Comping question

saponsky · #1 07-13-2010, 12:37 PM

I'm more into melodic lines than comping, but now my curiosity is driving me to explore that road. And so, many questions arise. In comping.... are all the chords improvised while the soloist is performing??? Or you have some kind of 'base harmony' and you improvise over that with chord subs or something? I'm confused about it.

fep · #2 07-13-2010, 01:08 PM

I think the answer depends on how advanced you are.

Improvising the harmonies/reharmonizing purely based on a solo would be an extremely advanced level that requires tons of experience and good ears.

Playing mostly what was written on the lead sheet but adding a few subs and changing rhythms, throwing in a riff or two, throwing in some fingerpicking classical style arps etc.... perhaps this is intermediate level. (FWIW, This is where I think I'm at).

Just playing the chords written on the lead sheet, perhaps beginner level.

mr. beaumont · #3 07-13-2010, 01:12 PM

you can improvise voicings, but you play the song. Subs are fine, but you have to be careful--listening is important.

You have to learn how to comp. It's part of being a guitar player, and in most bands, you'll spend most of your time doing it.

monk · #4 07-13-2010, 01:17 PM

It all starts with the song. What you play should refer to and build from the original changes of the song.
Regards,
monk

saponsky · #5 07-13-2010, 01:22 PM

Interesting, I'll definitely dive more into comping. I love how those Bickert and Hall's chords sound so piano-like. Thank you all for your replies.

voelker · #6 07-14-2010, 12:40 AM

harmonized scales in triads

sc06yl · #7 07-14-2010, 01:34 PM

I also love how bickert and hall blow my mind with their voicings and comping ideas. Geoff Younge, another Toronto guy has some great voicings as well as Lorne Lofsky, you should definetly get into his music, I recommend Bill, Please.

TommyD · #8 07-14-2010, 01:54 PM

Learning a tune should start with the tune's chord progression, and you singing the melody over it. Every tune has one, and follow it you must! You can play inversions of the chords, you can play tritone subs, you can play 2 or 3- note chords, 4-note chords, or 5 or 6-note chords, but play the chords you must. They are half of what popular-song composers have done since Tin Pan Alley days and before, the other half being the melody (and lyrics).
And in my opinion, learning the chord progression is the the sine qua non. I will even go farther out on a limb to say that if all you learned was the chord progression, and by some desert-island twist of circumstance, never heard or learned the melody and had to devise one yourself over the chords you learned, that wouldn't be terrible. In fact, it would be the very essence of what we call "jazz". Many compositions penned by jazz players are just that - the most recent example that comes to mind is Peter Bernstein's "Jive Coffee" (Tea For Two).
Well, that's my $0.02

tommy/

paynow · #9 07-14-2010, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TommyD

Learning a tune should start with the tune's chord progression, and you singing the melody over it. Every tune has one, and follow it you must! You can play inversions of the chords, you can play tritone subs, you can play 2 or 3- note chords, 4-note chords, or 5 or 6-note chords, but play the chords you must. They are half of what popular-song composers have done since Tin Pan Alley days and before, the other half being the melody (and lyrics).
And in my opinion, learning the chord progression is the the sine qua non. I will even go farther out on a limb to say that if all you learned was the chord progression, and by some desert-island twist of circumstance, never heard or learned the melody and had to devise one yourself over the chords you learned, that wouldn't be terrible. In fact, it would be the very essence of what we call "jazz". Many compositions penned by jazz players are just that - the most recent example that comes to mind is Peter Bernstein's "Jive Coffee" (Tea For Two).
Well, that's my $0.02

tommy/

Absolutely. A good definition to know:

Contrafact - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sailor · #10 07-14-2010, 09:01 PM

Great advice guys...thanks Tommy D. for such a good answer!!

Sailor

saponsky · #11 07-15-2010, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sc06yl

I also love how bickert and hall blow my mind with their voicings and comping ideas. Geoff Younge, another Toronto guy has some great voicings as well as Lorne Lofsky, you should definetly get into his music, I recommend Bill, Please.

Thanks for the advice I'll definitely check those guys out!
Also thank you all for your definitions and answers.