If an artist has just given the best, most effortless and inspired performance of their life, they’re not going to want to change much when the next gig rolls around. Few things will keep musicians working more consistently than the ability to support and flatter a vocalist or soloist — particularly if they’re a joy for the rest of the group to play with!
The players who develop this lucrative reputation tend, as a rule, to share a common set of priorities: Play for the song, support the lead, and allow space for your fellow musicians to work. The development of these instincts is more elusive than you might expect, but you’ll find that one central concept underpins everything: attentive listening!
Avoid the Pitfall of Self-Absorption
It’s probably self-evident, but playing supportively requires paying attention to what you’re accompanying. Less experienced players often get so wrapped up in playing their parts that they stop listening to the lead (not to mention the other players). Even experienced players can fall victim to tunnel vision, particularly if they’ve been asked to replicate a complex or repetitive part from a recording.
We can guard against this by periodically checking in with ourselves to make sure we’re hearing not only every word of the vocal but also every note our bandmates are playing.
If the leader or musical director stops the band for any reason in rehearsal, ask yourself, “Can I sing the last phrase the bassist played?” or, “Was the drummer on hi-hat or ride cymbal in that section?” Details like these can inform every decision you make, so it’s essential to stay engaged.
Awareness of your surroundings helps you choose the absolute perfect thing to play at any given moment (not to mention being able to quickly diagnose problems when things aren’t gelling).
Study the Masters
Refine your skills by going to the source. Listen intently to as many recordings from great rhythm sections as possible, including (but certainly not limited to):
Any number of New York-based ad-hoc session groups without catchy names
When you find a record of a masterful rhythm track, listen through five or six times. First, hear how the whole section works together, then focus on each band member’s part on successive passes — once to hone in on bass, once to listen in detail to drums, etc. — before giving a more informed listen to the entire arrangement again.
Pay attention to how the musicians play interrelated parts, and to what each musician adds. What is each player’s role? Does the time feel mechanical? Loose? Danceable? Impressionistic? What makes it that way? How does each musician advance that overall aesthetic?
Continual study of the great rhythm sections, along with experience in the trenches, will help develop your ever-important group playing instincts. Know What You’re Working With To help an artist sell a piece emotionally, it pays to really know the song. Although I’m a fluent sight-reader, I like to memorize music I’m performing whenever possible, even for one-offs. This allows me to keep my attention (and eyes) off the page and on the artist and my bandmates. It gives me a chance to check out the lyrics thoroughly in order to make sure I’m helping the artist convey an appropriate emotion (rather than just playing correct notes in time). What’s more, I personally find that music stands can be a detriment to stage presence; an almost literal barrier between me and the audience. Even if a chart is necessary due to time constraints, make sure to know enough about the song to be able to set up section changes effectively and with appropriate dynamics. Play Collaboratively There are many traditions of rhythm-section playing, each with its own conventions, but we can nevertheless make a few generalizations about group function. Most importantly, make sure that what you’re playing is helping the music. If it’s not, or if you’re not sure, then there’s a good chance it’s doing the opposite! Whatever you play, do so with purpose and with an idea of how it relates to the rest of the parts. Find something to add that serves a need within the music. Aspire to do more than merely fill space. A common pitfall among less experienced players is to simply latch onto and mimic a part another band member is already playing. Sometimes unison or double parts are effective, but there’s a big difference between intentional artistic choice and unimaginative arranging.