Community (American Garage)

Subject View

From:	Message:
SUBJECT:	Pat’s comping and chording Back to Subjects
naut Aug 05 2015 at 10:48 AM	As far as I can tell, Pat seldom, if ever, forms his chords the same way that, say, Joe Pass or Pat Martino, and countless other jazz guitarists, form theirs. He never seems to make those difficult hand positions that jazz chords require when he’s comping and chording. Does anyone know, in relatively simple layman terms, just what Pat’s doing? Is he only playing the root of a chord or some harmonic therein? Is something else going on? Your insights will be appreciated.
Login to Post
patsfan Aug 10 2015 at 10:34 PM	To me, Pat’s music is so distinct from so many other artists is that nothing sounds technique-driven, or conforming in any way or form. Indeed, from album to album across his career, the one defining feature of his music is the enduring creativity and freedom of expression.
naut Aug 10 2015 at 5:13 PM	To follow what blisterfree is suggesting, if I read him right, maybe this is in part because Pat plays a lot of split-chords (if that’s the right term), where he’s picking a melody or counter-melody when comping. I’ve been re-listening to Day Trip--a phenomenal clinic in trio guitar--and he does this masterfully on all the self-penned tunes, as he does on most of his trio records. (None of this is to suggest that Pat hasn’t used those finger-bending complex chords at times.) To echo foper, Pat’s playing often seems so effortless that whatever he plays is natural & perfect for the tune, and maybe he doesn’t have to use the heavier block chords that other players rely on. Still cogitating about this. Thanks for your take, guys. It will be nice to read Pat’s words again, pf, whenever he revisits Q&A! I’ve learned a lot from his recommendations as well, my being a "relative simple layman." ;)
blisterfree Aug 09 2015 at 8:08 PM	All good points. I imagine, too, that the nuance of complex jazz chords would be lost in the context of comping behind a soloist, certainly in a more lively musical setting like the Unity Band, for example. It’s really quite a talent of Pat’s, his particular brand of comping, which so often forms the transition out of a guitar solo while overlapping into another musician’s solo spot. Far more important a contributor to Pat’s unique musical voice than is often appreciated.
patsfan Aug 07 2015 at 10:09 PM	Excellent question for ’ Question and Answer’ although Pat has not been there in a year or so. I’d really be interested in his answer.
foper Aug 07 2015 at 10:00 AM	Certainly a question for Pat to answer; but my guess is “simple is better”. He doesn’t want to overwhelm or upstage the soloist. In so many instances he seems to step aside completely and let the soloist have the stage completely. Perhaps more his style than trying to do what others do. Maybe he doesn’t want folks saying “hey, that’s what Joe Pass or Wes Montgomery used to do”. I know it’s definitely not from a lack of knowledge of the fretboard. Pat knows the guitar from the top to bottom. All I know is what he does works.
Login to Post