comping in duo

[neroantico]

Hi friends,
What is your point of view when you are comping some melodic intrument playing a theme? (not talking of counterpoint)
I'm guilt to play roots on ballads without thoughts on what is happening during a theme. I should pay attention when a note (even a root) clashes. Trying to build a melodic fluid line.
Unluckly my teacher choosed Iris, not that melodic harmony as well. i will try with inversions.
Is there some rule to follow based on minor distance, thirds or what else keeping me from sucking?

Thank you for your time

Giovanni

[oliebrice]

Check out Red Mitchell's duo playing, for example the album 'I concentrate on you' with Lee Konitz. Thats the best masterclass on accomanying you'll find anywhere...

[Sam Sherry]

Duos are their own particular brand of challenge, but the basic rule applies: "Listen to what is around you and play what's appropriate in that particular moment."

As my friend the guitarist Mark Kleinhaut used to say about duos, "It's all held together with one thin string." For me, a chord-less duo setting usually provides the opportunity to play more rhythmically. I'm going to be less likely play a lot of whole note and half notes, and more likely to push things along.

As for examples, check out Michael Moore on The Bob Brookmeyer Quartet a/k/a Live at Sandy's. (Yes, I know, it's a quartet but there are wonderful duos throughout.) Also check Ron Carter and Jim Hall, and Bill Evans and Eddie Gomez. Although Evans and Hall play chordal instruments these are textbook examples of modern duo playing.

Have fun! Report back, please!

[neroantico]

Thank you for your time and suggestions, i will update you with what i find fit best.
Yes it is a big challenge, in first place and level of study i would keep theme and solo comping apart in order to focus about inversions and effect on theme's melodic line.

Rithmic approach, really interesting. Iris is a 3/4 medium ballad
Have you specific patterns in mind?( suggestions welcomed)


Ciao

Giovanni

[fingers]

Sam is right on as usual.

Remember, there is nothing wrong with playing a root. Nothing at all. Sometimes guys can get too hip for their own good. You gotta play what you hear not what you think you 'should' play. Trying to be hip and interactive and such is cool but in the immortal words of Art Blakey "Two hips make an ass."

If I'm working on a new tune at home I like to sit down at a piano and play through the tune to really get the harmonic movement in my head. Notes of significance start to pop out at me. Then I can start thinking more melodically about a bass line. If the tune is not in my ear it is much harder.

[Marcus Johnson]

Hehe! Blakey....

[fingers]

Originally Posted by neroantico

Iris is a 3/4 medium ballad
Have you specific patterns in mind?( suggestions welcomed)

In these situations I like to move between a quarter note and a dotted quarter note thing. I also really like to obscure count one. Basically playing across the barline both rhythmically and harmonically. It makes the groove slippery. You have to be careful that you don't throw yourself or your duo-mate off with this but I love the effect. If everyone involved is really listening and interacting duo playing can be so much fun.

I still like to groove like crazy with a great drummer but drummerless duo stuff is so intimate and exposed it really makes you focus on every note you and the other person plays.

[Panurge]

In a duo, the bass has to thread a careful path between support and cleverness. As the interest generated by your duo partner waxes and wanes, your ear has to decide when to step in, support, counteract, participate, abscond, or otherwise layout. Good taste dictates this, of course, but a careful study of counterpoint in classical litterature may give a few clues about the whole procedure.
I love duos, especially with horns, as they permit "outside" explorations that otherwise wouldn't happen with set chordal influences.
Take it easy.
E.G.

[andy rice]

i don't think there's a magical formula, in the form of specific patterns. like all of jazz, the point is finding your own way and to do that you have to explore and try stuff out.

i, personally, draw inspiration from my favorite players when trying to wrap my head around any particular playing situation and eventually arrive at a place where i'm playing me.

charlie haden has a duets album called closeness duets and has recorded in the duo format alot. also, any recording where the bass is the sole harmonic accompaniment to a soloist is a good place to get inspiration from. sonny rollins at the village vanguard with wilber ware and elvin jones, for example.

a

[fingers]

The secret word for tonight is...

Flexibility