Buttwinick Musical Services

 

 

Professional musicians have developed certain slang terms and “sign language” gestures to communicate various instructions to the other musicians on the stage. Knowing these is an important part of being a functional, gigging musician.

 

These are a few “must know” terms for any working musician or singer.

 

1. Bows, walk-ons, intros and play-ons — Specialized music used to introduce people when they are to “take a bow.” This music usually consists of short, well known melodies from popular songs or orchestral works. Bows are used for exiting as well as for making an entrance. Here they are called bows, walk-offs, outros and play-offs.
2. Calling tunes — Deciding what the next tune to play will be, and telling the rest of the band about it.
3. Count off — Counting aloud before the tune starts to establish the tempo and meter (how many beats in a bar).
4. Cue — A physical gesture, audio signal (specific melody, rhythm, lyric, etc.) or lighting effect, signaling that some change is going to happen.
5. Fingers in the air — either designate what chord you are on, or what key you are in. A “I chord” would have one finger in the air, a “IV chord” would have four. For showing what key you are in; fingers going up represent sharps, while fingers going down represent flats. Since the “Key of G” has one sharp, one finger going up is the “Key of G.” Since the “Key of F” has one flat, one finger going down would be the “Key of F.” (Definition: Roman numerals have been used as chord symbols for hundreds of years. A chord built from the first note in a scale is called the “I” chord, a chord built from the fourth note in a scale is called a “IV” chords, etc.)
   
6. Fingers wrapped around each other — The index and middle finger wrapped around each other is a cue meaning to go to the bridge. If there isn’t a bridge you would go to the chorus. Pointing to the bridge of the nose is another sign for going to the bridge.
7. Head chart — Play the tune from memory or by ear because there isn’t a chart. Some band leaders will just say “fake it.”
8. Play the head — Play the verse, or whatever the main melody is called.
9. Play the ink — Play the original music notation on the chart, rather than any other markings that musicians have written on it. A tune can be arranged differently for dif-ferent situations, and these differences will often be written on the charts rather than having new charts made.
10. Play the cuts, or take the cuts — Rather than playing the original ink (the original music written on the page), you play whatever cuts and changes have been added in. A “cut” is when a certain part of the tune has been “deleted”—you’re not going to play it. A cut marking is generally a bold line starting where the music is last played, through the sec-tion that has been cut-out, and ending where the music is continued.
11. Play time — Technically, playing time is only playing steady even beats. In slang, this means to play a steady and even groove without being too busy. This would apply to whatever style you are playing.
12. Stage left — The left side of the stage when standing on the stage looking at the audi-ence. Audience left would be the left side of the auditorium, or listening area, while looking at the bandstand. Stage right and audience right would be on the opposite sides.
13. Stock arrangement — A well known and standardized version of a song or composition.
14. Stretch it out — Make the tune longer by extending solos, playing the tune again from the beginning, or however it flows the best at the time. Physical cues: either two hands pulling away from each other like they were stretching something, or a hand making a circular motion showing to continue what you are doing.
15. Take it from the top — Go back to the very beginning of the tune and play from there. This might refer to the introduction, though generally will refer to the first verse. Take it from the head would mean to play from the verse. Physical cues: a hand touching the head with the eyes looking upwards.
16. Take it out — End the tune either by playing to the end after vamping for awhile, or just end the tune right away however it is most feasible musically. Physical cues: a fist in the air or a hand on the butt.
17. Two bars on top — There is either a two bar count off, or an additional two bar intro of some kind.
18. Two hands “breaking” something in the air means to take a break.
19. Vamp till cue — Keep on playing what you are playing till someone cues you to do something else. Common points of vamps are: playing the beginning of the tune until the singer or main melody begins; stalling for time by playing the same part you are on at any given moment over and over; playing an extended solo, and the soloist or band leader gives the cue; playing something repetitively while someone is talking. Physical cues: a hand making a circular motion showing to continue what you are doing.

 

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I learned these terms and gestures by being at a gig, having someone say or do something and wondering what was going on—confusion. Sometimes a bandleader, not of a helpful frame of mind, would get mad if someone didn’t know these things. (That’s pretty silly, but people are like that at times!)

If you are a gigging musician and don’t know these—learn them well! If you are an “audience member,” see if you can see musicians say and do these thing on stage next time you see live music.

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