How to add flavour to my comping? (Frustrated)

**larryb** · 11-17-2012, 10:06 AM

Reg, Mr. Beaumont, and others.....tell me if you think this is a reasonable long term approach to developing good comping skills.

1) Take any one jazz tune and practice comping using chords in only one voicing on one set of strings. For example, root in the bass using top 4 strings, then root in the bass using strings 2,3,4, 5, then root in the bass using strings 1, 3, 4, 5.

2) Using same tune, keep root in the bass, but vary the string combinations based upon efficiency of movement and what sounds good.

3) Do the same process (1 and 2 above) for each chord voicing. So, do 1 and 2 (above) with the 3rd in the bass, the 5th in the bass and the 7th in the bass.

4) Mix it all up (all the voicings and all string combinations) based upon efficiency of movement and what sounds good.

I realize that would entail a huge amount of time for any one song, but for the sake of really learning a whole bunch of chord forms and getting a feel for what works and sounds good for comping, does that seem like a reasonable plan?

Like others, I am constantly open to suggestion and trying to find a systematic way to advance my playing. Would love to hear your response to the above practice plan. Thanks in advance.

**bako** · 11-17-2012, 11:04 AM

Maintaining the same inversion type for all chords of a song will not yield the best musical result.

The purpose of such activity is to consolidate your knowledge of these chord forms and awareness of which inversion is being played.
I would suggest string groups 6543/5432/4321 first then 6432/5321. These constitute the common guitar voicing types.

Using a permutation tool that Jake of this forum posted about, here is the total package of 4 string possibilities

6 5 4 3
6 5 4 2
6 5 4 1
6 5 3 2
6 5 3 1
6 5 2 1
6 4 3 2
6 4 3 1
6 4 2 1
6 3 2 1
5 4 3 2
5 4 3 1
5 4 2 1
5 3 2 1
4 3 2 1

**larryb** · 11-17-2012, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by bako

Maintaining the same inversion type for all chords of a song will not yield the best musical result.

Yes, agreed. I was unclear. I meant using my approach above, as you say, a means to understand the inversions so that when I really focus on the music I would have at least somewhat of a collection of chord choices from which to select.

**Reg** · 11-17-2012, 11:16 AM

Hey Larryb

Learning tunes and learning to comp are two different subjects.
So... No. I know most say learn the tunes and you'll learn how to play.
I don't come from that school... (and I can Play)

Like I always say... learn to comp. That means develop a set of basic chords, jazz chords built on root 6,5 and 4... your low three strings.

These become your reference, your default comping system. They become internal... everything else builds from that reference...

I think of the roots with the position scales imposed over those roots... I can play any chord... inversion or any type of voicing with reference to the root.... I'm always aware of what I'm playing and what that chord is in reference to.

You need to develop the skill of comping separate from learning tunes... otherwise it becomes a giant pool of chords thrown into an unorganized system of comping ... which is what it generally sounds like.

Sure sometimes certain chord patterns you have learned work... you get lucky.

It doesn't take that long to build your reference sets of chords. Learning how to comp from learning tunes takes years...

You will also get your fretboard awareness together... another skill most don't have... learning how to comp from playing tunes is like learning the alphabet from learning words.

I don't need to look and think about playing tunes... I can just play, I think about what type of concept and application I want to use. I don't need to rehearse etc...

Once you have your basic organizational system together, (the basic set of chords built on your lower three strings with the ability to drop or impose position scale templates for reference to additional notes).
You will develop Chord Patterns, short collections of chords that will reflect the Tonal area of single chords. You will also develop lead lines, the top notes of those chord patterns...

So from that one chord... You'll have the option of playing a chord Pattern(s) with optional lead lines. Different chord patterns and different lead lines imply different tonal areas....

This will all become internalized, but instead of one chord, you have many options... all with reference to an organized system of comping.

You'll be comping in a jazz style.
Reg

**larryb** · 11-17-2012, 11:21 AM

Thanks Reg. I really appreciate the detailed response.

**graham-o-phone** · 12-02-2012, 11:59 PM

great video Reg. Lots of help from that.

I'm pretty new to learning this style properly, but picking it up pretty quickly it seems.

I haven't learned many songs in this style but - am I right that the changes are basically key changes and one can then riff around the minor-ii, 7v and i of the various keys? Is that more or less how this music works? Sorry if this is a clueless question, but as I said....

I've been working on that video for, oh, 2+ hours now, after working with the following series all yesterday:

Noticing a huge difference now

**Reg** · 12-03-2012, 08:23 AM

Hey graham...

Somewhat... there are the basic changes, the chords, and usually a melody which also fits into the equation.

And then... yes, you can then add and use your riffs, or chords and chord patterns. Chords patterns are like riffs but with chords under the single note riff. They become part of your style of comping. They change to fit the context, whatever tune your playing.

I don't think George worries about all the technical BS... and the end result has always been as good as it gets. But he also does have his collection of riffs or chord patterns... always one of my favorite guitarists...

Reg

**jtizzle** · 12-03-2012, 06:55 PM

I'll be one of the few to not recommend books. You can easily do exercises that will help you internalize it easier since you can "discover" it yourself.
Take any chord quality and any root letter.
With whatever you choose, say, Cmaj7, spell it out, maybe even in paper if you have to. Also spell out the diatonic notes from it's scale. You want to work out a vocing with every scale note, while having the rest of the scale notes in the voicing you spelled out in the chord, however, you can replace the 5ths or roots for other nonchord tones, but try to do only one change (so if you change the root, keep the 5th, or vice versa) unless necessary. Try different exercises rather than just working them in scale wise position, improvise with them in rubato form by making up melodies, just like if you were soloing.
You can also work out triads after that in terms of upper structures and stuff. Basically take any scale and chord and work out the diatonic triads.
There's a lot more harder and out stuff but that's the basics. A fun thing to try is to take horn trip albums (horn bass and drums, no chord instrument) and comp to that. Listen to the soloist and base your melodies off that.
The key to making your comping flavorful are three things: groove, melody, and tension, and exactly in that order. If you have a great groove and are locked in with the rhythm section, you don't need a strong melody if it will throw you off a groove, but when you can play chorded melodies while comping, especially if you're playing off the soloist, it'll make everything sound way better. Tension (and release) just like soloing, is also a great part of comping. Just like a bass player will play pedal tones to raise the tension and make the release a climax, there are ways for a guitarist to heighten tension to a release, which will also add some nice flavors to your playing. Using alterations in your comping, or reharmonizations can heighten tension. A fun or, for example, is during a pedal tone, playing ascending augmented triads based on the parent whole tone scale (having the dominant chord act as a 7#5). There's some more cool stuff, just listen!

**AleikhBaba** · 12-04-2012, 02:55 PM

I recently got into the Palette chart, as conceptualized by Jon Damian from Berklee (outlined in his book, "Guitarists Guide to Composing & Improvising"). It's basically is a system of organizing 3-note voicings/clusters. Great tool to draw from and use while comping (or even for single line playing). Some of the "seeds" sound rather colorful while some fit right into the standard bag.