ALTHOUGH THE MUSIC EACH PLAYER PLAYS contributes to creating the full communication of the tunes, the sound coming from the entire band is more important than what each individual is playing. Because of the composite factor of more than one person contributing to the creation of a whole, a group can only be as strong as its weakest or least aware member. A group of musicians playing together is a creation unto itself.
If you analyze any good performance you’ll see that everything falls into three categories: support, color and main focus. Although any instrument can provide any function at any given time, as well as flow in, around, and out of that function, each instrument has specific functions that need to be present for a good performance. The music supporting the vocals, the music supporting a soloist, or the rhythm section’s tight grooves establishing the mood as a type of solo are some examples. A horn section playing fancy lines in between lyrics is an example of color, which periodically could weave into being the main focus if it becomes predominant. A fancy bass part on a funky tune is an example of a supportive role being a secondary focus while holding down the bottom.
The creation of these elements, in addition to good material and good musicians, are what largely contribute to great music. Part of a musician’s craft is functioning within these parameters.
Being a professional greatly entails knowing how to play in order to make the group sound good. If a player’s concern is to constantly sound flashy with little regard for the rest of the players, he could make the group sound bad, he could frustrate the other musicians by being self-centered, and will likely get fired or just not called again. It’s a group creation, a group sound and knowing this is one of the differences between an amateur and a professional. Professional players have all encountered the musician who overplays, the drummer who fills at the wrong spot because he is staring at his hi-hat and not paying attention and the musician who doesn’t groove. None of these things work; neither do the people who commit these sins on the stage.
Whether dance music, jazz, classical or folk songs, music is a language that involves communication. As people speak together, musicians need to play together. Music at its best is an art form. Just as a group of people speaking all at once is unintelligible without some kind of order so is a group of musicians playing all at once without some kind of order.
Situations vary between styles of music, what kind of gig it is, and what the purpose of the playing situation is. When you understand the big picture and put aside any personal ego games, you can determine how you should play. If you acquire good musicianship and pay attention to what’s going on it’s very easy, completely obvious and totally fun.
This is a brief write-up of what is expected of everyone to do a good job, not get fired, and make the group sound good. When every-one plays according to the basic roles that are inherent in their instruments, a creative and enjoyable environment is created for all—musicians and audience both.
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