Difference between a major chord and major 7 chord?

[Reg]

The original real book... wasn't even called the real book, was and still is just a tool to help remember tunes. They are just a starting references. So players who don't know tunes have a starting point.

They serve their purpose... Most jazz players make quick head arrangements just before they play a tune. A quick verbal arrangement as a starting reference for playing the tune. A simple example... Well You Needn't.... which bridge, Monk or Miles. (obviously... you'd hear).

Eventually playing chords or comping ... becomes much more that just choosing "one" chord. You play chord patterns... series of chords that imply what or where the harmony is going. Part of comping is knowing how to set up harmonic Targets. And part of that is melodic organization....

Obviously this doesn't have much to do with OP. But I've always believed is better to have an understanding of where you might want to get as a player before you work on getting there.

[AllanAllen]

The original real book... wasn't even called the real book, was and still is just a tool to help remember tunes. They are just a starting references. So players who don't know tunes have a starting point.

They serve their purpose... Most jazz players make quick head arrangements just before they play a tune. A quick verbal arrangement as a starting reference for playing the tune. A simple example... Well You Needn't.... which bridge, Monk or Miles. (obviously... you'd hear).

Eventually playing chords or comping ... becomes much more that just choosing "one" chord. You play chord patterns... series of chords that imply what or where the harmony is going. Part of comping is knowing how to set up harmonic Targets. And part of that is melodic organization....

Obviously this doesn't have much to do with OP. But I've always believed is better to have an understanding of where you might want to get as a player before you work on getting there.

Hey Reg, now that we're past the holidays. Do you have time to make a Birks Works comping video?

[Christian Miller]

You say this, but one of my favourite things at the moment in music is John McLaughlin copying Keith Jarrett on 'Funky Tonk'. I guess McLaughlin at the time was not a veteran, but whether he was or not is besides the point. The point is the music is incredibly awesome.

It starts happening at around 3:35 -

yeah don’t take that as a cast iron rule. People do that stuff all the time. It’s a thing. Too much of it can be a troll though.

I mean the sort of thing where you are playing a dotted quarter pattern or a tritone sub or something and the rhythm section joins in. Destroys the effect. Which was the context of rp’s comment on comping.

Maybe should have said ‘interaction isn’t necessarily about joining’ - my bad. The point is big ears are about hearing the whole picture. Easier said than done.

[Christian Miller]

Hey Reg, now that we're past the holidays. Do you have time to make a Birks Works comping video?

Birks doesn’t work

[rpjazzguitar]

I had an opportunity to play with Amilton Godoy (I was a student) and we jammed. At one point I ended a song by playing a note that was pretty much a clam. Embarrasing. Amilton then played a chord so perfect that it made my clam sound like a work of art.

So, to my short list of comping dicta I could add "make my clams sound great".

[James W]

Here's a great comping story.

I had an opportunity to play with Amilton Godoy (I was a student) and we jammed. At one point I ended a song by playing a note that was pretty much a clam. Embarrasing. Amilton then played a chord so perfect that it made my clam sound like a work of art.

So, to my short list of comping dicta I could add "make my clams sound great".

Herbie Hancock tells a similar anecdote about Miles Davis, except with the roles reversed - Herbie played (comped) a clam, but Miles played a note that harmonised with it...