Comping & Fake Books
Accompaniment patterns, “faking it,” and playing from fake-book chord charts.
11 articles
Song 5: “Misty” (Erroll Garner/Johnny Burke)
Play the beloved jazz standard "Misty" by Erroll Garner in a piano-bass-drums trio arrangement, comping behind the vocal in authentic jazz style.
Using the 7th and the 3rd of the Chord Below the Melody
Master the jazz staple of voicing the 7th and 3rd of a chord below the melody, demonstrated on the standard "All the Things You Are."
Using Right-Hand Triads with Single Notes in the Left Hand
Arrange Sarah McLachlan's gospel ballad "Angel" in 3/4 with right-hand triads over a static left hand, while learning add9 chords and bass-note walkdowns.
Forming Triads Below the Melody
Build fuller right-hand arrangements by forming basic and upper-structure triads beneath the melody, adding two chord tones under each melody note.
Using Intervals Below the Melody
Add warmth to a melody by placing 6ths and 3rds beneath it in the right hand, building fuller arrangements without obscuring the tune.
More Advanced Left-Hand Patterns with Arpeggios
Expand your left-hand accompaniment with open triad arpeggios, spreading chord tones beyond an octave to create richer, fuller broken-chord patterns from fake-book symbols.
Applying the Techniques to Songs
See comping techniques at work on real songs, starting with the Beatles' instantly recognizable "Let It Be" piano figure and its octave doubling and upper-structure voicings.
Introduction to “Upper Structure” Triad Voicings
Learn upper-structure voicings — playing a triad over a bass root — as a faster, easier way to grab big four-part and larger chords while comping.
The Two Stages to “Faking It”
Begin the art of "faking it," turning a bare chord chart into your own piano comping arrangement built straight from the chord symbols.
What Is “Comping” from a Fake Book?
Get to grips with comping and fake books, learning how lead sheets give you just melody, lyrics, and chord symbols to improvise your own accompaniment.
Adding Single Notes in the Left Hand
Give your right-hand melody a left-hand bass line in "Ode to Joy," with a finger-crossing move that makes the two hands sound truly independent.