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Thoughts about
Comping I would define
comping like a orchestration that a musician does for a melody (motive) or
for a solo (improvisation). That would be the ideal, the music would
thank. But, this usually doesn't go this way, so I thought about somethings
to wonder together. To need x To
want I think the
ideal to play a song,first of all, is to hear carefully the people who are
playing with you. Then you hear, assimilate and react; playing, soon after,
the music which is necessary to be played at the moment. When you need to play something, when you
hear internally the answer for some musical situation, it shows that you are
in the right way of the true music. But, when you want to play something, or when
you are thinking about rules and "concepts", you are in the
underground of "playing music", that is "To study music". It is useless to want to play something if
you have just studied this on the same day, for example, or if you want to
play inside of math rules or dogmas that you believe. This, at the minimum,
isolates you of music and makes that you to confound the other people who are
playing with you, ending with all the good idea of sound. Playing is beyond that: it is about to be
free of warning and free of judgement; it is about to captivate everything
that is happening on that time and to react with the maximum of honesty,
playing what you feel and what is true - via intuition. Studying So what would be the procedures
to get ready to accompany a song in a musical way? - The first one would be study each chord
deeply and explore the more you can, to not get stuck in one (or few) types
of voicings. For example: If you are going to play a Eb7M, it would be a nice
beginning to know how to play this chord in lots of shapes, in the many
ranges of your instrument. It would be a interesting idea to know how to add
different notes to extend the chord (the highest note of the chord) in this
Eb7M, like for example, the notes F (9th), A (11#), C (13th).Only with this
example we already gave a great stuff to play and find out new possibilites.
Practice this over other types of chords. Also try to play the hamonies different each
time you are going to play a song, runaway from your usual shapes.
And try to make music with the chords. - Another thing really important is the
rhythm. Do you know how to play a groove of samba, or a jazz waltz, a afoxé,a
bolero, or a 4/4 (jazz)?If you don't, your rhythmic universe is limited.
Besides that, inside of samba, for example, there are lots of grooves,
uncountable variations - like in the other rhythms. Each rhythm has its own
language, its conventions and it "slangs"; the idea is to do a
research and to study, really to look for this. Besides that, practice a lot
to get a certain physical resistance, to stand to play a rhythm in a precise
way and with a lot of swing during a good period of time. - To listen is another fundamental aspect of
this. If you are a guitar player, try to listen how pianist accompany a song,
or listen to the strings of an orchestra playing the back chords for a melody
- listen to Ravel and realize how he uses strings in his song, to say an
especific example. It is going to give many ideas to know how to work on the
melody, and how to make this more beautiful. Pay attention also in the
drummers, in the percussionist, and in the bassists.... That will help you to
find out important rhythmic elements. Playing (Tips to start creating more
conscience while you're comping) - First of all, don't be afraid of stoping of
playing a little. Sometimes is really good to let the soloist free, to listen
to what him or her is playing, without playing. Or even to play few chords,
giving more space to the soloist. - Remember yourself that if you also play
something ,this has to be a reason for being on the song. Imagine what
is going on and what is being written in somewhere or recorded, that will
improve your concentration. - Listen to the melodies that you play on
your accompaniment to enchain the chords, and use this like a "counter
point", like a real orchestration. Of course always take care about the
dynamic and paying attention to the soloist, to not perturb. Don't play just
on your own... - I usually speak to some students the
following: "Accompany in a way that this becomes the best solo of this
guy's entire life".That's it "do your best" for who is playing
a solo. Listen to each notes that is being played for other person and
accompany this like you would like to accompanied! This time doesn't exist
"him" or "me"; The only thing that matters is the group.
Therefore, try to pay attention to the music that is happening. Listen to
what the group is playing around you and put yourself in the way to implement
and to enrich what is going on. For this it is totally necessary to forget
about your ego and idiot stuff like "fame","ambition" or
"to show off ". Go for the music! A great hug to everyone, health and
peace! Michel Leme Email: michel@michelleme.com
Site: www.michelleme.com |
