A Guide To Leadsheet Chords When Comping

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[@TheDuffland]

Very useful tips for choosing extensions, thank you. Now need to grab a pen and watch it again!

[@randolphcohen6522]

Once again, a fabulous summary of the topic. My “comp”laments.

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks Randy...ha,ha...I like that..great title for a tune. I could use it for my comping etudes in my upcoming chord melody course 😀

[@pierrelemire8283]

Thank you very much ! My english is very bad but I think that I understand the master idea because you don't speak too fast. I really learn with you !

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks Pierre!

[@allanrussack2844]

Very nice, informative presentations from a pleasant, very well informed teacher.

[@RichieZellon]

Thank you kindly!

[@1banjrpkr]

Thanks Mr. Zellon for that breakdown. I've been a music lover, especially jazz and bluegrass, pretty much all my life; never proficient enough to do anything serious with it though. Your very methodical teaching videos are easier to follow, than some who are not as good at explaining things. Thanks again.

[@RichieZellon]

Glad to be of help...thanks!

[@clarkewi]

Good lesson from a great player who knows.

[@jefftroxel8466]

You have a great teaching style. I enjoyed your teaching and playing both.

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks Jeff, much appreciated!

[@plopzoppers3921]

I was just thinking about this topic at work, come home and here it is in your video. ✌

[@RichieZellon]

ESP😀

[@jjsbluz6081]

Thx once again "Dr"! Always enjoyed Jim Hall tasteful comping during piano solos, similarly Jimmy Bruno behind B3 & sax. As you note, we often have to drop the tonic & 5th as we don't have the 10 finger chords of the piano. (Can ya'll say Erol Garner?)

[@jumemowery9434]

Thank you for the lesson. I always enjoy your lessons. You filled in some gaps for me.

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks Jume, it's always encouraging to know people benefit from these lessons!

[@fontain935]

Great channel you've got here. Subbed

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks!

[@petersmart894]

Great lesson this Ritchie.Just waiting for the follow up.

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks Peter for watching!

[@SlashRNFR]

Loved the lesson! Would love to see you breakdown a little bit of your comping, but I've yet to explore your other videos. Cheers

[@VCaamano]

Looking forward to your approach to playing in a rhythm section with pianists.

[@only4crap]

yes, please!

[@westinbenton7047]

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[@arturosteven1006]

@Westin Benton Instablaster =)

[@westinbenton7047]

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[@westinbenton7047]

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[@stuartcoyle1626]

Thanks for this. I really would like to hear your ideas on comping around a pianist.

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks for watching...I will touch on that in detail in my next lesson..."Minimalist Comping for Jazz Guitar".

[@thomashynes]

Excellent as always. If you ever decide to do a comping course similar in structure to your Bebop Improv course, I'd sign up in a heartbeat!

[@RichieZellon]

Thx Thomas, hope to have a chord melody and comping course up next year.

[@thomashynes]

Really?! I was just being hopeful, haha! Thanks for the best news I've heard all day.

[@rogerball6265]

good ideas, lots of reminders for me

[@donlessnau3983]

These are great lessons This guy's very good.

[@plumhunter9158]

nice lesson - loved your comp playing - sweet!

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks!

[@bijonnandy9873]

Great Lesson. Thank You

[@clarkewi]

Great clarifications.

[@TheDave292]

Thank you Mr. Zellon, always enjoy your content. Could you clarify the difference in notation of a “slash” chord and a simple inversion. Thanks

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks David! When using regular chord symbols like "Cmaj7" above the staff in a lead sheet, there is no way to specify inversions. You would actually have to notate the chord, note per note within the staff. That is one reason why sometimes slash chords are used. Not sure if this is what you are asking...

[@TheDave292]

Yes, thnaks so much for your responding…I always thought, though that Cmaj7/E meant Cmaj 7 first inversion.

[@RichieZellon]

It does mean Cmaj7 in 1st inversion. That is a slash chord...

[@TheDave292]

Ok…what then is B/C? I’m sorry to push the topic but appreciate your perspective.

[@RichieZellon]

I use that structure a lot. That is implying a D7b9/13. C is the b7 in the bass an the B triad is B=13, D#= b9 and F#= #11 (it's a classic example of an upper structure triad). Because this chord is derived from the symmetrical diminished, It of course can imply any of its other inversions (F, Ab, B). The proper root nomenclature would be best decided based on its context within the progression or what chord it resolves to, because it has a dominant function. With an implied D in the root, it resolves to Gmaj7 or Gm7.Try it...

[@hectorrascon9884]

Great information, thanks for sharing

[@LooMinn]

This video deserves repeated viewings and is going right into my 'favorites' folder. The last few minutes are essential viewing! LOL, it's a harsh reality to accept that that we guitarists take a subordinate role to the piano in a jazz combo.🤔

[@anfiorsceal]

yea, i'm afraid I've been guilty of chording 'too much" over a pianist in a session situation in the past - I'm trying to be more considerate now - I listen to Anthony Wilson with Diana Krall and Oscar Moore with Nat for guidance...

[@brucebaldy]

Oh yes, symbols and numbers, triangles, circles, and then straight numbers like a mathematical equation, which it is especially when arranging and old black blues was written with moons of various degrees. I got a kick outa the advertisement before the video it was for Buddy Bolden of New Orleans fame, a biographical movie.

[@pBinx-bd8xg]

Deep

[@raquelchicajazz121]

fakebooks often dont have the inversions either, though they are fun to correct by ear

[@hhectorlector]

Love your vids

[@epserps5055]

GREAT! AGAIN.

[@satoshijon3730]

Look Simba.. what is it dad? (Looks at jazz guitar) one day you will control all you see.

[@rafaelpaiva1686]

Thanks for the lesson, I find not a easy task to Comp and have been find it nicer the cleaner sheets which call for imagination when adding extensions. I play some bossa tunes and they tend to be very confusing in that sense, and some chord voicings often sound terribly wrong. I play a lot alone and therefore I tend always to focus a lot on the bass note. But I also notice that you tend to skip the root or play inversions. Would you say it is also a general rule to “let the bass play the bass” and not to worry about that when comping with a bass player?

[@RichieZellon]

Yes, when playing with a bass player let him play the root (and 5th if you like). You should complement what he is doing by playing the 3rd,7th and upper extensions for the most part. When playing bossa nova by yourself (especially on a nylon string) playing the root on the 6th/5th string is almost expected...it is part of the style.

[@Suire1000]

Hey Richie. Nice dissertation, but people learn better when examples are provided. I had to haul out my guitar and work some of these tips. I would have liked to see you use that beautiful instrument on your lap.

[@abejacgot]

As a novice with jazz, this lesson would be very worth while for me if each chord description were followed by a visual (played) example in context, demonstrating the substitutions described and suggested. This lesson unfortunately is not for me now. I hope to return to it once I gain more experience. Thank you

[@jamesbarros950]

abejacgot I’m about where you are, and spoke with a more experienced guitarist who explained that he probably didn’t do this because there are MANY ways and places on the neck to play the same chords, ignoring the many variants. I’m working through the caged system right now as well as note and neck memorization where I’m trying to build my own triads both up and down the neck as well as across the neck in every position. Getting this basic neck memorization and ability to play across it is time consuming and a bit of a drag but when you put together your first chord on the fly and it is the right chord, you’ll be smiling for days and days afterwards:)

[@ilikejazz]

i saw the symbol A-7(b13). Can i use this?

[@RichieZellon]

There is no such thing...that is an error by all means, or whoever wrote it doesn't understand harmony.

[@Blackgrass1]

Here's a dumb question (I did some googling, but with no result): why is it #11 and not #4? If the answer is "extension", why is it b5 instead of b12? Thx a bunch ahead.

[@RichieZellon]

In a 7th chord any variation of 2,4 or 6, added to the chord is classified as a 9, 11 or 13. These are upper extensions and only work above a certain register (due to the harmonic overtone series). The b5 is part of the fundamental chord which is always comprised of a 1, and some kind of 3rd, 5th and 7th. There's actually much more to it but hopefully this will answer why b5 instead of b12. Be sure to check out my video on "Using Upper Extensions" kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZq1gKqpqL14grM

[@Blackgrass1]

@@RichieZellon Thanks a bunch, Richie. You just made my day.

[@johnwilson8309]

A piano player can play a twelve note chord if it comes down to it

[@gtrrobster]

😂 but why?

[@aymanfahham2135]

You're always talking and talking more than playing even playing a samples for your lessons !!

[@RichieZellon]

Like I said in the video, I welcome criticism as long as it is constructive and polite. Having said that,yes, I am well aware of the fact that I spend most of my videos talking. This is something that is done in many music schools as a part of teaching in order to impart information. All is not playing when teaching and I'm not here to entertain. Furthermore, It so happens that the essence of what I am teaching in this lesson does not require much playing, instead an understanding of theory and concept. That is true for many of my lessons and I aim to provide that specific information for those who want it and appreciate it. If on the other hand, you want to hear someone play throughout most of the lesson, there are thousands of other videos you can watch on KZbin, but that is not my teaching style.

[@aymanfahham2135]

@@RichieZellon O.k I'm thankfully lessening to your lessons ..

[@grantgre]

I was listening to this and I don’t know if he ever plays his guitar and shows examples of what he’s talking about so I am going to listen to another video look at another video here. I think that if you can not explain yourself musically and you have to put in words you really are not doing a good job.

[@aldotanca9430]

I agree with you that practical examples would be quite necessary, after all what he describes are all sounds and transition which need to be internalized. But on the other hand, what level of complexity would be required to illustrate that rules? It would need a bunch of examples for every rule. So in the end you are better off pausing the video, playing the chords yourself and see if some of that makes sense to you. But he came up with a number of rules, without quite explaining the harmonic reasons why certain extentions are appropriate given the harmonic function of a chord, what comes next and other factors. I personally would not find it very exciting to study. It could be useful to some, but not all.

[@grantgre]

look at it again he starts playing his guitar at 16 minutes in a 20 minutes something video and he plays guitar for like two minutes or a minute maybe and he just lectures it’s totally ridiculous. We had some beautiful girls in the background but that available That is not music that is not how you learn music do you learn music from your ears not from the theoretical standpoint.

[@aldotanca9430]

@@grantgre Why would I need to look at it again? If you read my comment back you should realize that I agreed with the fact that there are no musical examples in the video. This said, if you "learn music from your ears not from the theoretical standpoint" I do not quite see the point in you watching theory videos or indeed any instructional video contaning words rather than just music. Just listen to your favourite artists and learn that way I guess. But most people are not able to learn complex musical concepts just by listening to the music. So they benefit from explanations AND musical examples illustrating what the explanations are about. This video has the explanations, or at least a set of unexplained rules, but no musical examples.