Playing back-up literally means: backing-up, supporting the members of your band (or your musical friends at a jamsession). Backing-up means stapping away from the spotlights and supporting the musician that is playing lead. Banjoplayers (or bluegrassmusicians in general) are playing backup 95% of the time (more or less). This means that you have to give some attention to your backup, because it cannot be neglected. There are a lot of different backup-styles and eventually you will come up with your own ideas and style. But before that happens you have to play and practice back-up. A very good book for beginners and advanced is Back-up banjo by Janet Davis. Learn to play back-up, up-the-neck and down-the-neck. Over 250 back-up patterns which can be used to accompany any song. 30 plus songs, each with lead arrangements and several back-up arrangements. The book comes with cd and dvd, or with cd or dvd; your choice.
But how can you support fellow musicians with your playing? It’s not as difficult as you may think, but the most important thing is to develop the ability to listen to the rest of the musicians. ‘The best band is the one that has musicians working to produce a whole, rather than ‘every man for himself’ with each one trying to show how much he knows’, according to John Hickman.
Take a look at http://www.elfshot.com/banjo/info_backup.htm for some more advice on back-up.
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