This "Mix it up" makes for very interesting conversation, in that it seems that everyone has their own idea of what it means ...
I understand where Donny is coming from, saying that playing the same thing the same way all the time is boring - and perhaps it is for the entertainer - but every 'performance group' from big bands, to rock groups, to the NY Rockettes performs the same routines time after time after time, and that's what the public expects ... I've said before that we saw Sinatra at what was then the Providence Civic Center ... we had great seats and could actually see the monitors he had for his lyrics - even his 'ad libs' were scripted !!! ... I saw an interview with Joe Walsh talking about when he was with the Eagles, and how he used to sweat while playing the solo in "Hotel California", because he KNEW it had to be the same, note for note, every time he played it ... Dave said that when he was in a band, it was all scripted, and tight, and was the same every time they played ... Our band wasn't like that ... we rehearsed, knew what we wanted to do, but each time we did a song, while some parts because of syncopation, harmonies, whatever, were the same, there was some variation ...
And Donny, when you were backing entertainers on cruise ships or concerts, weren't the arrangements always the same? ... did you find that boring?
Well, I don't know where I'm going with all this, just some thoughts on the subject I guess ...

Tony most of our big shows were always a tight
45 min non stopped medley usually two different ones per night
9pm & 11pm. But we all had the freedom
to stay within the songs boundaries and drift off the
chart here and there during a solo or when the need to vamp
while the singers talked to the audiences etc,..
playing with 9 pieces you need to all sync together.
We did many times have to go off script but when your together
so long you can work off each other very well with just a nod or a certain look at each other.
And if someone had an idea we would try to work it into the act and give it a chance to see the audience reaction and then decide
to keep it or not. Heck sometimes I'd end up playing drums or percussion if needed on some songs as my drummer would get sea sick.
Mixing it up to me means having an open mind without blinders on and willing to try different approaches to songs, playing them in many ways using flexible options available to you whatever they may be.
And believe me there are so many in today's world out there for the musician.
The Band days were fun, many great memories.

Stay safe

Sounds just like how our band ran ...



LOL ... our drummer had some stomach issues from birth ... if he was having a bad night he would hit the bass drum loud as a signal for our sax player to jump behind the drums ...



AMEN !!!



The BEST !!!
You also ...

Just listen to the post by known musicians from home. Most are just with keyboard or guitar. Alicia Keys sounds DELICIOUS that way. So do many others.

Russ

Dave, you make it sound that you are right, and you are not right, only half right. The difference comes in that we are listening to different types of music. I am not talking about 12 to 17 piece bands, or all types of music; example Latin and Disco music. Tempos can vary slightly, not 157 to 163, more like 157 t0 159, or 160.

This is one of the things that made my band successful. People would come up to dance a moderate 2step, or up-beat 4/4. Towards the end the tempo moved up gradually, and the band became stronger. People left the dance floor excited. There were times they walked out the door dancing. ----- We did our job well.

Now we are both right, and I feel better, John C.

PS,Backings will always use the same chord in the same place. They will also put excitement in the same place. Boring. But they do have their place. Amen!

Oooooo ... I can't say I agree with inconsistent tempos. As soon as they were good enough to use, I always said that EVERY drummer needed to own a drum machine. Invaluable training tool. I hope you don't think I am saying that a great player on an arranger is better than a great band. I'm not. My reference was to how the soloist plays when fronting a band, or playing over a track .... and just how the audience perceives the result. I'm glad we can both be right - makes for better conversations.