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How To Comp For A Vocalist / Singer

Introduction

We’ve already discussed how to ‘comp (http://www.thejazzpianosite.com/jazz-piano-lessons/jazz-

chord-voicings/how-to-comp/) in an earlier lesson, where I explained how to accompany an
instrumental soloist. In this lesson we will brie y discuss how to comp for a vocalist. As we’ll soon
see, a lot of the same rules apply, but there are also a couple of unique factors to take into
consideration when comping for singers.

The most important factor to consider is the fact that the voice, unlike most instruments, is not
tuned to a speci c note or tuning system. It doesn’t have xed notes, like keys on a piano or frets on
a guitar. And unfortunately, because singing is a natural human impulse, singers (who don’t also
know how to play an instrument) often don’t know very much music theory. You can easily learn to
sing by ear and not bother learning to read notes, or play chords, or understand harmonic
progressions. This is, of course, a broad generalisation, so apologies to singers (of which I am not
one). This means your comping should generally be relatively simple.

Comp for a Vocalist

The rst obvious thing to note is that the singer is in charge of the melody and the ‘comper (you) is in
charger of the accompaniment. As a ‘comper your primary responsibilities are to keep the beat and
rhythm going, and the play the harmony.

When comping you obviously need to learn the chords (http://www.thejazzpianosite.com/jazz-piano-

lessons/jazz-chords/), using appropriate voicings (http://www.thejazzpianosite.com/jazz-piano-
lessons/jazz-chord-voicings/), and appropriate left hand techniques
(http://www.thejazzpianosite.com/jazz-piano-lessons/jazz-genres/early-jazz-vs-modern-jazz-piano/),
like stride or walking basslines (http://www.thejazzpianosite.com/jazz-piano-lessons/jazz-chord-
voicings/walking-bass-lines/) or ostinatos basslines. That’s a given when comping for any instrument.
But when comping for a singer speci cally, there are essentially two other things you need to keep in
mind:

Keep it simple
 Don’t overpower the singer
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Keep it Simple, Stupid

Because the voice has no xed key or notes, it is relies on the harmony to nd the notes required to
sing the melody (unless the singer has perfect pitch, of course). So when you comp for a vocalist,
keep it simple! Speci cally, this means keeping your harmony and your rhythm simple, for example:

Play simple 7th chords using regular tertian harmony – unless the singer is Ella
Fitzgerald, using chromatically descending quartal chords will probably throw them o .
Occasionally use voicings with the melody note on top – this gives the singer a
reference point
Use a solid walking bassline to outline the chords and keep the rhythm going – a
steady rhythm allows the singer to delay and anticipate the melody and still have that
clear rhythmic reference point. If the singer starts singing behind the beat and you start
comping behind the beat, you’re both going to drag and get lost.

So the idea is to give the singer a rhythmic and harmonic reference point and an anchor to hold on
to. By playing something quite simple and steady, you allow the singer to be a bit more expressive
and experimental.

It’s Not About You

The other thing to do when you comp for a vocalist is to not overpower the singer. The singer is the
star of the show, you’re just there to accompany the singer. So:
 Lower your volume – especially if you’re playing with a soft singer

Stay out of the singers range – if you’re comping a soprano, play a walking bassline in
the bottom register and chords in the middle. If you’re comping a tenor, play in a walking
bassline in the bottom register and lls at the top.
Counter the singer (i.e. do the opposite) – When the singer is singing busily, play
sparely. When the singer is not singing, play a bit busier. It’s really hard to sing over a John
Coltrane solo (http://www.thejazzpianosite.com/jazz-piano-lessons/jazz-
improvisation/sheets-sound-explained-john-coltrane/).
Use breaks – this is where you stop playing and let the vocalist sing a few line on their
own. Conversely, during breaks in the melody, feel free to insert a little ll.

And that’s really it. If you follow those few simple ideas when you comp for a vocalist, that should be
enough. And obviously, you need to agree on a key, style and tempo with the singer before the
performance, but that’s a given.

Apologies in Advance

Now, I’m not much of a singer, but to demonstrate the above I will demean myself for your bene t in
the below video by singing and comping for myself. I will attempt to sing a great little Jazz-Blues song
by Mose Allison called I Don’t Worry ‘Bout a Thing. As I’m doing so, pay attention to the walking
bassline that’s keeping the rhythm going, the simple harmonies I am using (mostly just 7th chords
with the occasional 9th added), the lls I insert in between the melody, the use of side-slipping, and
the breaks I insert to emphasise the melody and create a bit of contrast. So enjoy and apologies in
advance.

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