In contrast to ideas about “expressive playing,” which often emphasize dynamics, emotion, or “playing with feeling,” what if we took a different approach to understanding musicality and musicianship”?
What if playing musically meant having the tools to play in any setting, regardless of whether you have musical notation in front of you?
Many musicians become frustrated with their inability to make music without sheet music or by playing memorized parts.
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They seek to become more functional musicians—able to go beyond reading or playing learned melodies across various styles and situations.
Functional Musicianship: A New Approach
Becoming a more functional musician is learning how to assess and decide what to play in any musical situation where a melody or part is not given to you.
Whether your musical goals are focused on learning one style or many, there’s no doubt you can grow and enjoy music by gaining these skills.
In classical musical educational environments, students are typically taught to focus on technical skills but may not learn skills necessary for functional musicianship, such as learning to accompany others, improvise, and write/arrange their parts for performance.
Functional musicianship involves knowing “what, when, and how” to contribute to the music. It’s the ability to compose or improvise your part in an ensemble, considering melody, harmony, form, and groove.
Accompanying as a Core Skill
If you play a single-note musical instrument like the violin, your early lessons likely focused on playing melodies. You may have been asked to accompany with a written part or memorize a second part by ear.
Most musicians continue playing melodies or accompaniment parts “given” to them. This limits their ability to make spontaneous music in small groups or solo.
Accompaniment, however, is an essential part of developing well-rounded musicianship. Learning to accompany can lead to a deeper understanding of the music and improve your overall musicianship.
The Caretaking Role
Learning to accompany is akin to understanding the caretaker’s essential role in a band. The rhythm section in any band—piano, bass, drums—takes on the responsibility for harmony, time, and groove, much like caretakers in society take responsibility for the people or things they care for.
As an instrumentalist, becoming a functional musician means embracing these caretaker roles and taking responsibility for the groove, form, and harmony. This will deepen your understanding of music and strengthen your connection with fellow musicians. It’s also a great way to win the respect of rhythm section players, which, in turn, will help you get asked back to play more often.
In this sense, playing musically requires understanding music beyond the ability to play a melody- or even to improvise a melody.
Gaining these skills does not require a magic musical gene or a mind inclined toward music theory.
It does require reorienting your focus in practice.
What will the result be when you focus on different musical elements?
You won’t instantly play faster…It will, however, give you the clarity and confidence to Play Musically within your technical ability.
Even extraordinary musicians have limitations. What can make any musician great is their ability to make music within their limitations
Context and Categorization for Learning Music Thoroughly
When approaching accompaniment, several elements must be considered: rhythmic form, instrumentation, and ensemble configuration. Understanding these categories will help you know when and what to play.
- Rhythmic Form: This is different from musical style. It refers to the groove or “beat” that underlies a piece. Rhythmic forms can range from classical dances like waltzes and allegros to jazz grooves like medium swing, 6/8 backbeats, or funk. Understanding rhythmic forms will help you decide how to accompany in various musical situations.
Some common examples of rhythmic forms include:
- Classical Rhythmic Forms: Allegretto, Minuet, Waltz, Allegro, Andante, March, etc.
- Jazz Rhythmic Forms: Medium swing, Uptempo swing, Latin jazz, 6/8 Afro-Cuban, Shuffle, etc.
- Latin Rhythmic Forms: Tango, Salsa, Milonga, Choro, Merengue, Bossa Nova.
- Pop Rhythmic Forms: 4/4 Straight Pop, 12/8 Ballad, Hip Hop groove.
- R&B Rhythmic Forms: Slow Jam, Backbeat, Neo-Soul Groove.
- Gospel Rhythmic Forms: 6/8 Gospel Ballad, Shout, Contemporary Worship Groove.
- Rock Rhythmic Forms: 4/4 Rock Beat, Power Ballad, Heavy Metal Groove.
- Bluegrass Rhythmic Forms: Fast Bluegrass, Bluegrass Waltz, Breakdown.
- Celtic Rhythmic Forms: Jig, Reel, Slip Jig, Hornpipe.
- Flamenco Rhythmic Forms: Bulería, Soleá, Rumba Flamenca, Tangos.
Understanding rhythmic forms in different styles will allow you to adapt to any musical setting. And recognizing that the fundamental harmony remains constant across all these forms makes it easier to navigate between different styles.
In my Easy Tonal Improvisation course, I demonstrate this using Pachelbel’s Canon, by applying the same harmony and showing (simple) deviations to arrange the piece as a Bluegrass, Bossa Nova Reggae, Waltz, and Rock grooves.
The harmony stays the same across these different styles. What changes is the rhythm of the bass and inner voices.
Most musicians make the mistake of focusing on nuances of individual playing such as slides or melodic vocabulary. But it is much easier to learn songs and switch styles at will when you 1. Practice harmony and 2. Learn the foundational roles of bass lines and inner voices.
- Instrumentation and Situation: Your accompaniment or arrangement will depend on the instrumentation and ensemble size. In a duo, you may be responsible for carrying both the melody and harmony, while in a quartet, you may defer specific roles to other musical instruments.
- Arrangement: Knowing how to arrange music is essential for effective accompaniment on any musical instrument. Arranging involves balancing melody, bass, inner voices, and groove. For example, you might trade off roles in a duo, switching between playing bass lines and marking inner voices.
The Role of Musical Emotions
While many define playing musically as expressing the emotions in a piece, knowing how to accompany, compose, arrange, and improvise generates deep knowledge of a piece, which can create confidence, which will help you express the emotional content of music.
The Role of Musical Notation
Although reading musical notation is critical in many contexts, functional musicianship goes beyond just reading what’s written. The ability to accompany often involves improvising parts not written. For example, playing bass lines or inner voices on the fly is a skill that can elevate your role as a musician.
Notation can still be helpful in the form of chord charts or lead sheets, especially with pieces that have longer forms.
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Examples of Style, Situation, and Ensemble Configuration
To illustrate the concepts of functional musicianship, I’ve included some samples of performances to provide real-world examples of the various approaches to creative musical collaboration and accompaniment in different settings and styles. By seeing these concepts applied in context, you’ll gain a clearer understanding of how to implement them in your own musical journey.
Here is a duo with Camille, where we explored an old-time fiddle or bluegrass style using two acoustic violins.
Video: Keeping the Cats Happy by Mark Simos
Observations:
- Camille harmonizes the melody and adds fills.
- I mostly played the melody, occasionally adding chords, simple chops for marking the groove, and long tones or short percussive notes.
Duo with Cellist Stephan Braun: Overjoyed
In this version of “Overjoyed” by Stevie Wonder, Stephan Braun and I came up with an arrangement for violin and cello. To avoid competing in the low register of the cello, I refrained from playing bass lines except for one section. Braun, whose register allowed for natural bass lines, handled that role beautifully.
This quick arrangement also features a change in time signature and a simple bass riff.
And by the way, Stephan teaches with me and Baiju Bhatt in Lausanne, Switzerland at our 4-day Creative Strings Workshop and Festival (happening again in May 2025). The event hosts between 50-100 musicians of varying levels from across Europe to study, perform, and connect.
Trio with Two Violins and Cello (Acoustic)
In this trio with Camille Vogley-Howes and Karl Henry, the three musicians distribute roles of bass, inner voices, and soloing on “Just the two of Us”. (Karl and Camie are among the teaching faculty at our annual summer retreats in Asheville, NC.)
Playing Unaccompanied
Learning to accompany is a good way to become comfortable playing unaccompanied.
As a child, I remember performing concertos or sonatas for family and friends. No matter how well I played the melody, something was always missing without piano accompaniment. The same goes for watching TikTok violinists play popular melodies without harmony—their performances, though impressive, often feel incomplete without harmonic support.
Many musicians spend most of their time practicing melodies unaccompanied, only occasionally playing with a pianist or rhythm section. I make it a point to learn and practice the bass line and harmony of tunes regularly.
This shift in my practice was pivotal. I realized that until I could accompany someone else while they played the melody, I couldn’t fully claim that I knew a piece of music. Practicing bass lines, inner voices, and eventually performing them with a loop pedal or in jam sessions became a standard part of my practice routine.
Though it might seem impractical to practice bass lines or inner voices on the violin (since these are traditionally rhythm section roles), it deepened my relationship with the musical material. Another benefit is that learning to appreciate and emulate the rhythm section leads to gaining respect from those players.
Examples in Practice
For instance, many classical violinists gravitate toward solo Bach pieces because these works simultaneously express melody, harmony, and groove. The below video is an example of arranging Bach with a loop pedal.
On the other hand, it is possible to make music via melodies alone. great fiddle players like Bruce Molsky show us how to convey the essence of a song through deep groove and well-executed melodies unaccompanied. Many old time fiddle tunes are meant to be played unaccompanied.
Comparing and Contrasting Accompaniment Approaches
In the duo performances with Jason Anick below, we alternate between bass lines, inner voices, pizzicato, arco, arpeggiation, double and triple stops, straight chord progressions, and contrapuntal moving lines. We switch roles, adjusting our approach depending on the needs of the moment.
The first video below is a fast minor blues with a swing feel “Mr P.C.” In this we both play walking bass lines. The second video is a slow tune “Georgia on my Mind”. For the accompaniment, we use double and triple stops, alternating between strummed and bowed.
Jason teaches with me at our annual summer retreat in Asheville, NC. During the 4 and 1/2 day retreat, we work with up to 25 players and teachers. Learn more at our summer camp page.
For a different context, this older duo below with Camille (as a teenager) incorporates loop pedals.
Rhythm Section Roles and Musical Caretaking
Over the past several years, I’ve reconsidered my role as a melody player and considered how violinists can take on a rhythm section mindset. Typically, we are accustomed to leading rather than supporting, especially in orchestra or string quartets. But in improvised music and informal settings, where spontaneity and flexibility are essential, support roles are just as important as lead roles.
Rhythm section players act as caretakers for harmony and groove. Becoming effective in these roles and skills starts with the willingness and desire to do it.
By taking on a caretaker role in music, this also leads to more gig opportunities. Learning the chords to songs you play is an essential first step in this journey, and surprisingly, it’s not so difficult if you use a sound approach.
A Lesson in Musical Responsibility
There have been plenty of times when I didn’t know how to do something and asked someone to do it for me. Like tying a tie or filing taxes. Fair enough. We don’t have to learn all skills. On the other hand, at the extreme, it becomes a way of abdicating responsibility, assuming someone else will always handle these tasks.
A memorable experience in Madrid taught me this lesson in a musical context. During a 3 a.m. jam session, I counted in a tune at a blistering tempo. The rhythm section, comprised of an organist and drummer, played through the song for over nine minutes. Afterward, the organist came up to me and said, “If you ever do that again, I’ll punch you in the mouth.”
I later realized that I had put him in a torturous position. I was not sensitive to the position I put him in because I was ignorant about what it required to do the job. After practicing bass lines and comping over tunes, I now understand how hard it is to do it at a fast tempo for nine minutes, and I would not put someone in that position.
Overcoming Alienation and Deepening Connection
When we cut off ourselves from experiencing all sides of life, we become alienated from the fullest/truest version of ourselves. One can become alienated from their children if they don’t take any part in caretaking. On the other hand, if I invest time, I bond with my child and gain a greater understanding of what caretaking entails.
The same goes for playing music. By learning to take responsibility for harmony, groove, and song forms, we foster deeper connections with the music and our bandmates. This leads to a more fulfilling musical experience and a greater sense of confidence and connection.
Music and Social Emotional Learning
In its best form, music is an expression of love and humanity. Whether we play unaccompanied or in ensembles, the act of growing our musical awareness parallels our journey of self-awareness and self-expression.
Get Support in Playing Musically
If you want to become a more functional musician, you can practice with me and others in our community live on Zoom. These sessions serve as a “forcing function” to ensure you dedicate time to practice. Simply block time on your calendar, show up and I, or other teachers, will lead you in a productive, enjoyable practice.
The guided practice sessions allow you to practice alongside others- modifying every exercise to your personal ability- muted with your camera on or off, and you’ll play throughout 95% of the session.
Over regular classes (also available via replay), you’ll learn to improvise, accompany, arrange, and create your own parts to fit into any band or style. Whether you want to jam with others, compose, arrange, or expand your musical versatility in almost any style, these classes will help you enjoy practicing. We even have flexible PWYC options, so it is affordable for anyone, anywhere.
Join our practice and coaching community, Creative Strings Academy.
FAQs on Playing Musically and Functional Musicianship
Q: What’s the first step to becoming a more functional musician?
A: The first step is learning to play all the parts of tunes and songs. Learn to accompany. The best way to confirm if you truly know a song is when you can accompany someone else on a song. Start by understanding chord progressions, bass lines, and the anatomy of grooves and arrangements. I teach this regularly in my classes and courses.
Q: How can I improve my musical interpretation when learning a new piece?
A: Developing musical interpretation involves experimenting with different approaches to dynamics, phrasing, and emotional expression. Start by getting a general feel for the piece, then work through the technical details to convey your intended emotion. This is a common approach to playing musically most often taught in classical music. In our classes, we place our attention on being functional outside of classical music, as I believe that you can do both at the same time.
Q: How does accompanying make me a better soloist?
A: Accompanying trains your ear to listen for harmonic changes and helps you understand the overall structure of a piece. These building blocks will connect your solos to the music and engage the audience and rhythm section.
Q: Can this method work for adult beginners?
A: Absolutely. Even if you are an adult beginner, learning functional musicianship can give you a good foundation for playing musically in any genre or style.
Q: What’s the best way to practice accompaniment skills on a musical instrument?
A: Playing with others in small ensembles, practicing with backing tracks, or using a loop pedal are all effective ways to develop these skills. Participating in master classes or attending live sessions, like my Zoom guided practice sessions, can help you build confidence.
Q: How can playing in different ensemble configurations improve my musicianship?
A: Playing in different ensemble settings, such as duos, trios, or quartets, allows you to explore various roles and develop the ability to adapt musically to others. Each setting provides a unique opportunity to practice harmony, groove, and accompaniment.
Q: Why is learning to play unaccompanied valuable?
A: Playing unaccompanied helps you develop independence and a deeper connection to the music, as you must convey melody, harmony, and rhythm simultaneously. This skill can be practiced in a number of ways, including using loop pedals to create layered parts. Check out my video lessons on loop pedal techniques.
Q: What’s the best way to approach rhythm practice for different musical styles?
A: Each style has unique rhythmic forms, from classical waltz to jazz swing or bluegrass shuffle. To build your rhythm skills, you should focus on identifying the rhythmic structure in each style and practicing along with backing tracks or in ensemble settings (focused on the inner voices and bass lines). I offer specialized rhythm practice and groove workshops in my Zoom classes to help musicians master these techniques.
Q: How does understanding the role of a rhythm section help a melody player?
A: Understanding the rhythm section’s role in a band or ensemble helps you sync better with other musicians and develop a deeper sense of timing and harmony.
Q: How does learning accompaniment deepen my connection to the music?
A: Accompanying requires you to take responsibility for harmony and rhythm, helping you form a deeper bond with the music and your fellow musicians. This awareness also improves your soloing and overall musicality. For more hands-on guidance, check out my live Zoom practice sessions where we work on accompaniment techniques in real time.
