Comping A Jazz Standard - This Is How To Get Started

[@JensLarsen]

Do you ever put on a metronome on 2&4 and comp a song? Check out some essential Bossa Nova and Samba patterns: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e2mrfmeImtyBf6s

[@alvarosainero8117]

I got the habit to practice with the metronome in 2&4 since it was taught to me by a great jazz teacher years ago. since then, I only practice in 2&4. I love it

[@mcnallyaar]

Thanks!

[@joepalooka2145]

I personally find jazz comping to be one of the most difficult and challenging things about jazz guitar. It's like an art form in itself which gets into the most advanced knowledge of chord voicings and rhythm. For learning players like myself who don't have a band to play with, the Jamie Aebersold book "Maiden Voyage Guitar Voicings" is one of the best books I've found for learning comping.

[@teddycroteau8305]

It’s so hard I’m gonna fail and I hate it !!!!

[@GermanPichinao]

What a masterclass in a few minutes!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you!

[@BryanSim]

This is so well taught I kind of feel like that moment in The Matrix when Neo downloads Kung Fu into his brain.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you!

[@kikolucesrojas]

Total 😅

[@nickgreen4731]

"I know jazz."

[@cdahl]

@@nickgreen4731 Me after this video - “I know comping.” Morpheus - “Show me.”

[@spivvo]

I loved this lesson, leave the bass notes to the bass player and get that pinky working! Great teacher.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you 🙂

[@stephanmeinl4401]

You are the master Jens! Teaching a topic in less than 7 minutes so well structured from easy to advanced - awesome. Thank you very much!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you very much Stephan! Hope you are well 🙂

[@1kpgc61]

Every time I watch a jazz guitar video I add something new to my bag. Thanks Jens!!!

[@SirWilliamTambourine]

This is pure gold!!! More comping lessons like this one please!!!

[@rickjensen2717]

Great lesson Jens - very few guitarists can do this well. Thank you 👍

[@JensLarsen]

My pleasure!

[@jimsinegal9872]

New to jazz and haven't been really sure how to start, but I feel like this video will give me things to work on for years to come. Thanks!

[@m0-m0597]

Check out Rowan J Parker too.. helped me so much

[@אריק-צ5ר]

I have been trying out some of his exercises and I get a TON of ideas from them even though I am not a jazz musician.

[@uneedtherapy42]

It's one thing to play well it's a totally different skill set to be able to explain stuff. Jens you excel at both of these skills. You de-mystify jazz!

[@philippeb.8677]

Thank you very much😃.It takes a lot of work but is very instructive

[@JensLarsen]

You are welcome 😊

[@SportThompson]

Jens, you are a truly a gifted teacher! Thank you, I really appreciate what you are doing here.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you very much! Glad to hear that you find the videos useful 🙂

[@violinoscar]

Thanks Jens. I learned to comp by trying to copy my father who was a pianist. And by trying to play what I heard on records. It was really difficult! I am so glad that you have developed this systematic approach. I wish I had had access to this information 40 years ago.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you 🙂 Glad you like the approach

[@ChristienGagnier]

I really like this lesson. If you ever come to Canada, I would love to see you play.

[@nicolasredondo1465]

Wow. One of the best lesson I've ever seen. I can't be more grateful for what you shared. Thanks x 1000

[@JensLarsen]

Glad to hear that it is useful 🙂

[@yudipitre5720]

I have been watching his videos for 3 days I am beginner and he is such a professional and knowledgeable in jazz. This lesson is amazing. Love him

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you very much Yudi! I am really glad you find the videos useful!

[@rickmoore52]

Always so much good stuff packed into one short video. Just wish my brain could work as fast.

[@JensLarsen]

You can do it! (and otherwise you can return to it later 😁)

[@donlessnau3983]

Good stuff. Helpful info. Well presented.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful!

[@stevedouglas7375]

Excellent lesson! Thank you Jens for doing this for us. It is much appreciated! Also, I know it is a lot of extra work, but I like that you put on the screen the --- "guitar grids." I still use guitar grids because it helps me take some quick notes of certain chords I may not be familiar with. Thanks again Jens!

[@BOZZONECOMICS]

Great teacher, thanks.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful!

[@yortukfenstruk]

Thanks Jens! This is exactly what I need. There are thousands of lessons on KZbin about theory, chords, scales, etc. However, there are almost no playing lessons like this. All that other stuff is nice once you can play through the lead sheet from top to bottom. This helps, a lot. Please keep producing videos just like this one for different standards. It would help me get over the hump from practicing to playing, and I'm sure it would help a lot of other folks, too.

[@RC32Smiths01]

Such an intricate way of explaining! Great work!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you liked it, RC!

[@RC32Smiths01]

@@JensLarsen You are welcome!

[@Aliestwill]

What a great lesson......so easy to follow, and as someone new and generally confounded by jazz nice to learn some rudimentaries

[@avroman100]

THANK YOU!!! I'm new to jazz and learning a lot from you

[@JensLarsen]

That makes my day! Go for it! 😎

[@donlessnau3983]

Excellent stuff. Thanks a lot.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it 🙂

[@standardshirley2480]

Jens, you are the best ever person in the world.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! I am glad you think so, but it might not be true

[@stuartwatson3648]

Going from the Dm7 to the G7b9 sounds amazing. I’ll be using that (still learning). Thanks again!

[@JensLarsen]

That's great, Stuart! Go for it 🙂

[@Dang...]

Excellent! Thank you.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful!

[@mqblues]

Excellent lesson...

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you 🙂

[@andyroo995]

you are the goat, thank you Jens

[@JensLarsen]

Happy to help!

[@salimbaghli8040]

Excellent video. Helps simplify comping. Thank you Jens.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful!

[@mitchelledels9762]

Thanks Jens this helped me when you played the bass lines how to understand how to comp

[@JensLarsen]

Glad that was useful :)

[@alexrodriguez1218]

This filled in so many wholes to my grasp of knowledge of comping. I can play all of these chords but as my teacher said before I am simply playing the chords and not having a conversation with the soloist like a true jazz guitarist is able to do when comping this way. Thanks a ton!

[@JensLarsen]

Go for it 🙂

[@EuropaMan]

Thanks Jens - excellent teaching with wonderful examples. So well explained!

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome!

[@PIANOSTYLE100]

Noticed recently ..need to know instantly every place on the fret board. I know many identities on the guitar..But I noticed that this was slowing me down. It was like the day I decided to learn instantly recite all 12 major scales. That has helped me tremendously. Then I realized I prefer some songs on the piano in certain keys. That has helped me in keys with difficult progressions. Only keys that challenge me. B and F#. If I instantly can point to any note on the guitar and see the chord for what it is and possibilities. I plan to start today and work on it. .Ill start in the first 5 frets and work up from there.Nice video..Im working my way through it.

[@brandonklevans7473]

Thanks brother Jens. You are never a disappointment

[@JensLarsen]

My pleasure!

[@tuahsakato17]

Sir, this is such a blessing...thank you so much

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful 🙂

[@philipthomas5048]

What an amazing, helpful video; from a metal player trying to expand his horizons, thank you!!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! Glad you like it 🙂

[@jimsmid8229]

Thanks for putting the tab and chords at the top. I couldn't read them on the bottom when I pause.

[@samuelemahtolo]

Time to learn comping the right way, I mean...methodically. Thank you so much !

[@sirfultonbishop]

Love this!

[@stuartarnold4495]

Comping, I really like and again your ideas are really good and practical..Thanks for sharing Jens, now to practice.

[@andreafinotti7833]

Amazing and easy to learn/play in short time. Well donn Jens!!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@udo1483]

Thank you Jens, as always, a great suggestion.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful!

[@TheLarryolson]

terrific. do you have any other videos like the part at 2:09, either separate videos or do you teach this kind of moving bass + chords somewhere?

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks! Try one of these video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mX_FnauwdtBrqpI

[@jaimelamusik214]

Great lesson as always, Jens. For me, comping is the most important part of the guitarist. More comping practice lessons in context with exemple on others standards, Please! (Inner Urge, Impressions, In a sentimental mood,....) THANK A LOT MAESTRO

[@adhoc37]

Very clear explanations. Good examples. Thank you for all of your hard work.

[@BinhPham15]

Awesome stuff! Thanks

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you liked it!

[@alvarosainero8117]

Love your “straight to the point” style of teaching. Nice lesson

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! Glad you like the videos 🙂

[@alvarosainero8117]

@@JensLarsen thanks to you for your sharing. I also bought some lessons from your store some time ago and they are great. I want more as soon as i have more time to practice!

[@JensLarsen]

@@alvarosainero8117 Thank you Alvaro! Really great to hear :)

[@jerrymcdrake]

awesome again. Especially how to practice part, but we need more comping practice lessons please!...

[@sgazzz]

Great lesson, much easier for me to digest at my level that that last one...thanks for this!

[@andreasn8615]

What an awesome lesson. Priceless!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful!

[@robertgrippo5312]

Great teacher! Got anything about INTROs & ENDINGS?

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! I have this kzbin.info/www/bejne/gmrQcpqHa7ukjtE

[@bohnulus]

jens EXCELLENT lesson... I loved the section about which note can be played to follow a rootless chord for eg. Cm7 then play a 9 (d) the F7 ( play a 13th Note etc... you had really nice charts in your video at 6:48 .... where can I get charts of this nature ( chords followed by a single note to better understand what guide notes to follow chords.... would be really helpful... love this channel

[@JensLarsen]

6:48 is the end of the video?

[@bohnulus]

@@JensLarsen hi Jen’s …. I believe so it’s a chart diagram shown in upper area while you played ….. yes

[@JensLarsen]

@@bohnulus I don't see it?

[@waynehicks1969]

These types of upper level extensions I see a lot in R&B, gospel and neo-soul, just with different rythyms and accents.

[@Ayo.Ajisafe]

100% Hammer on pull offs in those genres right?

[@cbolt4492]

Jens, you are a star 🌟

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! :)

[@jonasc1221]

Thanks Jens. Awesome teacher.

[@endangeredoddities]

good lesson Jens

[@pauldecoster]

I appreciate this. Do you recommend listening to what the piano, bass, drums, and other instruments are doing to determine the harmonies and rhythms you do on guitar? Or listening to where the soloist is going to do the same?

[@JensLarsen]

I recommend listening to everybody :)

[@Jimbo1952]

You videos are so well done.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you very much!

[@jimtessin4130]

Thank you.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it 🙂

[@cotiecowgill4520]

This is a GREAT lesson!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! :)

[@pietropedrozzi6273]

Fantastic video, thx! I'm trying to learn this on a 6 string bass

[@JensLarsen]

Nice! Go for it 🙂

[@arewestilldoingphrasing6490]

I am a blues guy at Heart... but jazz comping with a walking bassline is some of the best sounding guitar work around

[@JensLarsen]

Then maybe this is what you are looking for? kzbin.info/www/bejne/mX_FnauwdtBrqpI

[@arewestilldoingphrasing6490]

@@JensLarsen How dare you! Shameless plug Jens! But this is exactly what I was looking for. Thank You

[@hearpalhere]

Your lessons are so good Jens, thanks so much!

[@awaywithpaul3423]

Another immensely helpful lesson.. thank you so much

[@ukulelechriswilson]

Merci beaucoup. Super Video.

[@tiptonjones-boiter]

This is great! Very informative 👏👏

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you think so!

[@TheMegansdad]

Great lesson Jens. Which video of yours do recommend for basic theory of the tritone substitution application and usage? Thank you.

[@stephan9581]

Hi Jens, I love your way of teaching. Have you ever thought about making some structured full jazz guitar courses? I would definitely buy them.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! Like this? bit.ly/JazzGtRm

[@stephan9581]

Jens Larsen exactly, thanks!

[@benkatof4240]

I'm taking this course and it is excellent

[@ramirofarb]

Hi Jens! Nice video, as always you do. Could you make a video explaining how to comping a double bass while he is soloing? That would be very usefull. Cheers!

[@JJeff-mq9mr]

Jens, you make me feel like a complete novice lol. You are the best keep up the good work.

[@LostSoulAscension]

So beautifully practical!!!! 😭

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it 🙂

[@antonkilimandu5862]

Already im share in my facebook good job you is cool

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you!

[@antonkilimandu5862]

Yourwelcome anton from indonesia you good teaching

[@antonkilimandu5862]

Sorry bro where are you from.....if you have ide school music open in indonesia its good

[@juancho263]

Great lesson like you always do. Thank you!

[@GJSsongsmith]

Very cool thanks Jens !

[@JensLarsen]

My pleasure, Gary!

[@andrejkapun8811]

More comping and rhythm videos please!! 😅😁

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks! Usually videos don't do well when they are about rhythm :)

[@aplpax]

@@JensLarsen though a B section follow-up would be very welcomed! thank you for this helpful material.

[@JensLarsen]

@@aplpax actually that is being posted on Patreon on Saturday, but I will probably return it some other time on KZbin as well 🙂

[@cfibanez]

It was fun to watch your 10 Top Guitarists Interview with PLAP. I think Hekselman should feel very flattered by coming on top of many jazz guitar greats, like John McLaughlin, Larry Coryell, John Abercrombie or Bill Frisell.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! It would be odd to make a list that ignores the last 25 years 🙂

[@keval618]

I typically find myself in small groups with pianists who are, of course, also comping. If I use extensions on my chords, then I sometime conflict with what they are playing, e.g. my G7b9 clashes with their G7, and my rhythm is at odds with theirs. In these cases, I usually drop all pretense of originality and simply do a Freddy Green thing with the basic chords to give the pianists more freedom and avoid unintended dissonances. However, this is boring and limiting. How do you comp when you're playing with a pianist?

[@JensLarsen]

That is a question of communication and not a question of what chords you play.

[@keval618]

@Pdpmail That's pretty much what I do; better that than clash with the pianist.

[@duncanshaw9240]

@@JensLarsen shoot the piano player!

[@rbdrbd]

Very interesting! With that chord progression the options are so many to play around. But how would you approach a theme that has very few chord changes, like "So What"? How would you keep it interesting? Rhythm variations is part of it, but if you have 16 bars on the same chord...

[@JensLarsen]

Make sure that your comping is using melodic statements as well as concepts with the rhythm, and anker your phrases in the form.

[@rbdrbd]

I'm new to jazz, so I'll give that a try. I supose the challenge is to not sound like a solo with melodic phrases since there would be someone else already doing it. Thanks!

[@JensLarsen]

@@rbdrbd If you are new to Jazz then maybe don't start with a song like So What. Try one of these: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z6KTc6WKgLBpnc0 It is difficult to give too specific advice because everybody is different and at different levels, but maybe check out this post: jenslarsen.nl/how-to-learn-jazz-guitar-suggestions-to-begin-studying/

[@rbdrbd]

@@JensLarsen Lot's of information to absorb, I'll sure give all that a look. Thanks again and all the best with your channel, very useful!

[@edwarddavis6827]

Brilliant

[@lucasgabriel-if3yp]

best jazz channel!.

[@impulserhaltung]

Just what I was looking for!

[@tayo6882]

Very nice tutorial. Thank you! Do you have any more advice on how to not make the comping melody not clash with the melody of the soloist? Regards!

[@JensLarsen]

Listening? 🙂

[@kevinmaclachlan9705]

Hey this is great! But, I am confused, is a 2-5-1 in A not Bmin - E7 - A major? Am I not advanced enough to know whats going on here? Thanks Kevin

[@JensLarsen]

What part of the video are you talking about? Maybe give me a time stamp :)

[@scottmled]

Thank you for all of your videos Jens! I’ve learned so much over the last few months watching your lessons. How might you go about determining if you should reach for shell voices vs full chords like you outlined in the first part of this video? Is it mainly a question of if you have a bass player or not? Cheers.

[@mcnallyaar]

Thanks so much for your invaluable videos! I am wanting to be able to learn to comp for myself as a singer to play jazz standards and show tunes (same thing and also different) to gig solo and in small ensembles. I of course know that I will benefit from the advice about reading music and playing scales and solos, as this will help me better understand the board and how the patterns relate melodically and harmonically within the changes. That said, is there an approach to comping that makes more sense to myself as a singer, or would you recommend I approach it the same way as I would approach comping with an ensemble? Thanks for your feedback, and I'm open to anyone's thoughts, not just Jens!

[@JensLarsen]

In the end, comping is comping, whether you are comping your self or someone else, and it will be better to have a basic understanding of the chords, the song and the music so that you can actually support yourself singing instead of trying to guess what goes where.

[@mcnallyaar]

@@JensLarsen Thanks!

[@ignazio5991]

Great lesson

[@edwarddavis6827]

A masterclass

[@microwavememes]

If anyone finds this challenging check out videos about triads. Practice them in all inversions all over them the neck and these chord shapes will make more sense (it helped for me)

[@user-iv5wn1su4c]

4:05 . E is a nice note... a little bit 'interchange'

[@sawmebabe]

Now to practice this for the next few months.

[@joaoveloso3622]

I like a lot your guitar sound, what pickups do you use in it?

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! It is a Seymour Duncan Seth Lover in the neck pickup :)

[@GeorgePatmas]

Absolutely loved this! My only question is, For the rootless chords, wouldn’t you have to re-name the C min7 into a 2nd inversion Eb Maj? Or could it be a type of shell voicing? Or did i completely misinterpret what you were demonstrating? Thanks!! I understand having the C root as the top note later in the example, that was really cool!!

[@JensLarsen]

You don't need to rename them because in the context it is a Cm7 and the bass is playing a C 🙂

[@GeorgePatmas]

Jens Larsen OH! Ok! Thank you!!

[@ronbahia]

Beautiful 2:10

[@mikeadrian1676]

Quick question! How come you can add a “9” chord over a “Dominant 7th” ? Thanks for the videos!!

[@JensLarsen]

The main answer is, because it sounds good. But you can only do that in styles of music where that is considered a good sound :)

[@mikeadrian1676]

Ok I figured it was more of a “it just fits” kinda thing because I was going through the theory in my head and was trying to figure it out. Awesome! Thank you for you're videos and for the answer back! Really appreciate it.

[@FabrizioPeretti]

How comes you always post what I'm working on and help me?

[@JensLarsen]

Haha! I thought that was wat I was doing? 😄

[@FabrizioPeretti]

@@JensLarsen jens, i swear, i needed this thx!

[@jerrymcdrake]

same goes for me hahahah, Siri or Mr. Jens which one is better listener?

[@keval618]

Do you have any rules of thumb for when you comp finger-style versus using a pick?

[@JensLarsen]

No, not really. It is just what feels right in the context

[@themusiccovenant]

Excellent