Improvising

Improvising is very different from playing backup.

When you play backup, you're playing to make the lead instrument stand out and sound good. So you craft your backup based on the specific instrument (voice, fiddle, mando, guitar, dobro) that is currently in lead position. As an example, when the mandolin takes a break, you'll usually (but not always since it depends on the situation) play a very rhythmic back up by "chunking." This is because the mando was previously filling that role in its own backup and just left that role to play a lead. You're filling in the gap. Likewise, you may play some forward rolls with bass line type movement when the fiddle is playing its solo, or maybe light chunking when the singer is singing but switch into a fill-in lick just at the end of a phrase when the singer would normally take a breath.

There is some thought and method to back up. But the general rule is that you don't play "over" somebody else and you do what you can to make the lead sound even better.

When you play lead, you're playing in the spotlight and to be noticed. You're playing something interesting but you're also playing something that will fit with the "mood" of the tune. This is important even if you don't play the melody at all. For example, if you were playing lead to a waltz or ballad you've never heard before, you would keep it straight thinking in terms of moving chord shapes to give a melody of types of its own and playing some tasteful tremelo with a little straightforward melodic phrase here and there. If you were playing a breakdown you'd shoot for driving rolls, perhaps hold the IV chord in the 7th form a half measure longer than the rest of the group, and fill with a snazzy chromatic lick. All the time trying to do what's right for the mood of the tune.

As you can see, there is some thought that goes into each. However, you don't have to beat yourself up over it. Start simple. Know what you are comfortable with and use it in various situations. It's like speaking a foreign language - you're never going to be fluent unless you try to speak it - and make mistakes - with native speakers in real life situations. But it doesn't take too long before you're not thinking of the translation and you just DO it.

A great resource to get you on the road to improvising right away is "Building Blocks for Bluegrass Jamming for 5-String Banjo Book/CD Introducing the "Cut n Paste" Method by Wil Huckabay. It's fun and easy and you'll be making easy and interesting breaks to songs you haven't played before. It comes with a CD demonstrating everything in the book along with playalong tracks to practice with.

Here's an example of "Blue Ridge Cabing Home" demonstrating how the "Cut n' Paste" Method works.

Keep on Pickin'
Angie
Online Catalogue