Todd

After watching all of your vids on you tube, I was wondering if you could comment a little about your approach to comping/chords etc. You seem to be very fluent, and I would love to take my playing more in this direction!

Todd

After watching all of your vids on you tube, I was wondering if you could comment a little about your approach to comping/chords etc. You seem to be very fluent, and I would love to take my playing more in this direction!

G,

I'm happy to comment, but I'm not sure where to start. It's a VERY open ended subject.

If you'll be patient with me, I'll try to get something up on the subject. Not just a quick response...but something substantial....It might take me a while....I'm OVERWHELMED with gigs, writing columns and editing my new DVD at the moment....:help: ......so I'll have to ask for patience from everyone.

BUT.........

I'll get something happening as soon as I can.

Sorry, but that's the best I can do for now.

This is something I'm really interested in too. Especially when you're playing both a bassline and comping chords over it at the same time. Learning different inversions and knowing when to use them, to help make the progressions sound fluid. Stuff like that.

That's what I love most about playing 6-string (bass). All the chording possibilities it opens up :)

Exactly Lokire. I am playing in two 3 piece ensembles and I want to fill out my role. How do I drive the band and give the other players something to blow over?

Subscribed :)

I'd love to see book(s) on chord melody playing on bass written by Todd and Ron Eschete together.

Hi Todd, Jeremy Cohen and I were talking about how we both appreciate your comping and were also wondering if you would be coming out with educational product on this.

Hope all is well with you!


Wally

Inquiring minds want to know! LOL

Seriously though - this is a great subject and I'm looking forward to hearing Todd's input.

Here's a question for everyone: When you are chording, do you strum or pluck or what?

I usually pluck the bass notes with my thumb and pluck the other notes with my first 3 fingers. Unfortunately due to deformation my pinkie is not worth a whole lot. I've been listening/watching a lot of Matt Garrison - trying to cop his technique. His licks, however, might be out of the question.

Hi Guys,

Wow.....I'm grateful for your kind comments and your interest in this stuff.

Coincidentally, I was working on a chord melody arrangement today with one of my college students....We we're talking about...and...working on playing some "rootless voicing" chord melody stuff......

I'm thinking through the process of how I teach people to get to this point.....Actually of how I really think about it...(honestly, I try not to think any more than necessary! lol).... Anyway... I'm starting to formulate some things.....Starting to organize it so it'll make sense, rather than irritate and confuse everybody.... I'm also going to have one of my "computer genius" friends come up with a 2 octave "neck paper" so I can write out all the grips and tab etc.....

Anyway.....I'm thinking and working on it....Again, your patience is appreciated. I'm not ignoring or blowing off this subject....

Thanks....

Cool..........:cool:

I'm also going to have one of my "computer genius" friends come up with a 2 octave "neck paper" so I can write out all the grips and tab etc.....


That would be especially cool :cool:

Thanks Todd!

No worries Todd, and again, thanks for your help!

Just a quick Subscribe

Hi Guys,

I thought you might get a kick out of this....

Apparently I'm supposed to start getting my "act together" on my whole chord playing/chord melody/bass & chords/ rootless voicing methods explantion thing.....:help:

After very little interest (it would seem) over the last few years...all of a sudden I'm getting a BUNCH of requests for this style of playing.... Steve Bailey even asked me to show him what I'm doing!!! (Steve was one of my teachers @ BIT)...:cool:

Anyway....all that to say.... This morning I got a call from Jerry Watts from the L.A. Music Academy. They have a bass Master Class on Wednesdays and someone canceled on them at the last minute....anyway...Jerry called and wants me to come in and do a Master Class on my whole Chord/Harmony approach to playing the bass....Cool huh?!?! Coincidence....????;)

Anyway....I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I do have a knack for the obvious and I CAN take a hint....SO...I'll do my best to get some stuff together so everyone can understand what I'm up to....

Thought you'd appreciate seeing how God thumps me in the head every so often and says "hey, get it together".

In the meantime....learn all your 3rds and 7ths for every chord type...in all 12 keys....If you don't know this....then you don't have a chance!! So, get to work....:bassist:

There it is....

Stay tuned!!

That is awesome!!!!

We all are blessed, looking forward to your insights.

I'm there. Thanks again Todd. Good luck with your gig!

I'm there. Thanks again Todd. Good luck with your gig!

Hi Guys,

Hey, I did a clinic last week in Rancho Cordova (Sacramento area) and the "chord thing" came up.... I think someone recorded the clinic....I'll try to find out and see if I can find the part where I "got into the chord voicing thing"....

Stay tuned....I haven't forgotten!!

No worries Todd. Looking forward to that vid!

me 2, lol

subscribing :)

Also subscribing. :)

Hi Guys,

Hey, I did a clinic last week in Rancho Cordova (Sacramento area) and the "chord thing" came up.... I think someone recorded the clinic....I'll try to find out and see if I can find the part where I "got into the chord voicing thing"....

Stay tuned....I haven't forgotten!!

Lookie what I found :smug:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=qrBzowDXB1A

Thanks bro!

Cool video and clinic.

Todd for those chords how are you approaching them? You thinking Polychords, or just rootless voicings. Any more tips for getting into chords?

Now that I have a six-string bass I've started by working up voicing with 3rd's and 7th on the G & C strings with roots on B, E, and A string. Figure that woud be a start. The one I have trouble with is the half-dimished on whether to include the b5 or not. Works fine without a 5th, but kind of vanilla sounding. Trouble getting the b5 in there some voicings are tough.

Cool video and clinic.

Todd for those chords how are you approaching them? You thinking Polychords, or just rootless voicings. Any more tips for getting into chords?

Now that I have a six-string bass I've started by working up voicing with 3rd's and 7th on the G & C strings with roots on B, E, and A string. Figure that woud be a start. The one I have trouble with is the half-dimished on whether to include the b5 or not. Works fine without a 5th, but kind of vanilla sounding. Trouble getting the b5 in there some voicings are tough.

DocBop,

I'm thinking "mostly" rootless voicings....at least that's what I was talking about on the video.

You are TOTALLY on the right track.....3rds and 7ths are KING... Try this....If you have the 3rd or 7th on top of your rootless voicing, then add either the 5th (perfect or altered...depending on the chord you're going for) or the 9th.....OTHERWISE....play the top note and add a 3rd and 7th....

For Example: Let's take Cma7.....Put a C (12 fret on C string) on top and add the 7th and 3rd below..... Got it??

Put your index finger on the C.....stretch and put your 4th finger on the B natural on the G string.....play an E on the D string with your second finger.....

To play a Cma9: Play a D on the C string and bar it with your index finger....play the B natural on the G string....and play the E on the D string with your "barred" index finger....Cool???

Next, play a Cma7 with an E on top. Play it with your index finger...bar the B natural with your index finger.....SO...now you've played the 3rd and 7th on top....so....follow my "rule" and add the 5th of the chord ...a G on the D string with your middle/2nd finger.

Have someone play a low/lower C for you and it will sound like a million dollars.

I hope this makes sense.... Anyway....this will get you started. I actually talked about this in depth at the clinic, but it's not on this part of the video....That's actually what I was looking for...but haven't found it yet....I'm still looking. Oh well, this will have to do for now.

Great question!!

Thanks my friend!!

Todd, thank you!

To expand on that a little bit, what if you aren't a looper and don't have someone to hold down the roots for you? I'm not necessarily talking solo bass, but more of an ensemble context.

DocBop,

I'm thinking "mostly" rootless voicings....at least that's what I was talking about on the video.

You are TOTALLY on the right track.....3rds and 7ths are KING... Try this....If you have the 3rd or 7th on top of your rootless voicing, then add either the 5th (perfect or altered...depending on the chord you're going for) or the 9th.....OTHERWISE....play the top note and add a 3rd and 7th....

For Example: Let's take Cma7.....Put a C (12 fret on C string) on top and add the 7th and 3rd below..... Got it??

Put your index finger on the C.....stretch and put your 4th finger on the B natural on the G string.....play an E on the D string with your second finger.....

To play a Cma9: Play a D on the C string and bar it with your index finger....play the B natural on the G string....and play the E on the D string with your "barred" index finger....Cool???

Next, play a Cma7 with an E on top. Play it with your index finger...bar the B natural with your index finger.....SO...now you've played the 3rd and 7th on top....so....follow my "rule" and add the 5th of the chord ...a G on the D string with your middle/2nd finger.

Have someone play a low/lower C for you and it will sound like a million dollars.

I hope this makes sense.... Anyway....this will get you started. I actually talked about this in depth at the clinic, but it's not on this part of the video....That's actually what I was looking for...but haven't found it yet....I'm still looking. Oh well, this will have to do for now.

Great question!!

Thanks my friend!!

Thanks for the advise I will work on that and it will force me to learn to use my looping pedal. Part of the reason I'm working on the 3rd's and 7th's on C and G and so once I get used to the width of the 6-string neck I can try to walk the bass with the double-stop on top.

Thanks again.

Thanks for the advise I will work on that and it will force me to learn to use my looping pedal. Part of the reason I'm working on the 3rd's and 7th's on C and G and so once I get used to the width of the 6-string neck I can try to walk the bass with the double-stop on top.

Thanks again.

DocBop,

You should REALLY just come take a lesson and get it over with. I can show you more in an hour than you can stand! Ha!:D :bassist:

Trust me...It would give you a TON of stuff to work on and the CONFIDENCE to know you're doing it right! Food for thought....

:cool:

DocBop,

You should REALLY just come take a lesson and get it over with. I can show you more in an hour than you can stand! Ha!:D :bassist:

Trust me...It would give you a TON of stuff to work on and the CONFIDENCE to know you're doing it right! Food for thought....

:cool:

Sounds like a good idea. I'll email you next week. :D

Sounds like a good idea. I'll email you next week. :D

Cool....Looking forward to it!!

Here's where I'm at with comping chords so far:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8jWY56rDRw

If you have any comments or suggestions (aside from the great advice already posted!), I'd love to hear it :)

Here's where I'm at with comping chords so far:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8jWY56rDRw

If you have any comments or suggestions (aside from the great advice already posted!), I'd love to hear it :)

Lokire,

Overall, it's VERY good!!!:bassist: :D Well done my friend!!!

I've actually got a few suggestions for you, but it'd be MUCH easier for me to talk you through a couple of things.....rather than try to type it all....Make sense??

Do this...drop me an email at my home address todd@toddjohnsonmusic.com and we can exchange numbers and I'll call you and talk you through it.

Cool???

Let me know....I'm happy to help.

Talk to you soon.........

This may not be exactly on topic, but I found these very helpful.

http://www.jazzbooks.com/miva/documents/handbook/47_blues_voicings.pdf

http://www.jazzbooks.com/miva/documents/handbook/48_major_and_dom7th_voicings.pdf

http://www.jazzbooks.com/miva/documents/handbook/49_2-5-1_voicings.pdf

I must say fellow TBers, if you ever have the chance to take a lesson with Todd........do it! It is well worth it. It may seem a bit intimidating at first, but it is easy once you see how humble Todd is.

This may not be exactly on topic, but I found these very helpful.

http://www.jazzbooks.com/miva/documents/handbook/47_blues_voicings.pdf

http://www.jazzbooks.com/miva/documents/handbook/48_major_and_dom7th_voicings.pdf

http://www.jazzbooks.com/miva/documents/handbook/49_2-5-1_voicings.pdf

I must say fellow TBers, if you ever have the chance to take a lesson with Todd........do it! It is well worth it. It may seem a bit intimidating at first, but it is easy once you see how humble Todd is.

Erik,

You're my hero!!;)