comping for beginners

[rafapak]

hi guys

can you recommend any coursebooks, online articles, videos etc that teach about comping for beginners. I would like to learn what comping is all about.

any comments will be highly appreciated

[Bill C]

consider Barry Galbraith's book "Guitar Comping" ...

[rafapak]

Originally Posted by Bill C

consider Barry Galbraith's book "Guitar Comping" ...

thanks bill

[randalljazz]

Amazon.com: Jazz Guitar Comping (9780970057648): Andrew Green: Books

author's website:

ChopsFactory-Jazz Guitar

[gersdal]

I've had a hard time finding a good book on comping. All too many books are about voicings, but do not show how to use these voicings in actual comping situations. Other books is all about substitutions and reharmonization, but still say little about how to use all this stuff.

Andrew Green's book is the best I've seen, but still that is not satisfying in my opinion. When I get to the examples I can hear that they are cool, but I'm still left with quite a few "why is he doing that" questions.

[gersdal]

I made this mind-map on my notes from studying comping some time ago. I hpoe that is helpfull.

PS. I'd appreciate comments on the mind-map.

[SteveCarter]

Excellent mindmap! A very good summary of many possibilities.

Steve

[JohnW400]

Wow, looks good.

Where's the part that says you can go to the bar and get a beer while the sax player goes for his 17th chorus on "Body and Soul" ?

[gersdal]

Thanks for your comment Steve.

Originally Posted by JohnW400

Wow, looks good.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by JohnW400

Where's the part that says you can go to the bar and get a beer while the sax player goes for his 17th chorus on "Body and Soul" ?

It's indicated above "voiceleading"

[derek]

That is really cool, thanks for posting. What software created that?

[randalljazz]

Originally Posted by gersdal

I've had a hard time finding a good book on comping. All too many books are about voicings, but do not show how to use these voicings in actual comping situations. Other books is all about substitutions and reharmonization, but still say little about how to use all this stuff.

Andrew Green's book is the best I've seen, but still that is not satisfying in my opinion. When I get to the examples I can hear that they are cool, but I'm still left with quite a few "why is he doing that" questions.

brother gh, you have to do it to get it.

[Sailor]

LOVE the mind map...brilliant!! It's nice to see innovative approaches to art.

Sailor

[randalljazz]

the best guide to comping is to listen to great compers. red garland (and bill evans) on the 50's miles davis recordings; horace silver; wynton kelly and mccoy tyner with 'trane; hank jones anywhere; jimmy rowles on zoot recordings from the 70's.

[oldstevieg]

off your topic but any chance of telling me the software you used for the mindmap, my daughter was looking over my shoulder, ( cos not pos ) and thought it was in her words way cool.
thanks in advance
oldstevie

[gersdal]

Re program: I used Mind Manager (http://www.mindjet.com/), but I do stick to version 3.5 because I can't make the mind maps like I want on newer versions. The new versions are cool too.

[gersdal]

Originally Posted by randalljazz

brother gh, you have to do it to get it.

Thanks. Yes, I know

Originally Posted by randalljazz

the best guide to comping is to listen to great compers. red garland (and bill evans) on the 50's miles davis recordings; horace silver; wynton kelly and mccoy tyner with 'trane; hank jones anywhere; jimmy rowles on zoot recordings from the 70's.

Agree!

[bird.land]

Originally Posted by rafapak

hi guys

can you recommend any coursebooks, online articles, videos etc that teach about comping for beginners. I would like to learn what comping is all about.

any comments will be highly appreciated

Here's a good beginners book with dvd. He takes you through the whys and wherefores... very accessible
Mel Bay presents Basic Jazz Rhythm Guitar: Comping in the Freddie Green Style In the Pocket: Amazon.co.uk: Corey Christiansen: Books

The cover is different than my version but it seems to be the same book.

[rafapak]

Originally Posted by bird.land

Here's a good beginners book with dvd. He takes you through the whys and wherefores... very accessible
Mel Bay presents Basic Jazz Rhythm Guitar: Comping in the Freddie Green Style In the Pocket: Amazon.co.uk: Corey Christiansen: Books

The cover is different than my version but it seems to be the same book.

hi bird
thanks for recommendation

I read somewhere that in today's jazz people don't comp in freddie green style anymore. It was said that nowadays guitarists emulate pianists in their comping and comp in different way. Do you bird and the rest of you guys share this opinion?

[musicjohnny]

Of course.
Fred Green did the straight 4's comping style, and you'll rarely see/hear guys do that anymore. It's all about jazzin' things up when you play jazz(lol). Which I interpret as just being creative and innovative each time you play. Funk the rhythm up, use dif. extensions, inversions, etc.

[bird.land]

Originally Posted by rafapak

hi bird
thanks for recommendation

I read somewhere that in today's jazz people don't comp in freddie green style anymore. It was said that nowadays guitarists emulate pianists in their comping and comp in different way. Do you bird and the rest of you guys share this opinion?

Yeah, people add/subtract notes and use different extensions but I feel that to get there you need this stuff as a foundation. I reckon this is a good building block and in the Video the guy points out that once you have the idea down you can come up with your own voicings.

He shows how the chords are made and how to give movement to the backup and suggests ways of altering the chords. Also, the dvd suggests ways of familarising yourself with the changes and how to make your backbeat more percussive.

Personally I found it to be a good launching pad. Good luck

[abracadabra]

awesome mind-map

now all you need to do is put it on a website, make all the topics into links, and add lessons for each one. then you'd have the best ever comping website!

[steev]

Hi Guys,
creating an unaccompanied piece for guitar from "The Real Book" is really tough. I have been struggling for months and often look back on my earlier efforts and cringe. I too, look at what others have written and think how the hell did they get that. It would be nice to have some hard and fast rules to start with before you get to the solo part.

[gersdal]

Originally Posted by abracadabra

awesome mind-map

now all you need to do is put it on a website, make all the topics into links, and add lessons for each one. then you'd have the best ever comping website!

Thanks for your comment. I'll think about it

[Bluesguy]

Originally Posted by steev

Hi Guys,
creating an unaccompanied piece for guitar from "The Real Book" is really tough. I have been struggling for months and often look back on my earlier efforts and cringe. I too, look at what others have written and think how the hell did they get that. It would be nice to have some hard and fast rules to start with before you get to the solo part.

You mean like chord melodies or just something interesting on guitar that goes with the changes? THere is the whole thread on chord melodies with lots of ideas

[gusgtr]

Two of my favorite books on comping,etc are Jim Ferguson's "All Blues for Jazz Guitar" and "Contemporary Chord Khancepts" by Steve Khan. There's enough stuff in there to keep you going for quite awhile.