In the old days, when bluegrass bands performed around one microphone, you literally had to “back up” when someone else was taking a solo. You either would move to the back or be pushed back! That automatically had the effect of reducing the volume of the player who backed away from the microphone. To this day, regulating your volume so as not to overpower the lead instrument or vocalist is one of the most important focuses of bacukp.
Unlike backup, when playing lead the banjo player has the spotlight to himself and can play memorized solos. The majority of his or her time is spent learning these arrangements. The other musicians in the band have to adjust to the banjo solo just as the banjo player has to adjust to the other musicians when they are taking a break.
When playing backup or non-lead parts the banjo player operates out of chord positions with the left hand. The right hand tends to play repetitive patterns. This includes: a) Licks, Lead-in runs, b) Percussive playing of chord formations, and c) Runs that encompass large parts of the fingerboard, moving from 1 chord inversion to another or from 1 chord to another. The more precise and even these patterns are the better the Back Up fits in with what the other musicians are doing. Therefore to learn backup, the best way is to identify and isolate the various licks, chord shapes and patterns that you want to use and practice them over and over until you master them.
Listening is another important component of backup. You need to know where you are in the song at all times. You must know the chord progression of the song as well as the melody and the phrasing. This also includes knowing when the singer or lead player makes a mistake by holding a particular note too many beats or forgetting where they are. As a backup player your job is to stay with them through thick and thin and make adjustments to make them sound as good as they possibly can.
Because the banjo player is constantly reacting to what is going on with the other instruments he is making split second decisions. As a result he or she needs to know and be able to use each lick and chord form almost subconsciously.
Here are some suggestions when using The Back Up Video Lessons:
1. Learn each back up technique or pattern one at a time and master it.
2. Watch each section of the video a few times before starting to practice a new technique pattern or lick.
3. Learn how to use a metronome and use the metronome to help gradually increase your speed.
4. Use the menu system in the bottom right hand corner of the video to bypass explanations and quickly locate what you want to work on.
5. Learn the 3 major chord positions and the corresponding minor and 7th positions everywhere on the neck.
6. Focus on clarity, smoothness and being in time. If your instrument stands out, you are playing either too loud, too many notes or not playing smoothly and evenly.
7. Practice by playing each new technique or lick in all of the places in the song that it will go.
8. As you master each technique play it along with the video and the included MP3 tracks that come as part of your download.
9. As you learn more licks and techniques practice them in pairs until you can use them anywhere.
10. Before starting to practice with a track listen to it along with a lead sheet or template and make sure you know the basic chord progression. Listen to the point that you can sing along with the first verse and chorus. Your singing does not have to be a thing of beauty. You just need to know the phrasing. This will help you to further cement the chord changes and know where the spaces are where the singer is taking a breath.
11. Record yourself playing and listen back to it. If you or a friend have some sort of a video camera you can record yourself playing along with tracks or the metronome and listen back to it. If you do not have a video camera ask around, I’ll bet one of your friends or relatives has and old VHS camera in the closet. These are really cheap and will work just fine.
12. Go to jam sessions in your area to practice and network with other musicians.
For video lessons on playing banjo backup check out Geoff's Rhythm & Backup 101 Series and Backup Licks & Rolls Series.
