Synthesizing / Backing with horn tones...

[musallio]

Ok, I noticed in the past week that when I synthesize/ back up with the horns I normally play the tenor or alto parts..

I have 2 questions:

which parts do any of you guys use the most or do you variate the parts for a song? How do you really do it:
i) For fast songs?
ii) For slow songs?

& which tones do you use the most?

Another reason I brought this up is because I was playing in a band setup & I was still trying to find the particular key of the song.
I had some notes, but the note I was ending on was leaving me confused, depriving me of just playing freely in the song. This is what was happening:

The song was in the key of A.
Every1 was flowing save for me because I hadn't established what key I was in. I was ending on the C# note for the root, but clearly the other notes I was playing were not of the C#M scale,DM scale, C#m scale or any of the modes I was expecting.
This was after 2 rounds of playing the intro, so the bassist came to me & he was telling me we're in the key of E..I was adamant we weren't because I know that major scale...anyway I played the Emaj scale to prove to him that it wasn't (just added Eb & everything sounded off key!)..
But after a few seconds of confusion it clicked to me that we were in the key of A & I imagined the 1 chord in my mind & it made sense.
From then on, I was made aware that the part I'm backing up with might not necessarily take me to the root note of the key I'm in...(which is why i was kinda confused at 1st).

alright guys, do you take into account what part you are in or do you just follow your ear & play whatever sounds right even if you don't know what key you're in?

[docjohn]

Hey bro,depends on the song,instrument,feel etc.On organ,rhodes,piano try to play chords that support lead lines-fill in the gaps,surrond the sound with some punctuation and not get in singers ways.If your backing horns,using horn patches try a split-bari sax for left hand and trumpets,sax/brass in right hand.That way the REAL horn stands out enough to '"sell the ensemble" effect.I came up in the "dark days of disco and blue note jazz(trumpet and alto)" so that's what I hear.Listen to Tower of power-your still a young man;great tune;also Chicago,Blood,sweat ,tears from about 1968-late 70's.If you have multiple keyboards ;mix up the patches so you have some keys,horns etc coming in and out.Last couple weeks using an XS 6 Motif for horns and organ on top with my trusty Korg M1 for piano,rhodes ,and some factory "stacks" be blessed

[musallio]

Thanks for the suggestions doc, I'll try some out & more & see the outcome

[docjohn]

Also,check out jazz organist like Jimmy Smith,Charles EArland,Jimmy Mcgriff,Joey defrancesco to name a few on u-tube clips.See how they play behind they band,lot of times in jazz groove-organ is playing sort of horn parts,especially in trio setting-drums,guitar,organ

[musallio]

^^
Great suggestions sir..
I really needed this..
Backing up is such a unique art on its own--it teaches one to hear harmonies other than what most people would be hearing..SO I need to sharpen my harmonizing skills..
Thanks a great deal doc..
More suggestions are welcome.