Back-up Fiddling

Back up fiddling differs from back up guitar playing. The guitar player backs up the singing by playing chords, creating a framework of sound that surrounds and gives added meaning to the song.

The fiddle is a melodic instrument that emulates the human voice. That's one reason it's so popular. Our back up playing uses this quality. What can we do to enhance the performance of a singer-guitar player?

The first thing to learn in this situation is the melody. The long ago tradition in folk music had the fiddle player playing the melody quietly at the same time the singer was rendering her heartfelt evocation of the song.

Being unobtrusive is the key skill. Covering the sound of a singer is strictly forbidden. The offense is punishable by banning and exile from the universe of folk music.

When you get a break, then you play out and add some fiddle embellishment to the melody. You sound very accomplished when you do this. You will not offend anyone who has real musical taste.

Going beyond this basic starting point, there are three areas to explore. Here is the list in order of difficulty:
1. Rhythm back up.
2. Fills
3. Harmony and Underscoring

Each of these approaches has its own rules and technique. Mastering them takes time and practice. Playing in a band, even a duo, is the only way you can really gain this ability.

Bluegrass fiddlers have a favorite rhythmic chop that is truly a chop. They strike and brush the strings with the part of the bow hair that is close to the frog.

The effect is similar to the rhythm chop of mandolin players. The sound is on the off beats and reinforces the rhythmic drive of bluegrass music.

For that kind of sound I prefer working down the bow towards the last third where I play most of the time anyway. I keep the bow on the string and move it back and forth with a slight accent where I want to create syncopation or an off beat accent.

This is not as percussive and aggressive as the chop, but it has flexibility. By keeping the bow on the string at the most useful part of the bow, you are ready to play a fill, a harmony part or dig in and play a solo. You are already where you need to be.

The great thing about working with a singer is this: they have to take a breath sometime. When they do, it's your chance to play a fill. You are filling in a hole in the music.

Of course, you take turns with other soloists for this. But when it is your turn, you can create a short melodic pattern that holds the interest of the listener and moves the song forward.

This is not the chance to show astonishing virtuosity. A good player is bound on one side by cliché and the other side by "what the heck is he doin'?"

Knowing what to do for fills comes from listening to good fiddlers and imitating, trying stuff out in practice, having some chops in your chop bank.

Typically you have just a few beats in which to create interest. Then you get out of the way. Don't keep noodling indefinitely like you hear sometimes in bluegrass music.

If you know where the song is going after your fill...(of course you do), then lead into the part. Set it up. Make it sound like the logical outcome of what you just played.

When it comes to playing close harmony with the singer the fiddle begins to imitate its classy cousin the violin. A singing tone is useful for this.

The aim should be a beautiful tone that supports the individual nuance of the singer without making a challenge for dominance. Yes, when the singer is not that great, it's tempting, but don't overshadow, it's impolite.

Another move you can do is quite sophisticated. You can underscore the melody with a simple melodic line that contrasts and echoes the singer's melody.

This is a common move in country music where they "cue the strings." Then you hear a symphonic section playing a high melodic line. This is advanced, of course, when it really is up in the stratosphere of the violin. But, it can also be in the more customary range.

The trick is to find an element of phrasing that suggests the singer's part or somehow supports it. You can echo the figure, invert it or tweak it just a little. Your musical taste and ability is the final say to pull this off.