Short Frank Vignola lesson on comping rhythm changes

[MarkRhodes]

A new study group started up last week. The members are working on Frank Vignola's etudes on rhythm changes. (3 volumes, published by Mel Bay; we're starting with volume one and anyone interested is welcome to join us. See link below.) In the books that come with the etudes, Frank doesn't talk about comping. So I sent him an email asking about favorite grips or asking if maybe he had a link to some standard grips he used /recommended. He responded by making this video (just under four minutes) and okayed my sharing it.

I thought that was generous of him. For such a big name player---and sought-after teacher---he took some of his time to do something nice for us. Yay, Frank!

The study group may be reached here (you might want to 'fast forward' to page 3)
Frank Vignola Rhythm Changes

[TOMMO]

I thought that was generous of him. For such a big name player---and sought-after teacher---he took some of his time to do something nice for us. Yay, Frank!

He must be pretty busy and taking the time to do this! What a great guy

[Bluedawg]

Nice!

[BFrench]

Frank is one heck of a player and guy! I've been studying all his truefire courses and he is such a great teacher. I shot him an email on his site awhile back saying how much I was benefiting from his courses. He replied with an email that was super nice saying how much it meant to him to hear from me and so glad that he had been helpful. What a great guy.

[Rob MacKillop]

Wow, one of the gods comes down from Parnasus to help us mere mortals. Amazing. Good stuff too. Interesting comment about just thinking I - V chords for soloing over for the A section. Thank You, Mr Vignola!

[mr. beaumont]

Well, he always comes off as a regular dude who's enjoying life and is an all around cool cat. Appears that's true!

As for I-V on the A of RC, at fast tempos that's the only way I can hang! Sometimes it's I(blues) and V too.

[MarkRhodes]

Wow, one of the gods comes down from Parnasus to help us mere mortals. Amazing. Good stuff too. Interesting comment about just thinking I - V chords for soloing over for the A section. Thank You, Mr Vignola!

Frank's a very down-to-earth guy. A busy guy----he plays over 150 gigs a year and is constantly coming up with new lessons, as well as handling private students---but a nice guy. He knows a lot and has played with everyone from Bucky Pizzarelli, Les Paul, Wynton Marsalis, and Tommy Emmanuel to Donald Fagen, the Boston Pops and Madonna (!) but there's nothing pretentious about him. He practices a lot and emphasizes learning tunes. If you ever wonder if there really are over 100 ways to finger a C major scale, Frank will tell you there are and that he has found them. (He seems to delight in finding as many ways as possible to finger scales, melodies, patterns...)

What I love most about his playing is that he has a great tone and feel. (He plays with mostly downstrokes because he thinks it produces a better tone.) His lines are singable. Catchy, swinging, but never corny.

[Rob MacKillop]

I've been a fan since his banjo days with Eddy Davis, The Manhattan Minstrel...that's going back a bit.

[tonyp145]

That was really generous of him to do that for you guys and smart. In the new music industry you have to develop a loyal fan base who will buy tix to your shows, merch, lessons -- whatever you can monetize. I really admire the guys who understand the new reality and work it. Maybe next time I'm looking for something to study I'll buy one of his TrueFire courses or inquire about individual instruction. I think I also heard he's doing a gypsy jazz guitar camp this summer, that would be cool. Anyway my point is we could all take a lesson from Frank. ;-)

[DanielleOM]

I noticed the section of the video where he moved to chords on the lower strings. This is not something that I have really developed myself, although I do it sometimes, for the odd passing chord. I do wonder if this really works well for a duet situation with a bass player. With a bass player I try not to wander into the bass territory. Any thoughts?

[MarkRhodes]

I noticed the section of the video where he moved to chords on the lower strings. This is not something that I have really developed myself, although I do it sometimes, for the odd passing chord. I do wonder if this really works well for a duet situation with a bass player. With a bass player I try not to wander into the bass territory. Any thoughts?

That kind of comping is usually done on three strings----the low E, the D and the G. That's the style. It's usually not played loud. (The old saying is "the rhythm guitar should be felt, not heard.") So it shouldn't interfere with the bassist. (I don't know where the idea came from that only the bass player is allowed to play the root---says who?) It's good for accompanying a singer. Here's John Pizzarelli doing some of it---and he's playing a 7-string guitar, so he can go a lot lower than us six-string players.)

Here is John doing "I Got Rhythm" with a bass player. (You know, Frank has played with John's dad Bucky Pizzarelli many times; I don't know if he and John have done much together. Have to look...)

[MarkRhodes]

The older I get, the more I enjoy this style of comping. When done right, it's a swingin' delight.

[goldenwave77]

I always thought he should do a type of Homer and Jethro act. H and J were kind of cornball, but the mandolin player (and I can never remember if it was Homer or Jethro), was one of the top mando players in the world, and the other guy, the guitarist, was no slouch either.


And Frank V. is scary good, as a rhythm player (and also as lead). A little less cornball humor, a lot more serious music, and he could be seriously entertaining, in a duo setting, with a little banter.

[grahambop]

And Frank V. is scary good, as a rhythm player (and also as lead). A little less cornball humor, a lot more serious music, and he could be seriously entertaining, in a duo setting, with a little banter.

He already does exactly that, with Vinny Raniolo.

[goldenwave77]

Have to check it out.

[MarkRhodes]

I always thought he should do a type of Homer and Jethro act. H and J were kind of cornball, but the mandolin player (and I can never remember if it was Homer or Jethro), was one of the top mando players in the world, and the other guy, the guitarist, was no slouch either.


And Frank V. is scary good, as a rhythm player (and also as lead). A little less cornball humor, a lot more serious music, and he could be seriously entertaining, in a duo setting, with a little banter.

I remember Homer and Jethro. I got a kick out of 'em.
As for Frank, he often performs with Vinny Raniolo (-as well as with Tommy Emmanuel an with Bucky Pizzarelli, though not as often.) Here's one of their crowd pleasers:

[whiskey02]

I noticed the section of the video where he moved to chords on the lower strings. This is not something that I have really developed myself, although I do it sometimes, for the odd passing chord. I do wonder if this really works well for a duet situation with a bass player. With a bass player I try not to wander into the bass territory. Any thoughts?

I asked this exact question to the last bassist I played a duo with and he was quick to say this is a bass and that's a guitar, you're never going to be in the same range as me, play anything you want. Now if he was at the high end of his fingerboard on the g string I might try to avoid the first few frets of my E string. As always, be direct and just ask.

[MarkRhodes]

I asked this exact question to the last bassist I played a duo with and he was quick to say this is a bass and that's a guitar, you're never going to be in the same range as me, play anything you want.

That's refreshing! Glad to hear it.