Backing singer?...
Posted: 29 Mar 2023 12:43 pm
This was always interesting to me, as I seem to have different views compared to what seems the advice on the forum nowadays. OK, I've given myself away as to my generation just by saying the former. Yup, been around awhile, but do have a fairly extensive history with the instrument that I usually hold back sheer opinions about 'cause I'm an ornery sob...came with age.
Everyone seems to revere the 'golden age' of steel and rightfully so, but if you really listen, them dang steel players are walking all over, not just the vocals, but all lead players. Why weren't they immediately tossed from the band?..easy, check the volume changes and phrases they played. Remember the mixes live are what they were playing, not studio mixed perfect level masters. I love hearing live cuts because they really show what the steel/guitar/piano players were doing, and the poor fool that had to try to mix that live was more that a little stressed I'm sure.
I got to work with one of the best live mixing engineers ever, Lynn Peterzell for years and I know what the burden of 'overplaying musicians' layed on him. He had to differentiate between..'is it in?..or out..live. He was sooo good, and I miss him for sure..God Bless him.
My experience is that of course you pick your spots, but, playing along is not 'stepping on' an artist or other player. I've gotten stepped on and ripped off equally as much, and that is irritating..gutar players, keyboard players, fiddle, and others think that we seem to be 'free territory' when it comes to playing..both studio and live.
But, the absolute worst is..when you play something, any phrase or note selection on a run through or rehearsal and you hear another player take that and use it in what is going to be their lead or fill, 'cause they always take the guitar or piano first for some reason. Of course a great producer can(hopefully) see through that ripoff and make it right, but years ago it got me sandbagging on rehearsals and practice sessions.
Back to the forum..backing a singer, in my opinion, is not laying out, but playing what you feel while the singer is doing what he/she does..yes, in the gaps between phrases, but not always. And, you do not have to know everything about the song. Worry less about what you're going to play and more about feeling where the song is at......it's the same live or in the studio......but guard your ideas early on!..lol..that's just my sour grapes surfacing..no problems.
One more thing, if you're playing live and the singer looks back or over at you and he looks like he just ate a raw piece of garlic..lay out..now this does not pertain to backup singers, fiddle players, the guy with the tambourine/shaker, or anyones wives!
Everyone seems to revere the 'golden age' of steel and rightfully so, but if you really listen, them dang steel players are walking all over, not just the vocals, but all lead players. Why weren't they immediately tossed from the band?..easy, check the volume changes and phrases they played. Remember the mixes live are what they were playing, not studio mixed perfect level masters. I love hearing live cuts because they really show what the steel/guitar/piano players were doing, and the poor fool that had to try to mix that live was more that a little stressed I'm sure.
I got to work with one of the best live mixing engineers ever, Lynn Peterzell for years and I know what the burden of 'overplaying musicians' layed on him. He had to differentiate between..'is it in?..or out..live. He was sooo good, and I miss him for sure..God Bless him.
My experience is that of course you pick your spots, but, playing along is not 'stepping on' an artist or other player. I've gotten stepped on and ripped off equally as much, and that is irritating..gutar players, keyboard players, fiddle, and others think that we seem to be 'free territory' when it comes to playing..both studio and live.
But, the absolute worst is..when you play something, any phrase or note selection on a run through or rehearsal and you hear another player take that and use it in what is going to be their lead or fill, 'cause they always take the guitar or piano first for some reason. Of course a great producer can(hopefully) see through that ripoff and make it right, but years ago it got me sandbagging on rehearsals and practice sessions.
Back to the forum..backing a singer, in my opinion, is not laying out, but playing what you feel while the singer is doing what he/she does..yes, in the gaps between phrases, but not always. And, you do not have to know everything about the song. Worry less about what you're going to play and more about feeling where the song is at......it's the same live or in the studio......but guard your ideas early on!..lol..that's just my sour grapes surfacing..no problems.
One more thing, if you're playing live and the singer looks back or over at you and he looks like he just ate a raw piece of garlic..lay out..now this does not pertain to backup singers, fiddle players, the guy with the tambourine/shaker, or anyones wives!