NEW BLOG POST: Backing A Singer

[John Spaulding]

New post on Paul's Place taken from a Facebook Group discussion on Backing A Singer

[Jacek Jakubek]

Awesome! One of the most interesting instructional things I ever read (had to print it out in case it ever gets taken down.)

I create very short things to go from a 1 chord to a 4 chord ,for example – that’s my “Fill Library“. All licks played for a 1 to 4 will also work as 5 to 1’s or 2 to 5 or 3 to 6 or 4 to b7 etc. I am always using the intervallic improvisation concept to create two to four notes to fill a 2 to 3 beat space or “hole” between lyrics.

So, if you create a small 1 to 4 fill, just move it up 7 frets or down 5 frets and you get a 5 to 1 fill, or what Jeff Newman calls a "7th Chord Phrase?"
I'll experiment with this on my guitar and if it sounds good, then that is brilliant. Thanks!

[David Zornes]

Less is more when backing a singer. But don’t you hate this t when the singer wants to talk over your breaks? 🤨

[Jacek Jakubek]

I guess that's when you start playing extended jazz chords over his singing when he starts singing again

[Franklin]

Jacek,

I would say my teachings are countering what you are learning from Jeff's dominant 7th teachings, not complimenting them......

To defend Jeff...Jeff never taught music theory.....Instead Jeff intentionally chose to teach using absolutes towards a "Singular" goal - how to play pedal steel in simple chord progressions. I call that a "One size fits all" approach to playing a pedal steel. Unfortunately becoming a better musician requires understanding the basic language of music - basic theory.

Music composition changed and Jeff's rules for applying b7's in many cases do not apply. Dominant 7ths are actually avoided on all instruments these days. Writers and producers like the more modern sounds of sus4 chords, add 2's/9's 11th chords over playing the dominant 7th chord. Jeff teaches don't use a dominant 7th in the 4 chord position...That is counter to compositional songs like "Memphis" and many of the rock, rock-a-billy, and blues styles of music which often had melodies on the four chord emphasizing the b7 in the 4....So following absolute rules like that with a hope for playing all styles of music in future settings sounds like a learning mistake to me.

Basic theory is used by every musician in the better bands in each town....The other instrument players understand the basics - intervals, intervallic chord formulas, and diatonic harmony because that is how they are taught at the beginning of their journey. Playing PSG does not exempt us from learning basic theory.