I think there is no substitute for experience but how do you get experience. In the mid 70s I played behind a guy that would simply stand on stage and people would call a song, away he would go. There was no telling what key or anything else, basically you just played and sort of hoped it worked. It usually did but there were two tricks one was to know the song (if not that particular song others of the same ilk) the other was when not to play (if you are really lost then shut up).

Another really great place to learn was in country music clubs (jazz clubs, folk clubs etc all work). Here you would be backing other folk who often had chord charts or whatever but rarely managed to have them correct or would be off singing a song in a different key or in some cases a different song to what was written. Timing could be anywhere from a complete stop start to singing in 3/4 to 4/4 song. Very quickly you learn to adapt, improvise and where chords should go.

These days someone may ask me for a song so I design it in BIAB. I pick a suitable style and enter the chords often taking less than 10 mins to get the basic song down but it is almost instinctive that I know what the next chord should be based on the previous chords and style of music. Sure I’m not always 100% correct but amazingly close most of the time.

My two bobs worth. It is practice, working with others and heaps of experience.

Tony

Last edited by Teunis; 06/08/18 01:24 PM.
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