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As a jazz pianist, some of the most fun and delightful playing experiences are those that are shared with other musicians. There’s nothing quite like playing in a rhythm section as a soloist takes flight! In today’s Quick Tip, Jazz Piano Comping Guide – Beginner to Pro, you’ll explore the essential methods and mindset for how to comp on piano in a jazz rhythm section.

• Intro to Jazz Piano Comping
  • What is jazz comping?
  • Jazz Comping Examples by Professional Pianists
• Jazz Comping Rhythm Exercises: Beginner to Pro
  • Beginner Jazz Piano Comping
  • Intermediate Jazz Piano Comping
  • Advanced Jazz Piano Comping
• Additional Jazz Comping Resources
  • Jazz Rhythm Workshops
  • Jazz Voicings Techniques

Intro to Jazz Piano Comping

When you listen to a professional jazz combo, the pianist may not always look like they’re working hard, but chances are, they’ve worked long and hard to get to where they are. In fact, becoming a working jazz pianist requires the acquisition of multiple high-level proficiencies, such as the ability to sight-read, improvise, transpose and accompany. In today’s lesson, we’ll take a close look at that last skill in particular—accompanying—more commonly known as “comping” in jazz circles.

What is jazz comping?

Among jazz musicians, comping is a term that means to “accompany” and  to “compliment.” More specifically, comping refers the harmonic and rhythmic backgrounds that the rhythm section provides behind a soloist. Instrumentalists who provide chordal comping may include a pianist, a guitarist or occasionally a vibraphonist. In addition, jazz drummers also provide rhythmic comping throughout the drum set, especially on the snare drum.

Even though defining jazz comping is rather simple, the musical activity represented by this term is a highly refined skill. Indeed, effective comping engages a sophisticated blend rhythmic, harmonic and melodic skills and instincts, all while listening and responding to a soloist in realtime.

“Accompanying another musician is a high art. It requires tremendous control over one’s musical resources to be able to listen closely to someone else while playing supportively behind him or her.”¹

—Randy Halberstadt, Jazz Pianist, Composer & Educator

Jazz Comping Examples by Professional Pianists

Since jazz comping is such a mature musical proficiency, it’s fitting for us to listen to some representative examples before discussing the nuts and bolts of how to do it. Therefore, we’ve queued up some excerpts below which will help to exemplify this unique musical craft in aural terms.

As these recordings demonstrate, piano comping takes place within the broader creative context of jazz improvisation, an activity which already involves a good deal of artistic freedom. Therefore, what a pianist plays when they’re comping depends on several of factors. Of course, the single most important consideration when comping is the musical output of soloist themself. In addition, a pianist’s comping often reflects their own musical personality as well. For instance, swing era pianists like Duke Ellington and Count Basie comped with a different aesthetic than later pianists like Thelonious Monk and McCoy Tyner. Moreover, the tempo and harmonic structure of a tune influences how a professional jazz pianist approaches their comping. For instance, the same pianist will comp differently on a blues than on a modal composition.

Despite the ambiguities discussed above, aspiring jazz piano students can learn how to comp effectively by intentionally focusing on the two pillars of jazz comping: (1) jazz rhythms and (2) jazz voicings. In fact, that’s what we’ll do in the next!

Jazz Comping Rhythm Exercises: Beginner to Pro

A jazz piano student must develop skills in two different categories in order to be able to comp effectively on piano. Firstly, they must have a command of the characteristic rhythms that occur in jazz repertoire. Secondly, an aspiring jazz pianist should study the various voicings that are used by professional jazz pianists. In this section of today’s lesson, we’ll play comping exercises that will hone your skills in both categories in the medium swing style.

Use the following links to quickly navigate to the comping exercises for a particular playing level:

• Beginner Jazz Piano Comping
• Intermediate Jazz Piano Comping
• Advanced Jazz Piano Comping

If you’re a jazz piano student with an insatiable ambition, you might be tempted to dive headlong into practicing complex jazz piano voicings with the hope of comping like your favorite pro pianist by the end of the week. However, this mindset wrongly assumes that the secret to professional comping is grounded in complex voicing structures. On the contrary, the most critical aspect of effective piano comping is actually the rhythm, not the voicings. Therefore, it’s important for students to spend time methodically practicing comping exercises with really good time, regardless of the voicing structures. In fact, the best way to judge your progress is to record yourself playing these examples. Then, listen back to the recording and remember what Irving Mills and Duke Ellington said, “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing).”

This lesson includes a downloadable PDF as well as 3 downloadable backtracks. After logging in with your membership, these resources will appear at the bottom of this page. In addition, PWJ members can easily transpose these comping exercises to any key using our Smart Sheet Music. Note, all of the demonstrations in this section are performed at 120 BPM.

Beginner Jazz Piano Comping

One of the most common chord progressions in jazz repertoire uses the chord sequence Ⅰ▵⁷→Ⅵm⁷→Ⅱm⁷→Ⅴ⁷. Since this progression starts on the tonic chord and ends by preparing to go back to tonic, it’s known as the turnaround progression. All of the beginner comping examples below are based on playing the turnaround progression with diatonic 7th chords in C major. This means that all of the chords come from within the key signature.

For the beginner level, we’ll play the turnaround progression with the guide tones of each chord in the right hand—these notes are the 3rd and 7th. Then, we’ll simply add the root of each chord in the left hand.

Beginner Example 1

Our first example is based on a common jazz swing rhythm known as “the Charleston” because it was featured prominently in James P. Johnson’s popular dance tune from 1923 by the same name. Another name for this staple jazz rhythm is “on-off chords,” because the first chord is played “on” the beat (count 1) while the second chord is “off” the beat (the “and of 2”).

In the example above, both chords are played staccato. This is a great way to begin practicing this rhythm so as to accurately execute the timing. However, other articulations are also commonly applied to this rhythm, such as “short-LONG” or “LONG-short.”

Beginner Example 2

Another rhythmic staple of the swing tradition is known as the “Reverse Charleston,” or “off-on chords.” Here, the first chord is played “off” the beat (the “and of 1”) while the second chord is placed squarely “on” beat 3. Again, there are several viable articulations that can be applied to this rhythm. In the following example, we’ve opted for a long duration on beat 3.

Beginner Example 3

Our next beginner jazz comping exercise centers on pairs of 8th notes that are placed with a deliberate sense of syncopation. The proper jazz articulation for 8th notes pairs followed by a rest is often described by jazz educators as “Doo-DIT,” where “doo” represents a legato articulation and “dit” represents as short, crisp accent.² Notice that the Am7 and G7 chords in this example are placed a beat earlier than where they “ought to” occur in terms of the overall harmonic structure. When jazz musicians move a chord’s placement in this manner from a strong beat to the preceding weak beat, we call it an anticipation.

Beginner Example 4

Our last beginner comping rhythm employs staccato up-beats only on the back half of bars one and three. Once again, the Am7 and G7 are played early as anticipations.

Now it’s time to practice each of these comping rhythms along with one of the backing tracks for this lesson or a metronome. Can you play straight through all four examples without stopping? If so, try mixing up the rhythms so that your comping sounds less predictable. The goal is to be able to cycle between all of these classic swing rhythms instinctually. Afterward, you’ll have a much easier time swapping out these beginner voicings for the intermediate voicings in the next level.

Intermediate Jazz Piano Comping

If you can already comp with staple jazz rhythms and a good sense of time, then you’re ready to turn your attention to more interesting chord voicings. In fact, the intermediate comping examples below employ the exact same rhythms that we examined in the beginner section. The only difference here is that these chords include one additional note, which results is a fuller sound. If you look closely, you’ll notice that the guide tones are no longer played in the same hand. Instead, the 3rd and 7th are now split between the hands.

Some of the chords of the turnaround progression in this section have also been modified with chord alterations or even chord substitutions. These subtle changes are representative of some of the common harmonic devices that jazz musicians use to add harmonic variety and tension in their playing.

Intermediate Example 1

Our first intermediate comping example uses a chord substitution technique called a secondary dominant to replace Am7 with A7(♭9). Even though A7(♭9) isn’t the natural Ⅵ chord in C major, A7(♭9) is in fact the Ⅴ⁷ chord that naturally resolves to Dm7. Therefore, our ears accept this resolution as pleasing. The specific function of this secondary dominant can be explained as the “Ⅴ of Ⅱ.” Moreover, since this A7 chord includes a ♭9 (the note B♭) rather than the regular 9th (which would be B♮), it is considered an altered dominant chord. Likewise, the G7(♭9) is also an altered dominant chord which has been colored with the ♭9 as an available tension.

Intermediate Example 2

Our next intermediate comping example builds on rhythmic and harmonic techniques previously discussed, such as the “Reverse Charleston” and the secondary dominant substitution technique. However, the specific chord alteration employed in this example is the dominant 7(♯9) sound.

Note, in the example above, the ♯9 alterations appear with their literal spelling. However, students should note that this alteration is often spelled enharmonically as the ♭3. Thus, a dominant 7(♯9) will often appear in print as having both the ♭3 and the ♮3.

Intermediate Example 3

Our third intermediate comping example replaces the Ⅱm⁷ (Dm7) with Ⅱ⁷ (D7) instead—another secondary dominant (the “Ⅴ of Ⅴ”). Note, it isn’t necessary to preplan such subtle changes with other players in the band. Instead, it’s more important to listen and respond organically. For instance, if you heard the soloist improvise a line based on Ⅱ⁷ in the previous chorus, then you may infer that he or she likes that sound and may play it again. If you are unsure which 2-chord they’ll use, then a good option is to play it short rather than long.

Intermediate Example 4

Intermediate comping example 4 uses a different chord substitution technique known as tritone substitution. This technique replaces a typical dominant 7th chord with a different dominant 7th chord that is a tritone away (literally 3 whole steps away…moving by three whole steps in either directions results in the same chord). For instance, here E♭9 is a tritone sub for A7. Likewise, D♭7 is a tritone sub for G7. Notice that the dominant 7th chord that results from a tritone substitution always resolves down by a half step into the targeted chord resolution (i.e.: E♭9 down to D7; also D♭7 down to C▵7).

Now it’s time to practice each of these comping exercises with the backing track. Once you can play through all four examples without stopping, try to commingle the various rhythmic and harmonic variations. For example, try playing the “Charleston” in the odd bars and the “Reverse Charleston” in the even bars…or vice versa. You can also blend different combinations of secondary dominants, altered dominants and tritone subs. After that, you’ll be ready for the advanced voicings in the next level.

Advanced Jazz Piano Comping

The jazz piano comping exercises featured in this section employ the same essential rhythms as the previous levels, albeit with more advanced voicing structures. Although a number of different voicing structures are used in this level, the common thread is that all of these voicings are “rootless” and feature the guide tones in the left hand. This approach leaves the roots of the chords in the hands of the bass player, which in turn creates room for additional color notes in the piano voicings.

Advanced Example 1

Example one below is based on the “Charleston” rhythm. Here, the tonic chord is voiced as C(6/9) instead of C▵7. Notice, all of the notes in this voicing are a perfect 4th apart, a unique structure which we describe as a quartal voicing. In addition, our dominant 7th chords in this example now feature multiple chord alterations (♭9♭13) for even more tension.

Advanced Example 2

Our second advanced comping example is based on the “Reverse Charleston” rhythm. This example uses a quartal C(6/9) tonic voicing. In addition, our dominant 7th chords now feature the (♯9♭13) combination, which implies the sound of the altered scale.

Advanced Example 3

Our third advanced comping exercise uses polychordal jazz piano voicings with upper structure triads. Simply put, polychordal voicings are complex jazz chords that can be recalled more quickly by recognizing the simple, familiar shapes in each hand. For instance, C13(♯11) is played like a D major triad over the guide tones for C7 (i.e.: D/C7). Similarly, E♭13(♯11) can be understood as an F major triad over the guide tones for E♭7 (or F/E♭7). Also, D13(♯11) is played as E/D7. And lastly, D♭13(♯11) is recognized more simply as E♭/D♭7. Note, when playing polychordal voicings, the main chord is the left hand chord. The right hand shape is thought of as a related upper structure, which contains additional chord tones, extensions or alterations.

Advanced Example 4

Our final comping example has a fun, playful sound that comes from the intentional use of counter melodies. In other words, professional jazz pianists don’t just play stationary chords stabs. Instead, they also think melodically—even when comping!

Alright, it’s time to press “play” on the backing track and drill these advanced comping exercises. After playing them “as written,” try mixing the rhythmic and harmonic techniques in new ways and with different articulations. Then check out the additional comping resources in the next section!

Additional Jazz Comping Resources

Even though we’ve taken close look at the methods and mindset for how to comp effectively on piano, we’ve really just barely scratched the surface. Nevertheless, the path to additional comping versatility is quite similar to the approach that we’ve emphasized all along. It’s all about jazz rhythms and jazz voicings.

PWJ has multiple courses dedicated to additional exploration and mastery of jazz rhythms and jazz voicings. Here are a few resources in each category that we think you’ll love whenever you’re ready to take your comping to the next level.

Conclusion

Congratulations, you’ve completed today’s lesson on Jazz Piano Comping Guide – Beginner to Pro. As a result of considering and practicing these examples, you’ll be much better prepared to face the music in any comping situation.

If you enjoyed this lesson, then be sure to check out the following PWJ resources:

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¹ Halberstadt, Randy. Metaphors for the Musician: Perspectives from a Jazz Pianist. Sher Music Company, 2001, p. 220.

² Siskind, Jeremy. Jazz Piano Fundamentals (Book 1). Jeremy Siskind Music Publishing, 2021, p. 109.

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