Comping

What it means

Comping, short for “accompanying,” refers in jazz to the chordal backing that piano or guitar provides behind a soloist. Instead of playing chords in even, predictable beats, comping places them irregularly, often syncopated, reacting directly to what the soloist is playing at that moment.

Musical use

Comping requires the accompanying musician to know a tune's harmonic progression thoroughly, so that suitable chord voicings can be dropped in at rhythmically surprising points, supporting the soloist without covering them. The technique developed alongside bebop in the 1940s, as piano moved away from the continuous quarter-note comping of swing toward a sparser, more conversational role.

Comping should be distinguished from a walking bass line, which provides a harmonic foundation in even quarter notes in the bass, while comping reacts freely and irregularly above it. It also differs from a written-out accompaniment part in that it is usually improvised and varies from performance to performance.

Performance practice

When you practice comping, listen closely to the soloist before placing a chord: comping thrives on listening and on the space you leave, not on playing as many chords as possible. Vary your voicings, density, and rhythmic placement deliberately, so the accompaniment stays alive instead of settling into a rigid pattern.