F Blues Comp

[Basshead]

Hey fellas, Im trying to improve my f blues comp, for whatever reason seems more difficult than Bb blues for me, please check out this first try, let me know what you think, work in progress here

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1154400026824551

[Christian Miller]

Hey fellas, Im trying to improve my f blues comp, for whatever reason seems more difficult than Bb blues for me, please check out this first try, let me know what you think, work in progress here

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1154400026824551

Sounds good.

Here’s a good exercise - have a think about what context you are comping for
- what instrument
This will make decisions about what register you comp in
- is there a bass or is a duo?
Do you need to cover the bass/clearly stare the time or can you be a little bit more sparse?

It’s good to comp with a solo. You can record the solo first and then comp for it.

Quartet app has some nice recorded solos you can comp for. It has alto, tenor sax, flute, trumpet and guitar

[brent.h]

To me, the jazz guitarist's role depends on who's there in the band and who's not there.

1. When it comes to comping, the question I ask is, "Is there a bassist or drummer?"

If both are absent, then the kind of comping that I would do is 'tight comping'. Just basic timekeeping, i.e. just laying down the pulse or a repetitive rhythm/groove for the soloist.

If one of them is present, then they'll handle the timekeeping, and I will do 'loose comping', which any kind of rhythm that fits the situation. The voicings can be big or small. The important thing is to interact or support the soloist.

2. When it comes to soloing, the question I ask is, "Is there a pianist or guitarist?"

If both are absent, I will play a 'tight soloing' style, a few lines then rest and punctuate with chords.

If either one is present, then I'm free to solo however I want and interact with the chordal players.

--------------

What you posted, I see that as 'loose comping'.

It's hard for me to fully appreciate what you're doing because two reasons.

A) There's no bass or drum behind you to keep time. I can't hear what you're playing against.

B) There's no soloist in front of you. I can't see/hear how you are supporting, reacting, setting him/her up to play something, etc.
Also, because you are doing this alone, you can use unlimited chords and rhythms. But when you play with others, you can't play busy like this because it will get in the way of the soloist.

Maybe video yourself playing with some jazz musicians? Then the more experienced members here can help?

Lastly, like what Christian said, you have to consider the who you're playing with. To my ears, those high voicings won't work when you are playing with another guitar, alto sax, trumpet, or female vocalist. It might work with tenor sax or male vocalist.

[Basshead]

Ok thanks, I understand, Im playing against a basic loop you cant hear and Im just trying to connect some ideas I got from Benson, Wes transcriptions and few other lessons from this site. I actually can do the whole thing with walking bass too but is too obvious and its true that if you try to play against a billies bounce or similar recording or even some BT you normally play way less.

Am i ready to go to a jam session and play lets say billies bounce with a couple of horn players? thats my next goal, hopefully they dont kick me out of the jam LOL

So I take notes, keep in the lower register and maybe use Freddie Green voicing more often instead of this type of fat philly chords with Wes type fills...right?

[brent.h]

Yeah, guide-tone chords (2-note chords on the D and G strings) will work quite well from my experience. Easy to play. Allows you to move and react fast. Quite safe in terms of register/range for most instruments.

[AllanAllen]

I agree with everything brent.h said.

What’s the jam session like? Pro thing in NYC, or a bunch of hobbyists at a brewery? I can tell you from being in the latter, you’re ready.

[pawlowski6132]

Ok thanks, I understand, Im playing against a basic loop you cant hear and Im just trying to connect some ideas I got from Benson, Wes transcriptions and few other lessons from this site. I actually can do the whole thing with walking bass too but is too obvious and its true that if you try to play against a billies bounce or similar recording or even some BT you normally play way less.

Am i ready to go to a jam session and play lets say billies bounce with a couple of horn players? thats my next goal, hopefully they dont kick me out of the jam LOL

So I take notes, keep in the lower register and maybe use Freddie Green voicing more often instead of this type of fat philly chords with Wes type fills...right?

of course, go play. Unless they’re are a bunch of assholes people will be happy to have you there playing whatever.

while the advice here is not wrong it’s just way overkill and way overthinking it. It’s just the blues. You can’t really screw it up just play whatever comes to your head and what you feel

maybe a little too busy, but that’s just my opinion

[rpjazzguitar]

Brent said it. Need to hear this with a bassist or backing track with bass.

Assuming the time is fine (which will be easier to hear with a bass track), then you're ready to go to a jam.

Which means, you're good enough to get your a** handed to you if it's that kind of jam. Think of it as a rite of passage.

What you might want to think about is that there may be a pianist at that jam who may not play F blues the same way you do and the piano is unlikely to follow your lead. So be prepared to listen to the piano and bass to make sure you're playing compatible changes . Then, you'll probably have to fit in around the piano comp which means all your carefully prepared things might not work.

Then, judging by my experience with jams, the tempos may be way faster than you like or prepared for. At that point your medium tempo ideas may not work and you have to figure out a sparser way to play.

First order of business is solid time. Then consider playing sparsely - who ever asks a guitarist to play more notes? If you're on target for the rhythm and your changes work, that'll be a pretty good jam.

[AllanAllen]

Which means, you're good enough to get your a** handed to you if it's that kind of jam. Think of it as a rite of passage.

This is not the vibe of any jam I’ve been to. Even though I was led to believe it was common.

[rpjazzguitar]

This is not the vibe of any jam I’ve been to. Even though I was led to believe it was common.

I've experienced it. To be clear, it's not that anybody is going to be verbally rude. It's that the songs may develop in a way that you can't keep up with. IME, nobody dumbs it down.

[pamosmusic]

Something about the syncopations here … it’s hard to find the time without a click or a drummer.

I think simple riff rhythms played a couple times in a row, then varied, are a little more common than we like to think. Spontaneity and creativity are a little overrated in this context.

The voicings themselves sound great.

[Basshead]

Cheers guys, yeah its true that some jams feel a bit uninvited but I know the guys of this one and they being asking me to go for ages and I was not really into standards much all this 2025, I was more with my own compositions so Im a bit rusty to jump on confirmation, all the things you are, billies bounce, tenor madness, blue bossa...and I know those tunes for ever but if you are in composition mode as I was all this past year then is like... oh boy...I dont feel like going straight to a jam, I need to practice those tunes beforehand.

[AllanAllen]

Dude, you need to lose that reservation. The stakes aren't that high, play your prepared blues comp on Bilies Bounce and Tenor Madness. Blue Bossa is just a coupla ii V I progressions stuck together. Crack out iReal if you have to, everyone else does.

You know who never looks at iReal? Guys who sit at home complaining on the internet while watching pedal reviews on youtube. Be wary of who you get your principles from.

The only way to get it together is to get out there and play music.