Accompanying another artist on guitar

Last weekend I supported the amazing Jes Stretton in Eden Bar, Manchester and it got me thinking of the rules of a support guitarist and the dos and don’ts. Supporting another artist is a great way to increase your exposure even if you’re not in the spot light and it’s a great way to get some live playing experience without being front and centre which, for the less confident of us, is great. So with no further adieu here are my tips if you think support play could be for you:

1. Don’t steal focus It goes without saying that if you are a ‘support’ act you are not the one people have come to see; so make sure you act like it. If you want to pull out a rocking guitar solo in the middle of their set it maybe worth asking first and you never know they may encourage it but to start with don’t assume you can!
2. Dress appropriately I always struggle with this one! you need to ensure your dress code reflects the artist, people will raise eyebrows if you support a R&B act in a suit or support and jazz artist in baggy jeans and a cap, so go for something subtle, not loud but still your style – see not easy!
3. Work off the artist It’s their set so if they want to change it up from what you’ve rehearsed – say they want to riff for longer than usual or they get to do an additional song it’s your job to keep up and some of the biggest names in session playing make a lot of money in doing this well.
4. Don’t freeze This goes with all performing but if you feel nervous or unsure, voice your concerns early enough so they have enough time for a backup plan. Whoever you are supporting can have a lot riding on the gig and you don’t want to ruin their chances, which feeds onto our next point…
5. Do your prep! Be prepared. I know it’s the scouts motto but it works in this instance too. Learn the songs you’re playing off by heart, inside out and back to front. You want to walk on that stage as relaxed as possible to get the best out of your playing.
6. Check your gear Guitarists are like babies…..they come with a lot of stuff. My best advice is bring backups and check everything. Do you have replacement strings if one goes in rehearsal? Did you forget your leads? How long ago did you replace the batteries in your tuner? All things that could cause serious issues later on.
7. Have stage presence This is a delicate balance of not overshadowing the act but also not standing there like furniture. Enjoy yourself, move with the music, make eye contact with the other artist(s), vibe off each other. All these elements make for a show that people believe and looks way more professional than you staring at your fretboard the whole time.

So there are a few pointers to go off. If you get all these things right it can be an really enjoyable experience to perform without the pressure of being centre stage and just enjoy the music and the audience’s applause…

Click here for a quick look at us jamming out ‘Rocking around the Christmas tree’ and getting the crowd involved which is always great.