Piano AND Guitar? Who Will Comp?

If you have ever wondered what to do in the situation where there is more than one comping instrument, this video will give you some ideas! Really, your mother taught you what to do when you were three. Take turns! :-)
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Aimee Nolte

[@RickBeato]

Guitar and piano is my favorite combination in the rhythm section but they need to listen to each other. Oscar Peterson Et Joe Pass a Salle Pleyel is one of the greatest guitar and piano duo record ever! Great Aimee!

[@AimeeNolte]

Rick Beato 🙌🏼🙌🏼

[@mrmagic1989]

Two greatest youtube music instructors talking to each other ^^^

[@wildbillhackett]

As good as they were, I personally don't think they topped Nat King Cole and Oscar Moore.

[@nakedmambo]

Agreed. They were the originals after all.

[@AlexJordonComposer]

Player two has entered the game! Hello Rick, nice to see you here!

[@derekcutsinger3511]

Guitarist here. What works for me when comping with a pianist is sticking only to two-note voicings - 99% of the time the 3rd and 7th - and letting the pianist add the color. Or, you know, just laying out. ;)

[@Insight420]

That's very good advice; Dave Rubin actually mentions that particular technique in his books about blues guitar, for players accompanying a keyboard instrument of some sort. He suggests, as you did, paring your dominant-seventh chords, which are so typical for blues harmony, down to just the major-third and the flat-seventh, which both leaves plenty of space for the keyboard, and gives you a bluesy interval of a tri-tone. And often, the basic shape can be shifted up or down a fret to accomplish I, IV, and V chord changes.

[@pianodave3]

One of the bands I play in is a big band with eighteen to twenty musicians playing at a gig, and we have a fantastic guitarist named Ken Fox. Our arrangements are necessarily very specific, so the guitarist and I both know our chord flavors - if the chart says #11 or b13, that's what we play, no substitutions. The guitarist we had before Ken liked to just chunk out quarter notes like old-style big bands, so I would just have fun tinkling in the windows. Ken likes to play around, so when he does I tend to chunk out basic rhythms. When Ken decides to do more chunking or when the bass player has a solo, I tend to move my voicings up, spread them out a bit more, and play more footballs. And sometimes I do just lay out - one of the great things about having a guitarist is that you can take a break once in a while. I always do my best not to clash, either by playing different rhythms, playing in a different range, or both. I've played with my current rhythm section for over a decade now, and I marvel at the weird psychic relationship we've developed - we just make it work. It's pretty cool (I love my band).

[@AimeeNolte]

David Davidson I absolutely love that! Thank you for sharing, David! Sounds like you guys have it all worked out really well.

[@nezkeys79]

6:00 if aimee gave me one of those my solo would suck

[@goonyougoodthing]

haha the string would just snap like an old disney cartoon

[@michaelkiese7794]

Great video! I just discovered you on KZbin and subscribed to your channel. I'm a guitar player, and have worked very hard at being a good rhythm player and supporting player. This is a great topic, and I LOVE playing with piano/keys players whenever I can. Taking turns and talking things out is very important. Also designating default roles can be helpful too. So in the absence of communication for a particular tune, we can expect what each other will default to (playing pads vs comping vs staying out of each other's register). Also, I think it is important to distinguish "comping" vs "playing rhythm". Comping is free and improvisational, while playing rhythm is solid and repetitive. I also completely agree that just laying out is important. That was the hardest musical lesson I had to learn. Sometimes the best thing I can do to serve the music or the song is to lay out. Ultimately, it's my job to think how to best make the song live and breathe, that's what is important. Making the song sound good makes the other musicians sound good, which makes the band sound good. If I make the other musicians sound good and give them the feeling like I'm rock solid supporting them, then they want to play with me more, and I get more opportunities to play good music with people. While knowing when to lay out is important, sometimes you can find yourself in a situation where there is no musical space left for you to play anything. In those cases, it's ok to speak up. I once played in a band with a virtuoso 6 string electric bassist and a virtuoso piano player (heavy left hand if you know what I mean) at the same time. Both were pretty busy and traveling outside their normally expected range. There was no sonic space for me to do anything. lol. I literally had to tell them "hey guys, we need to carve out some territory and give each other space. Can you please leave me just a little room in the mid range?" They were cool with it. It ended up working out. we talked out the "default" bounds of our pitch range for comping ideas (meaning if nothing was said or communicated, we each had an expected role and space carved out for ourselves), and when someone wanted to be busy, we shared the spotlight from song to song. Sometimes you have to define tonal palette/range too so you don't clash frequencies in the mix. That's another tough conversation because with guitar players and bass players, their tone is usually such a personal subject. With guitar players especially, our full bodied tone and sound, sounds good when we play by ourselves, but in the context of a live mix, our lower end frequencies can really muddy up the bands total mix. That's another hard lesson to learn, but that's mainly a guitar player issue, or maybe it was just a "me" issue. lol. Thanks for your videos! I love them. I've been meaning to learn piano for years and I like your approach. Maybe i'll start on some of your lessons!

[@robbyr9286]

Thanks for this... As a guitarist I've had many train wrecks with pianists of the sort you describe. This video rang so true & could usher in a new phase of peaceful coexistence!

[@Weaseldog2001]

I love these kinds of videos. I'm inexperienced in performing in a band setting, and it helps to hear this kind of advice, at my leisure, rather than getting a live crash course.

[@jonnyroxx7172]

It's simple: you trade off every 11th middle 8th note triplet, then beat shift 3/16 every other bar, unless you land on a downbeat. I've made some charts...

[@AimeeNolte]

+Jonny Roxx lol

[@jonnyroxx7172]

Aimee, glad I could give you a chuckle :) Peace. JR

[@UkuleleAversion]

I think the main takeaway for me is communication. I've been playing in a combo for two years now and the guitarist and I generally comp at the same time (neither of us seem to notice the textural incongruities you mentioned in the video so we aren't on bad terms) but from now on I'll make sure that I always communicate with other accompanying instrumentalists to determine the most musical method of accompaniment for all instruments involved. Thanks for the video Aimee.

[@AimeeNolte]

Tom Parker wonderful observations, Tom. Thank you.

[@TonyfromBham]

Thank you for this video. I'm one of those guitarists who fears playing with a pianist in a combo.

[@morganchilds9054]

Comping is super important to talk about because most people don't really know how to do it well. Common comping crimes: playing too much, never laying out, mimicking my comping (don't do that! Please, please don't do that!), and not knowing how piano and guitar work together. To learn how to comp properly with a drummer, you have to listen to Monk. To learn how to comp with a guitar player, you have to listen to Wes/Wynton Kelly, and as you correctly pointed out, OP and Nat, and Basie. Learning how organists and guitarists like Jimmy Smith and Kenny Burrell or Lonnie Smith and George Benson worked it out is instructive as well, I think. Potentially controversial opinion: guitar players should be taught from as young an age as possible (as soon as they are hatched from their eggs) that the piano is the dominant instrument in any comping scenario that involves them both. I think most sophisticated, high-level jazz musicians know instinctively that in the vast majority of straight-ahead jazz scenarios, the piano is the superior and more welcome sound for comping behind (particularly) saxophone and trumpet. That IS the convention. You don't hear Horace Silver "handing it over" to Kenny Burrell on Whims of Chambers when Donald Byrd is finished and Trane comes in. He just keeps churning away and it's burning. PS I love your videos. The one you did about singers pronouncing "good" like "giuoood" brought me here.

[@AimeeNolte]

🙌🏼🙌🏼 great points!! Thank you.

[@StompL7]

One cool thing to to do is for example, say you play in common time, the guitar player comps on the first 2 beats and the piano player on the last 2 beats.

[@amusicalheart7]

God bless you Aimee Nolte.

[@scottmorrise]

Hi Aimee! I'm a music teacher but not a very experienced jazz player. I found a great resource for rhythm sections by Shelly Berg called The Rhythm Section Workshop. It covers about 8 original and simple tunes in different styles for all the players in a rhythm section. It is mainly meant for middle or high school jazz band directors but I love the way Shelly teaches the basics. It is fantastic for beginning jazz players. Love your videos too!

[@andrewcole5176]

John Pizzarelli Trio (John P. On 7 string guitar, Ray Kennedy piano, and Martin Pizzarelli on bass) was a phenomenal combo. The guitar and keys interplay was tops. I have found myself in many situations where there are two guitarists on the gig. In the manouche "gypsy Jazz" idiom two guitars and bass commonly make up the rhythm section and often an accordion is thrown in for good measure. Between the guitars often unison comping is in order to really swing the harmony as per the tradition of Django's quintet. With more modern players the discussion of who plays high, who plays low takes place with the result being something of a harmonic counterpoint between the two.

[@AimeeNolte]

Andrew Cole absolutely! I was just discussing this below with Mark Rhodes!

[@sensaschonduran2449]

You are so anointed with music, you shine and glow. I could listen to you talk about music all day!

[@Aialcute]

Good musicians knew they are good, no insecurities, great communication skills, lead to great group music!

[@crimfan]

The advice totally applies to multiple instruments in rock and country, too, but piano and guitar seems particularly tricky. A lot of piano players play way too much, and then there are guitarists who have piano envy and play way too much. What does work really well for a guitar without needing to lay out completely is to play something really regular and simple, like playing shells on the quarter notes, which nicely reinforces the drums. It won't compete with the piano. Hah! I wrote that before you got to the long story where you said that. But yeah, learn to lay out. It's really effective, too. And having played a good bit of bass, I really hate it when people completely stop comping during the bass solo, and I am not at all alone. It's really tough to keep the form going and solo creatively at the same time so having a little help or a little extra energy from someone else comping helps a ton. Good solos have gaps, so having someone else keep the form means you can leave them without it feeling totally empty. Freddie Green guitar, some piano chord stabs, a few fills here and there, and some light drums, yeah.

[@AimeeNolte]

crimfan wonderful wonderful. Thank you for that.

[@skotrock]

Very nice video Aimee- I have been enjoying and learning a lot from your vids. I think, like Tom Parker said earlier, that communication is the key. But also, the main idea is that the Music is most important, not letting your ego get in the way, needing the attention on yourself. Music isn't about "look at me, watch what I can do". Music is about teamwork, working towards a common goal, which is to sound good.

[@sidneyrichard5319]

As a guitar player, I absolutely agree with everything you say. I love being Freddie Green when called upon to do so (though I can't claim to remotely fill his shoes). I usually deferred to the keyboard player in my sitting in days anyway, because they'd always be way better than me. And the sitting back and folding your arms... I've done that so many times, that whole, "I'm not going to compete with THAT" thing. Not all keyboard players are competent. Some are drunk. Even comping on your own offers lots of opportunities to clash with the soloist. One great tenor player told me that while he loved that I'd go with the b5 subs he was playing, he actually wanted pretty straight chord voicings to bring out the clashes. But generally if I can hear a note coming I'll try and be there to meet it. Listening hard and knowing the soloist well both help. As you well know. And it is different when ensembles get bigger and things get funkier: guitar against a keys pad can be a lot of fun, juggling ostinato patterns on guitar against changing modal harmonic backgrounds and so on: plus the whole question-and-answer thing comes into its own in that context. Love your videos, Aimee.

[@AimeeNolte]

+Sidney Richard Great comment! Drunk. LOL

[@sidneyrichard5319]

Based on a true story. The incidence of alcoholism among pros is probably lower these days, but this was a young guy in around 2000. Slumping across the keys during Christmas carols on a cruise ship does tend to get you put off by the end of the week by the latest. It's too spectacular to be ignored, really. He got quite a look from the MD when his left hand flopped to his side, but bringing the whole thing to a halt in a chromatic welter...

[@analogoutdoors]

I play both piano and guitar, but have only been on piano about 6 years. Guitar for 33. When I play with a pianist who actually knows what they are doing, I play straight rhythm; no chord substitutions, no fancy, just straight rhythm. But yes, if we agree in the beginning, then more can be done. However, that is for improvisation. If I am playing covers in a cover band, everyone has their parts, they are already written in the song. Every musician, including the singer(don't get me started) should know their parts. If not, they need to go home. MHO.

[@ramblingliana6607]

I always think of a jam session with the same mindset as I would have in a conversation. If you're talking to someone who is interested in what you have to say and vice versa then the conversation is going to be so much more fulfilling. But sometimes some people just aren't interested in what other people have to say or express haha. From personal experience, how someone behaves in a conversation is usually synonymous with how they behave in a musical situation. Sometimes I've known musicians for a while and became friends with them; but let's say for whatever reason I haven't heard them perform before, but because I connect with them emotionally, I always know that I'm going to get along with them very well in a musical situation. It's pretty much mind over matter in my opinion

[@rthib1960]

I love the way you teach. You have a very engaging presentation!

[@bjustice]

Completely agree! As a guitarist I either 'Freddie-Green' it with simple voicings (3 notes) and chunking straight quarter notes... or trade comping and laying out with the pianist. Recordings of Ed Bickert and Jimmy Dale (of Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass) are a textbook example of the latter. Thanks for this topic!

[@gleaclub6815]

I do ensemble practicing with my pianist friend and we were always messing up while both were comping and why we suck. Now I get to know I should fill in or give predictable comping while the other is comping. Thank you so much Aimee!!!

[@AimeeNolte]

+Gee One 🙌🏼🙌🏼

[@Nayradharma]

Hi I’m Nayra and i play the guitar and i sing too. I first started performing solo and learning many jazz standards (when I started playing jazz guitar 2 years ago) After 1.5 years not having to get too involved with playing with a band, the start of 2017 was a whopping milestone for me. I got many gigs around town, almost 4 times every week! I had learned how to be in a band, how to improvise and comp. it was a great start of a year, in my language we call it “jam terbang” and a direct translation would be “fly time”: the times we improve and gain experience. A couple of months later i formed a trio, consisting of a bassist and a pianist. It was called the Nayra Dharma Trio. I learned so much with my pianist friend. He taught many things, many important notes on working together when playing. I still work on my comping and getting to know when to comp and when i dont. Furthermore thank you for this video. I am really happy and grateful to have great bandmembers and great friends. Oh, now my band is called the Nayra Dharma Group. i added a “kendang” (a traditional indonesian instrument) player, Cucu Kurnia. He plays with the famed Simak Dialog, a contemporary jazz quartet that was founded by Riza Arshad (check it out!)

[@gregorylewis7162]

I agree with your short answer. If you have a tight group of jazz musicians, they can spell each other, even during the same piece; or they can leave the stage and refresh themselves while others are spotlighted in a given arrangement. If you want to avoid chaos, arrange the piece music and time it out so you don't play on and on with one voice trying to outdo the other. Every band needs a leader. Usually the leader is the arranger and the timekeeper for the gig. (You asked for opinions ;-)

[@Toilet140]

Thanks for the wisdom Aimee!

[@adrianjacksonlivemusic8844]

Thanks. This is a great help.

[@AmandaKaymusic]

I love how some of the comments and some of the clip isn't being gender specific about the the guitarists. Thanks for the clip Aimee. I when I'm at a jam (If I've put a song up) I sometimes ask piano players to just play minimum or with one hand (depending on their level and busyness). I will share or hand over the space happily later on in the song when players are sitting on the groove and handling changes and I still try to hold the form together in case they get lost (which often happens) even with chart. It's a jam, it's a jam...The best things can happen when people don't know a song. The right brain can kick in (instead of that boring left brain pattern not imagination side) and improvise beautifully on the fly. Sadly many musicians, especially on comping instruments like piano, banjo, tres, mandolin, piano accordion and rhythm guitar can't actually hold form without some comping. I have this fault if I don't know a tune well enough. I have to still keep my fingers walking around where I am in the tune rather than relying on my memory of unfamiliar melodies to hold form. Being very very quiet and just holding the bones works out ok most of the time. I love sharing the space with talented pianists. Giving them a chance to solo without needing to hold form can sort the wheat from the chaff. Complementary voicings can work and call and response in one bar playing alternate rhythms can be fun. Shaping the space together without being busy. What can you leave out was a lesson I appreciated and still appreciate learning. Skank guitar can also be a percussion orientated part of many genres where the guitar finds the space in the rhythm and comps in that part. Reggae, ska, funk, disco some latin... That tiny input can be the thing that people can lean on in the music when its loud and funky. I know because when I have the courage to find that space in a jam I feel it, the musicians feel it and if I sit out for even a bar the music looses the pulse. #WomenPlayGuitar #PeoplePlayGuitar

[@johnharrisjr.351]

Amy, you rock. And I'm not just saying that because I'm a guitar player who frequently plays against pianists.

[@1Ma9iN8tive]

You've brought me back into the fold because of your story telling ... Superb

[@walterhagelsteiniii7588]

I have never been to a Blues Fest or Concert in which there wasn't total communication between the instrumentalists. And you have to earn the 16 bars, so guitar players if you suck, you get 8 bars and shut up. Aimee is right, she will give you the head nod giving you the full 16 bars if you got it going. But if you are good, you can express your voice in 16 bars and then let someone else have a voice. That's what the fans want to hear!!

[@yassinet.benchekroun5087]

Two things to say about this video: 1) Very nice hair!!!!!! 2) "You know what it lets people know when you layout? it lets them know that you're humble" Really well said!!!! even though he didn't say that about comping, it reminds me of Miles Davis saying (about solos) "It's not the notes you play, it's the notes you don't play." By the way, forgot to ask on your live, you should consider Michel Petrucciani, I love him so much!!!! Thank you so much for all your work, it is much appreciated!

[@AimeeNolte]

Yassine Taoudi 👏

[@viceroy_raygun]

I'm a guitarist, and the guy I play with more than anybody is a piano player. While I agree that in a combo with a horn player and some other instruments you don't want to have both guys comping at all times, in a duo it's completely doable. Listen to any of the albums put out by Bill Evans and Jim hall, they'll often both be comping while Bill is taking a solo and it works because they listen to how the other is comping. I think the same can ne said for bigger combos, but both players just need to know that they need to play less and less as the size of the ensemble grows.

[@AimeeNolte]

+Reagan McCann yeah I think we discussed this in the comments below. Totally agree

[@alansenzaki4609]

wow, aimee next time your in pasadena stop in at canturbury records on colorado blvd. i used to go there all the time in the early sixties when i was going to pasadena city college. its a family run business. they bought the corner property (1960) so theirs always parking. their father was really into jazz and used to turn me onto alot of jazz ( i remember a lee konitz warne marsh album that knocked me out. still sounds great today!) any how i was there a couple years ago and they had a very nice jazz section. i could tell they knew what they were doing. i was thinking they could probably carry your new cds!!!

[@Batvolt]

So great that you did a talk about this. Lots of really quality points here. Don't stop being beautiful!

[@AimeeNolte]

Endre Tarczy I won't if you won't! LOL thank you so much.

[@patriciodasilva7902]

I was in a bossa nova band, and I would comp a strict bossa nova pattern, which the pianist had no trouble predicting. and working with.

[@calcal5135]

When playing with pianist I appreciate it when they use only the right hand to comp. I think another way for a guitarist to comp along with a pianist is for the guitarist to play two note voicings using only the 3rd and 7th on the middle two strings and playing sparsely. The phenomenal Warren Nunes taught me that.

[@patrickstefurak3124]

I agree that "Bass players really like that Freddie Green chunk chunk while they're soloing", so a lot of times I'll give them the ole *kiss kiss ;-)* too (when I'm laying out).

[@musiquesdereve188]

thank you Aimée for this original vidéo and also for open a large communication with musicians particulary pianist and guitarist amazing and passionate commentaries; I'm longing to see another vidéo on that way;

[@scottd291]

I play guitar and I love playing with piano but took me years to understand

[@AimeeNolte]

Scott Davies i'm still trying to understand it. :-)

[@shaharkarp4357]

Thank you so much for this

[@LearnSwingGuitar]

Yeah I agree with every word. Thing is, some line ups in jazz work even if no-ones listening - a jazz quartet, sax, piano, bass, drums will basically work because all the sounds complement each other... But some combinations need a good relationship to work at all and piano/guitar combinations are the classic one that comes up in the real world.

[@AimeeNolte]

Learn Gypsy Jazz and Swing Guitar thx🙏🏼 very true

[@pedterson]

Oh, I thought this video would answer the age-old question of how long to grow your fingernails when you play both.

[@AimeeNolte]

pedterson OK I'll do that one next.😂

[@isaiah30v8]

Wanna hear a piano and guitar cooperate?.. Listen to "Idle Moments" with Grant Green! Its amazing how the piano and guitar can work together exquisitely! Oh yes and the vibraphone and Sax. The Sax is Orgasmic! Can I say that on KZbin? Sometimes on a Friday I'll buy a bottle of Scotch and a Cuban cigar and with my headphones on its like a night out! .

[@craigbrowning9448]

Initiative sometimes Keys (on Organ) play Sustained Chords while Guitar Comps, Guitar plays Freddie Green quarter count, piano comps (small basic Voicings). Anticedent-consequent Comping. Many of the above can be used in a "Build" Situation. Too many stacked Thirds on a Guitar are Physically Painful. A basic Seventh Chord is either 1-7-3 (Root on Low E String) or 1-3-7 (Root on A String) and these alternate progressing around the Circle of Fifths. Upper Structures are mostly played on B and High E String.

[@cuprum1]

As a guitarist I've met quite a few pianist who stays in there head without looking at the guitarist the whole evening.

[@johncarter6519]

Count BasieQuartet on the Jazz Casual is a great example of this. If you haven't checked out that video please do. It's on KZbin.

[@renaissongsmann8889]

Basie was masterful at playing in the spaces ...

[@McFateStudio007]

So cool, Aimee Thanks for your time!

[@matthewgoldberg1461]

Piano usually "wins" because sound is bigger. Even the great joe pass sounded smaller and thinner than oscar. Other options: if no bass player, piano walks bass and guitar plays "high" rhythm -- upper strings, maybe close voicing. If bossa, guitar can play montuno (repetitive rhythm) and piano more stabs. With two guitars, we sometimes split "high" rhythm and "low" rhythm parts

[@jonathanosborn4800]

Piano is of course much more capable of playing just whatever voicing at a moments whim, whereas guitar has to find the fingering, has patterns that fit the instrument. Even the best classical guitarists have to come up with arrangements, pianists can really just make it all up on the spot, IF they have the mind for it. Joe Pass is on the elite upper crust of what he can do quickly in response to a groups happenings.

[@Al3T0t]

A nice example of what piano and guitar can achieve together is My Funny Valentine, from Bill Evans' Undercurrent with Jim Hall (duo). The interplay blows me away. And Bill Evans leaves a lot of space for the guitar. It's a wonderful balance.

[@Zoco101]

Sometimes bandleaders book an unknown guitarist as a dep/sub for the bassist, thinking they're doing the pianist a favour by not leaving the band one musician short. Wrong! That just splits the pianist's hands for the whole gig. So there you are playing bass lines & tinkling effects on piano all night, with the drums eating your bass notes - because you don't have a monster "bass effect" keyboard, or because you're weak on that function anyway. Try a closed chord in the middle? It's an instant clash because even if you use the same chords as the guitarist, they will sound slightly different, due to the incompatible tuning systems of guitar & piano. Then there's the guitar tone/setup. If it's metallic, you'd better have an adaptable keyboard. If, however, you're set up for playing bass lines and right hand piano/Rhodes/whatever, and you have a kindly, experienced guitarist, then that's another story - just avoid those closed chords!

[@jazzfan2222]

One thing my friend and I did on a blues was trade 4s with comping. We would riff different rhythms off each other. Lot of fun, not sure if it's applicable on other heads

[@TheDaft2011]

I'm a guitarist just gettin into jazz. thanks for this awesome video.

[@nonchai]

Kralls guitarist - for a period - Russel Malone is so mellow and tasteful. Check out his work alongside Benny Green on Kaleidoscope. Sheer joyful interplay.

[@lbb2rfarangkiinok]

Answering the question that I have been struggling with for months learning standards on guitar....the background comping in my app is always a piano, and exactly like you said, I think I am gonna be hip and hit the 4 and, but the recording hits the 1....awful sound. Great to learn from your experience.

[@davidvicari5139]

The exception that proves the rules here might be the late Gene Harris groups, as with Ron Eschete, they would come around with worked out or intuitive stereo voicing that sounded so great smooth and swinging. Another thing that works is playing the 2 note shell voicings almost guaranteed not to clash, or even little voice leading one note counter melodies. But yes, comping as described as rhythmic full voicings, by all means you are giving the straight skinny. Organ trio of course is the perfect division of labor where 2 people are responsible for bass, comp and lead.

[@mathieu4734]

Aimee just confirmed what I though here but in a very nice way, as always. guitar and piano comping together get the music soooo muddy. and yeah guitar player are lucky to have a volume knob and play the Freddie green style if the rhythm is swing.

[@AimeeNolte]

mathieu4734 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@shaggieshapiro]

I think I'm going to quit playing the guitar for the bass, that way you can give me that little kissy kissy thing on when to comp. God, I love your videos!

[@AimeeNolte]

+orlando balla oh brother 🙄😂

[@shaggieshapiro]

Yosemite!!!!!

[@AimeeNolte]

+orlando balla lol

[@mattstiadle5625]

I was thinking about a similar situation. The one band I play with is me on bass guitar and another guy on guitar and we take turns singing. I would like to think it makes sense that if he's soloing I get to call the shots harmonically, but I can only play so many arpeggiated chords before people are like "who does this guy think he is Paul McCartney?" But of course rhythmically if it's just drums and bass comping a guitar solo the drums win. It's so empty with a rock trio like that. I've also played in the opposite situation where it's two rhythm guitars going on while a singer sings and then it's complete chaos as you describe here to the point where I got told off for being a musical snob because I asked that we both just follow the bass drum for rhythm. In a perfect world every band or ensemble would just have a Ray Manzarek and a drummer who's not too flashy.

[@545parsa]

Well in instances where I'm playing big band or just in an ensemble in general (with a pianist), I'll comp just emphasizing 2 and 4 (Freddie Green style) as the pianist comps along as well so there's like a set rhythm in the accompaniment.

[@johndubchak]

Thanks for the recommendation on Fallen Peach. I just purchased the album MP3 from Amazon. Please keep recommending material to listen to that fits with your lessons.

[@joelhoffman1764]

I enjoy your videos so much. Such a good topic!

[@patoni860]

you made it seem like Freddie Green also played with Oscar Peterson Trio. Freddie Green was Billie Holiday's longtime boyfriend. but I had never heard of recording with Freddy Greene and Oscar Peterson

[@JackChessa]

Very true. I remember a big band I used to play in where the piano player was always comping with a continuous stream of 8th notes. I would just sit and play a note from an alter chord every now and again. It was a bit frustrating. But I have also played with other piano player (and the same can be said for playing with other guitarists) where some really beautiful interplay can happen from comping together. It takes a bit of discussion and thought and most of all everyone has to ABL (always be listening).

[@AimeeNolte]

+Jack Chessa 🙌🏼🙏🏼

[@yomega69]

If I can key into a guitarist who is a "deer in the headlights", I'll know to just play diamonds or noodle high quick lines above and just forget about comping haha! But, I think style can account for a lot of the questioning who's doing what. Some styles require both piano and guitar be playing the same stuff, like older country tunes or blues forms. Just my 2 cents :)

[@timhulak5105]

Great advice, Aimee.

[@bluescanfly1981]

The deer in the headlights is a real thing. I venture a thesis that the greedy comper is a noodler at rehersal

[@brandtl1486]

Comping. Lay out. I think I need a glossary of terms.

[@AmandaKaymusic]

Comping, short for accompaniment (playing the chords), Lay out, don't play at all. Just listen and count so you know where you are in the song so when space for you reappears you can step right in in the right part of the song. Hope that helps.

[@roberttboyter4442]

Some of the best guitar players including Wes Montgomery and my favourite Kenny Burrell played with Jimmy Smith on his recordings. Great interaction, great exchanges, and each side stimulates and inspires the other.

[@AimeeNolte]

+Robert T Boyter you're so right. Organ is a different beast though. Much easier to play with guitarists with an organ, I think. Such a good combo!

[@RobbieUrban]

This is great that you're talking about this. However, I have always felt this is a subject that cannot be taught.... it's one of those things that a good musician just knows.... know what I mean?

[@saptono]

Although I couldn't always follow you, I can see you're beyond amazing! 'm looking forward your next video. Best regards.

[@AimeeNolte]

Saptono Istiawan thank you so much!

[@MarkRhodesSongs]

Hey, AImee! Great video. Jimmy Bruno, a great guitarist, has said that a bassist he works with a lot wants him (Jimmy) to quietly comp in Freddie Green style while he (the bassist) solos. Charlton Johnson, who played guitar for the Basie band after Freddie Green, said, "Remember, they don't call this style 'harmonic guitar' or 'chordal guitar'---it is RHYTHM guitar. That steady-but-not-mechanical pulse lets magic happen! ;o)

[@AimeeNolte]

Mark Rhodes Beautiful observation! Reminds me of gypsy guitar music and how they always have a rhythm player. Do you listen to Frank Vignola?

[@MarkRhodesSongs]

Hi, Aimee, yes, I listen to Frank Vignola. Love his playing. (And he's a great and nice guy too. A group of us are working through a book of his rhythm changes etudes. Tasty stuff. His comping is world-class. It's funny. He makes it seem so easy!

[@AimeeNolte]

Mark Rhodes that's so cool! I'll bet it's a really helpful book!

[@MarkRhodesSongs]

It is, Aimee. (And for those who play guitar and might be interested, Frank's etudes are catchy, swinging, but not too tricky. Also, he comps for himself and plays several choruses---mostly in Bb, F, or C---so you can a) learn some of his comping moves, and b) solo over his comping.

[@MarkRhodesSongs]

I nice companion to it would be an Aimee Nolte book on playing over rhythm changes! ;o)

[@evapettersson3933]

Thank you Aimee! Great stuff as always! I've been wondering about this for a long time. Absolutely love Oscar P. And his trios with bass and guitar. I've also heard Oscar P. play left hand bass lines even when he had a bass player and he made it work! I think it might be on the fabulous version of All Blues he does with Freddie Hubbard. I listen to them when I need an energy picker upper😊😎

[@l.harrison9725]

great to hear some intelligent ideas on this. Thanks for your lessons

[@AimeeNolte]

+L. Harrison 🤓 I try. Thanks Harrison!

[@hughmanatee7433]

Lately I’ve found myself doing Freddie green using only guide tones on the third and fourth string, trying to stay out of the bass players space too.

[@experimentalelectronica5016]

Comping is a high art form, really... To most guitar players, myself included, we hear "You can comp a little here" as a personal slight.

[@AmandaKaymusic]

I agree, it is a high art form and amazing when done well with space and good ears.

[@TheAngelofThrash]

Thanks for the golden advice Aimee :)

[@AimeeNolte]

Nick D you are totally welcome, Nick.

[@pauldeck4500]

I play piano in a quintet with drums, sax, bass, and guitar. I comp for the guitar player, but I lay way back when he "goes polyphonic." The guitar comps for the sax player. We decide on the fly who (if anyone) will comp for the bassist. Whoever is not doubling the head will comp then. This is not rocket science. The key is to actually talk about it.

[@billville111]

Very useful video thank you. And we have never seen Aimee and Jennifer Aniston in the same room. Just sayin.

[@christopherleach157]

Aimee rules and the piano is the king of instruments

[@AimeeNolte]

+Christopher Leach WORD. 😂🙌🏼

[@philxan]

Love it! As a (young in jazz) bass player, I love to have the support of some kind of comping when taking a solo. It can be so hard to ensure you are continuing to outlining the harmony, as well as make the solo interesting, and develop, when all you get is... well, nothing.. Perhaps you could give your thoughts on playing Piano / Bass duo as well?

[@michaelyork4554]

Just listen to YES, there are many instances of the guitar and keyboards both swapping forte, and equally loud, in fact they are Masters of systematically having the drums bass, guitar, and keyboards move in and out of dominance in various arrangements, something like Yours is no Disgrace where the keyboard and guitar are melded together as one through certain parts.

[@alantay9409]

You are inspiring and funny! Love your videos!

[@AimeeNolte]

Thanks so much

[@markbra]

I like you when you say, "don`t do it " !

[@AimeeNolte]

markbra 😂🙌🏼

[@sagarkapoor9892]

can you discuss what to look for and how to absorb new ideas from someone when you watch them improvising in real time...a lot of times i am so amazed but fail to make mental notes while i listen...thanks!!! :)

[@AimeeNolte]

+Sagar Kapoor Watch my video that I made earlier this week about sequencing motifs. That video came out of me listening to someone and learning in the moment.

[@alexanderdelacruz9249]

Love everything about your channel........ except the food you ate 😂 I’m a burger kind of guy 😜

[@guitareimprovisation]

Nice video, thanks ! But what's the point of the first 1min30s ???

[@jfvs1988]

Throwing shade. Cest nes pas bien?

[@donbarile8916]

I patiently waited for you to mention Diana Krall and Anthony Wilson... and you did! Very tasty stuff. Interesting to contrast Oscar Peterson with Joe Pass, as opposed to Oscar and Barney Kessel. I much preferred the Kessel approach. He didn't just lay back, he went for a smoke and a slice of pizza. That's respect. Had an idea, don't know if you'd ever be interested but... If you could upload a track, just voice and piano, I'd love to download it, bring it into ProTools, and drop a bass line or guitar track on top. Pass the download around, see what percolates. I know there are existing sites that provide that kind of functionality, but too crowded mostly. Would be an interesting teaching/learning thing. Just a thought. Ya, it isn't live interaction, but it's a thing that allows deep study. chika-boom.

[@AimeeNolte]

Don Barile that's a fun idea. I have actually made a lot of videos where I just play and sing. Are you talking about an MP3?

[@donbarile8916]

+Aimee That was what I was thinking. Could double as teaching material. ;-)

[@agilemeister]

haha! I can't believe it but I've been watching your videos ALL DAY LONG!! You are so mesmerizing (oh, and darn fun!!).

[@AimeeNolte]

+Bill Campbell thank you bill!!! 😍😍🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@vKarl71]

Nat King Cole Trio !! Love your vids. Knowing when to lay out is CRITICAL in pretty much every area of life, not just music. Many times DOING something or saying something is the worst thing you can do. The best interviewers, and therapists, do the least talking... Yes, I'm hungry. Too bad about the styrofoam, though - styrofoam is forever. (Those blocks of hard shipping styrofoam make amazing resonators, though. I'm trying to make a guitar out of them.)

[@RSProduxx]

Damn, Aimee. I didn´t have my breakfast yet! :D This might actually be helpful with some arrangements, thanks for the video :)

[@AimeeNolte]

RSProduxx most important meal of the day! 😜

[@pianoman19541]

So ... I thought comping was getting a free meal in th casino..... really..... that's how green I am. Just so you know. But I listened.... and read others and I learned something. Thank you.

[@AimeeNolte]

Jack Kehoe how could I forget the casinos?!!

[@guitarstudio800]

Sorry for the late response ... just came across this video ... and I just have a quick question. Why did Oscar Peterson have a guitarist in his trio (Barney Kessel, Herb Ellis, Joe Pass, Lorne Lofsky, Ulf Wakenius, et al); why did Nat King Cole have a guitarist in his trio (Oscar Moore, Irving Ashby)? I'm listening to Wes Montgomery with Wynton Kelly right now, and Wes is comping wonderfully behind Wynton's solo on No Blues, while Wynton continues to use his left hand. He does lay out quite a bit, but he's not afraid to jump in, either. Lots of other examples, but seems to me there is a long tradition of guitar/piano combinations in small groups that all swing like crazy. Thanks for your thoughts.

[@AimeeNolte]

Yeah! You’re totally right about all of that. It’s just a personal choice. I’ve played in trios with a drummer and without a drummer and with a guitar player and without a guitar player. It’s just a different vibe and I enjoy both. I love to listen to Oscar and his trio with guitar and bass, and Nat King Cole as well. Of course, there are also organ trios. Everybody navigates it a little bit differently, and it’s fun to pay attention and try to figure out why people do what they do.

[@callmejeffbob]

Aimee, what about the records "Undercurrent" or "Inter-Modulation" by Bill Evans & Jim Hall? On some tunes the distinction between accompanist and soloist seems to disappear. They turn into a four-handed organism where one artist finishes what the other has started; I still am constantly amazed by their melodic/harmonic/rhythmic interplay after hearing those records a zillion times.

[@AimeeNolte]

Yes those are such beautiful examples of sensitivity and a beautiful meddling of the two instruments. This is a simple answer to a simple question. Your question has a more difficult answer. It’s a fun answer to explore though! My 2nd album “Just Us” is a guitar and piano duet album.

[@callmejeffbob]

Hi Aimee, thanks for your response. Do you ever play any shows in Portland, Oregon? The "PDX Jazz Festival" aka the "Portland Jazz Festival" happens every February. It features many national, international and local musicians at various large and small venues. There are big stars and ones that should be. One of the highlights this year was a very touching (and fun!) tribute to the late Jon Hendricks with Kurt Elling, two of Jon's daughters, Kevin Burke (and Nancy King on a couple tunes). At the end they were joined by a college (PSU) jazz choir. Other highlights that I saw this year included Abdullah Ibrahim (aka Dollar Brand), Regina Carter and a tribute to the late Geri Allen by Esparanza Spaulding ( originally from Portland), Terri Lynn Carrington & Ravi Coltrane. This is just a long-winded way of saying you should try to get booked into this festival as a performer and/or as an educator. There are lots of workshops and symposiums associated with the festival. I just now purchased a download of your duet album from Amazon; looking forward to listening later today. Unfortunately it seems as though there's no physical CD (I'm hopelessly old school and much prefer CDs or LPs to MP3s). I like to see liner notes, art work etc. Did you write most of the tunes on "Just Us"?

[@ChristopherMilnevcm]

Really GREAT tutorial. Chock full of information presented in different ways: anecdotes, examples, cautionary examples. Thank you. I hope you won't take offense if I also tell you that I was occasionally distracted by your lovely eyes. That was good lighting for you in the car after your lunch.

[@AimeeNolte]

Christopher Milne glad you liked it. Thanks for the nice feedback.

[@gmee123]

I would love to take piano lessons from you Aimee :)

[@SilvanStrings]

Of course it is possible, and not with the guitar player playing quarter notes. Listen to Wolfgang Muthspiel's new quintet album "Rising Grace" with Brad Mehldau on piano. They are often comping at the same time and also improvising collectively with chords. Wolfgang is comping for Brad's solo and so on... And that whole record is freakin' beautiful. To sessions: I know that, there are guitar players like this, but what I experience as a guitar player is that there are many piano players who never give me the chance to comp, unless I say something. So please stop accusing only guitarist ;) edit: or Jon Cowherd and Mike Moreno in duo

[@paulfiore9852]

Also, Billy Bauer and Lenny Tristano have a phenomenal album together.