so What Can You Tell Me About Freddie Green Comping?

bobthecanadian · August 10th, 2008, 12:13 AM

I want to improve my comping chops and think that Freddie Green was pretty awesome. What can you tell me about his style? How do you approach this kind of comping? Tell me what you can, I'd sure like to learn.

Bob

softmonkey · August 10th, 2008, 01:13 AM

Green was a pioneer in the way the guitar is played in a big band setting. He held that "you should never hear the guitar by itself. It should be part of the drums so it sounds like the drummer is playing chords—like the snare is in A or the hi-hat in D minor."[1]

rkwrenn · August 10th, 2008, 08:21 AM

Have you seen this site???

The Freddie Green Web Site

Loads of stuff to check out.

Cheers and HTH,

Bob

bobthecanadian · August 10th, 2008, 09:13 AM

Great stuff at that site.

How about something simple to get me started? What would you suggest?

Bob

rkwrenn · August 11th, 2008, 09:57 AM

Oh, sorry for the delay but I got sidetracked all day yesterday.

IMO the easiest way to get started is to work on it in a blues context.

Here's a vid of Robben Ford talking specifically on the subject...

YouTube - The Robben Ford Clinic - Mixing Jazz Chords w/ Blues

Start small and work slowly adding new parts as you become more comfortable.

Cheers and HTH,

Bob