Accompaniment Playing

Join Gary Smith and I as we dig into the accompaniment study song "Used To Be My Baby." This will be our study song for horn lines and organ padding down to the road.

We train to play instrumentals and solo on the harmonica, but 80% of the time on the bandstand we're playing accompaniment (if you're not the singer). Here's a tip for you when another soloist starts their solo.

Don't play the first chorus. This gives them sonic space to do their thing. The second chorus play very sparse. The third chorus start playing a little stronger, helping to build underneath the soloist to assist them in their drive to the climax of their solo. Give this a try, it's very affective. continue reading...