Comping

[Lokire]

Originally Posted by Todd Johnson

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

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

[G]

Thanks bro!

[DocBop]

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.

[Todd Johnson]

Originally Posted by DocBop

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!!

[G]

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]

Originally Posted by Todd Johnson

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.

[Todd Johnson]

Originally Posted by DocBop

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!

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....

[DocBop]

Originally Posted by Todd Johnson

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!

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....

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

[Todd Johnson]

Originally Posted by DocBop

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

Cool....Looking forward to it!!

[Lokire]

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

[Todd Johnson]

Originally Posted by Lokire

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!!! 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.........

[ErikP.Bass]

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

http://www.jazzbooks.com/miva/docume...s_voicings.pdf

http://www.jazzbooks.com/miva/docume...h_voicings.pdf

http://www.jazzbooks.com/miva/docume...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.

[Todd Johnson]

Originally Posted by ErikP.Bass

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

http://www.jazzbooks.com/miva/docume...s_voicings.pdf

http://www.jazzbooks.com/miva/docume...h_voicings.pdf

http://www.jazzbooks.com/miva/docume...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!!