup is pretty good to see inside the harmonized scale style. JMHO

Dick Sexton wrote:I don't believe we spend enough time studying fills and how to make the singer shine. We've all seen players that could play a song start to finish, as an instrumental, but then get lost trying to back a singer on a song they have never heard. Or even one they have heard. Playing over the singer or another instrument, when you shouldn't, is hard to unlearn if you've only learned to play the melody. Also my opinion.

Man, I couldn't agree more, Dick. "Making the singer shine" is what we're all about in backup situations. I've worked like crazy on learning chord positions, scales, harmonized scales etc....but those are just the tools...backup is soo much more.

My backup playing is just terrible, and so I've been trying to learn to "have a conversation with the singer"....to add some emotional content with my fills... and to keep it simple!

Dick Sexton wrote:No, it is everything. Playing back up is an art, not everybody gets it. Personally, I think the more tricks in your bag(knowledge), the more interesting your back up can be. John Hughey was a master of back up, his fill on some songs was way more interesting then the song itself, in my opinion. I don't believe we spend enough time studying fills and how to make the singer shine. We've all seen players that could play a song start to finish, as an instrumental, but then get lost trying to back a singer on a song they have never heard. Or even one they have heard. Playing over the singer or another instrument, when you shouldn't, is hard to unlearn if you've only learned to play the melody. Also my opinion.

I have played Lead and backup guitar for years and found that there are many ways to fill. In the break you play the melody....in the fill you watch the singer or listen very close...and...if his lips are moving you surpress the volume and play harmonics.....when he is still....you play a passing bit and lead the vocalist to the next line. There are times when you echo the previous line, or bits of it. Like the man says " don't tromp all over the guy who pays you and above all you realize that you aint all of the band!

Sherman Willden wrote:Would you say that steel backup is mainly made up of passing chordal patterns?

Thanks in advance;

Sherman

That depends on what music you are playing and your role in that ensemble.
I personally will skip playing chordal patterns if I can find a couple simple single notes that will have the same musical function. I enjoy the challenge of finding the shortest route possible.

Greg Leisz is a real master of knowing how to keep singers happy and make the music beautiful.

Dick said it all when he spoke of John Hughey and playing around a singer and fills. I spend hours listening to him and never tire of his playing. I am always amazed when you are ready for something great and he backs off and gives another instrument there space. Definitely one to study.

Dave Biller wrote:I know a lot of players who don't pay much attention to what the steel players are doing in the background of a tune. That's a big mistake! there's a treasure trove of golden licks in those "fill" verses!

It's always been my favorite thing to do, playing behind a singer. It's like instant orchestration.

....also, the steel can be a rhythm guitar. I'm not suggesting that you should like this, but here's a couple of examples of stuff I've posted before:

20+ years ago I played in a rock-a-billy band and I would "chop" 4-note chords on the upbeat:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6v0spuQByM

More recently:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Am1u47w5 ... qwNSp4Yy4g

I liked it Charles, but fire the sound man Please!