Killer Comping: A Basic Guide

by Corey Christiansen

This Mel Bay Gig Saver gives aspiring guitarists ideas about jazz guitar accompaniment in a brief, affordable, yet informative fashion. In jazz, the term "comping" means to accompany, and in some cases, to complement. It is the job of the harmonic instrument (guitar) to provide a background for other musicians to improvise against or a singer to sing against. The idea, when comping, is to make the other musicians comfortable while they play and to help their solos feel "complete." This book gives the guitarist a number of chord shapes and rhythms that can be used when comping in the style of Freddie Green, and in bebop and later styles. There are also blues progressions and an etude to practice applying the concepts.

16 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2003

About the author

Corey Christiansen is becoming recognized as one of the world's preeminent guitarists and educators. A recording artist, writer, educator and performer, he has played and taught in literally every type of situation around the globe for the last decade.