Jazz Piano Comping – How to Comp

Introduction

Comping means ‘accompanying’ or ‘complementing’ a soloist by playing the chords. While comping, you have two main objectives:

• Complement the soloist rhythmically AND harmonically;
• Stay out of the soloist’s way.

Comping is an art, and there is no right or wrong way to do it. You can comp sparsely and delicately (listen to Count Basie) or aggressively and busily (listen to McCoy Tyner). But broadly, there are three different comping ‘styles’ or ‘approaches’ you can employ. These are labeled below.

Style	Left Hand	Right Hand
1	Walking Bass	Rootless Chords
2	Open Voicing
3	Rootless Chords	Fills/Harmony

Comping

Let’s deal with each comping element individually.

Rhythmic Rules

Your first goal while comping is to create variety in your rhythm (unlike vamping). This is done by:

• Playing with OR between the melody
• Playing on AND off the beat
  • Sometimes, anticipate the beat
  • Othertimes, play behind the beat
• Playing short AND long notes
  • Silence is ok (use it as thinking time)
  • If the solo is busy – comp sparingly
  • If there’s a pause in the solo (breath) – comp busily

Harmonic Rules

While comping, you must play the actual chords. But don’t just play the chords exactly as they are written out in the lead sheet – that’s far too boring. Use Chord Tensions and Chord Substitutions and nice Jazzy Chord Voicings.

• Alter and Substitute Chords
  • Don’t overdo it at first – you don’t want to clash with melody or soloist – but gradually get more adventurous
• Add Ornamentals
  • Passing notes, Grace notes, Fills, Runs, Mordents, Turns, etc.
• Choose Appropriate Chord Voicings
  • Pick the appropriate register for the voicing (generally stick to the middle register) & get out of soloist’s way
    • If soloist plays low – comp high
    • If soloist plays high – comp low
  • Use intervals of 4ths or greater (this creates more ‘space’ for the soloist)
  • You CAN play the root in your left hand (don’t worry too much about the bass player, he’ll figure it out)
  • Law of Conservation of Energy (Voice Leading)
    • Minimise movement between chords (this creates smooth voice leading)
      • Have as many common tones as possible (notes that don’t change between chords)
      • Move the notes that do change as little as possible
    • Use Parallelism (it sounds great)
      • Approach Chords
      • Side-slipping
      • Chromatic movements
  • Soprano Voice Leading
    • Create a counter-melody with the top note of your chords (using appropriate voicings)
    • The soprano voice (top note) should move smoothly and melodically and largely in steps (i.e. not jumping around too much)

How to Stay Out of the Soloist’s Way

Your second goal while comping is to counterbalance the soloist. This is often done by doing the opposite of what the soloist is doing.

• Play in a different register to soloist
  • If soloist plays low – comp high
  • If soloist plays high – comp low
• Use voicings with intervals of 4ths & wider (this creates a more ambiguous harmony and more ‘space’ for the soloist)
• Don’t be afraid of silence. Use short staccato notes with pauses, leaving the silent, open spaces for soloist to fill
• Don’t use overly complex harmonies/substitutions (at first) – Keep it simple, stupid
• Listen to the soloist & complement

Have a Listen to

The two most important thing you can do are:

• Listen to your soloist while comping
• Listen to other pianists comping

Comping in not about just playing the chords perfectly. You can’t just learn the chords and some nice voicings and suddenly be a good comper. You really have to listen to your soloist and actually complement them. No two solos are the same, therefore no two comps should be the same. Listen to your soloist and react as you see fit.

And listen to the great Jazz Pianists comping behind a solo. Listen to what they’re doing and how they are reacting to and complementing the soloist. Listen and copy what they are doing. In particular, have a listen to:

• Wynton Kelly
• Herbie Hancock
• Count Basie
• McCoy Tyner
• Sonny Clarke
• Bobby Timmons
• Bill Evans
• Kenny Barron
• Tommy Flanagan

Example

In the below video I use the Jazz Standard Gee Baby, Ain’t I Good to You as an example of how to comp, applying all the above rules to create a smooth and nice sounding comp. Have a listen to it. I’ve listed out the chords and voicings I used below.

Gee Baby – First A Section
Bar	1	2	3	4
Original Chords	C7	A♭7	G7	C7
Played Chord	C7♭9♭13	A♭9	G7	C13
Voicing	US ♭IIm	Open	Quartal	Rootless
Soprano	A♭	A♭	G	A
Bar	5	6	7	8
Original Chords	F7	B♭7	E♭6	G7
Played Chord	Fm11	B♭9	E♭69	G7
Voicing	So What	Open	Quartal	Drop 2
Soprano	C	C - D	E♭	B - C - D
Gee Baby – Second A Section
Bar	9	10	11	12
Original Chords	C7	A♭7	G7	C7
Played Chord	C#o7 (alt)	Co7 (alt)	Bo7 (alt)	B♭o7 (alt)
Voicing	Open	Open	Open	Open
Soprano	B♭	A	A♭	G
Bar	13	14	15	16
Original Chords	F7	B♭7	E♭6	E♭7
Played Chord	Fm11	B♭7♭9#11	E♭6	E♭9
Voicing	Hancock	US #IVm	Open	Open
Soprano	G	G	E♭	E♭

And check out the below video for some Jazz Comping Rhythms you can use to practice comping.

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