comping piano & guitar - jazz.pdf - KSIĄŻKI (I NUTY) JAZZOWE I BLUESOWE - SWIAT-FILMOW

Piano/Guitar Comping

How to avoid conflicts

Per Danielsson

One of the most important tasks when playing jazz in a small group is to avoid musical

conflicts. In order to do that, each member has to understand what role he/she is playing in the group.

Each role comes with different responsibilities and when all the players in the group understand this,

all the energy and concentration can be focused on the music.

Jazz certainly provides the musicians with greater freedom, but along with that freedom comes

greater responsibility. Often we don’t have anybody to tell us what role we have or what notes to play.

We must exercise good judgment in order to create a musical environment. With experience, a type

of musical “common sense” can be developed in regard to some of the unwritten rules. However, in

jazz we often have to make musical decisions on the spot and we base our decisions on what we

hear by listening carefully what is going on around us. In other words, keep your ears open at all

times and LISTEN!

What sometimes becomes problematic is that the piano and the guitar can play the same role

in a band. We can comp, solo, supply rhythm and play melodic material. The potential conflict

between piano and guitar is something that is often ignored by players as well as composers and

arrangers. Often the piano part and the guitar part are the same without any indication of when or

what to play. All the musical decisions are in these instances up to the guitarist and pianist. If each

ignores the other, the support that is the function of the rhythm section is lost. Good communication

between the guitarist and pianist adds tremendously to the sound of a band.

One of the most common styles of comping for guitar has been labled the “Freddie Green

style.” Freddie Green played with the Count Basie Band and played a big part in defining the legend-

ary group’s sound. This style of comping is based on a quarter note pattern, which when played

perfectly in time, creates a solid foundation in the rhythm section.

When the guitarist is using this approach it’s often best if the pianist plays sparsely and rhyth-

mically. The pianist can treat the comping as accents or he/she can use solid repeated rhythmic

patterns. The piano takes on more of a percussive role because the guitarist is constantly supplying

the harmonic material.

Guitar comps on Quarter notes

Û Û Û Û

Guitar

‰ œ

Piano

Piano pattern

Û Û Û Û

Guitar

Piano

‰ J œŒ œŒ

Dmin7

Perhaps the safest way to avoid conflicts in comping is for the guitar and the piano to switch

off. This can be very effective because it creates an overall variety in the sound of the group. It is

recommended that you continute comping for an entire solo before switching to create consistency in

the sound. Switching off is particularly effective when moving from one soloist to another, as it helps

to vary the sound and feel of the group. This approach is very useful when playing ballads.

Keep in mind that the the guitar has an extremely dynamic range and by taking advantage of that

range, you can create an even bigger variety in sound.

The “Freddie Green” style of comping sounds great on the guitar, but does not work as well

with the piano. When a pianist sets up a comping pattern he never plays straight quarter notes.

However, it’s very helpful if the pianist is clear and consistent with the comping patterns because it

will help the guitar player to play around them. A good rule of thumb is to have one of the instruments

be in charge and the other one adjust to him. When this concept is understood, listening and musical

judgment becomes essential. It is possible to have both guitar and piano comping together if these

guidelines are followed. Important: Makes sure both player agree on the same chord changes,

including alterations that might be used.

Sample Guitar fills

Û >

Guitar

‰ .

FMaj7

‰ ^

Gmin7

‰ ^

FMaj7

‰ ^

FMaj7

‰ ^

Piano

Piano pattern

b Maj7

‰ .

FMaj7

‰ .

Guitar

FMaj7

b Maj7

FMaj7

‰ ^

‰

Piano

When the guitarist and pianist have to read the same set of rhythms and chord changes the

scene is set for conflicts. This happens frequently because often the arrangers give us the same part

to read. To avoid a cluttered sound in the rhythm section, use these guidelines:

1. Make sure you both understand the written rhythm and the chords.

2. Find out where the important accents are in the chart.

3. Decide who is the primary comping instrument.

4. Avoid adding material because most often that will make it sound muddy.

When the piano is the primary comping instrument it sounds good if the guitar plays simple

voicings or even a lead line over the important notes. It’s often enough if the guitar is playing the 3rd,

7th and whatever alteration the chord calls for. If the guitar player chooses to play a lead line, he must

be careful that it doesn’t conflict with other melodies in the chart.

FMaj7

Have the guitar focus on a simpler approach, and concentrate on the articulation.

b 13 B13 C 9

C 9

b 13

Œ ¨

C 9

Û ^

G7(

# 9)

‰

Œ Û

Guitar

b 13

# 9)

b 13

C 9

‰ >

Œ ¨

C 9

B13 C 9

‰ Û ^

G7(

Œ Û

Piano

ÛŒ‰ >

# m7( b 5)

Fmin7

ÛŒ‰ >

b min7

Û Û -

b 9) C 9

‰ Û ^

∑

Guitar

# m7( b 5)

b min7

b 9) C 9

ÛŒ‰ >

Fmin7

ÛŒ‰ >

Û Û -

‰ Û ^

∑

Piano

A wonderful sounding piano/guitar combination is when they play the same exact voicings.

This will take some work so I highly recommend that you spend some time together working out

voicings. It is a great way to add a new dimension to the sound of the group. Also, experiment with

playing the same voicing an octave apart to create a thicker texture.

Remember: Guitar sounds an octave lower than written:

˙ ˙

œ œ

Guitar

b 9)

b min7

# 9)

b 9) C 9

C 9

A7(

Dmin7

G13(

Emin7 E

Dmin7 G7(

Piano

Free comping! It can be done. This is when you pull together all your musicality and open your

ears. It forces you to divide your attention between the soloist and the other comping instrument.

Don’t forget that your role when comping is to support the soloist. It is not an opportunity for the

pianist and the guitarist to have their own little comping convention in the corner. USE YOUR EARS

AND JUDGMENT.

Good Luck

Per Danielsson

Emin7

Dmin7 G7(

Emin7

Dmin7 G7(

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