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Article: Performance Notes: Finding Space in a Big Band.(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- Guitar Player
- Article date:
- September 1, 1999
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 New Bay Media. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Since the advent of the power trio, guitarists have been on a quest to fill space. Bigger amps, fatter tones, and busier parts have all been used to prevent the band from sounding "empty." The recent resurgence of swing and big-band music, however, presents a unique challenge to guitar players who must now work to find space in a mix crowded with horns and keyboards.
"I act as the glue between the instruments," says guitarist Josh Workman of Indigo Swing. "And I'll fit into the band sound by switching between rhythm parts, horn lines, and solos. For rhythm, I usually keep my guitar volume rolled back and play in a four-to-the-bar pattern to lay a solid foundation ...