Re: guitar/piano question
CLAY MOORE ( cmoore4@ix.netcom.com )
Wed, 12 Feb 1997 16:06:26 -0600
Bert Ligon wrote:
>
> Edward Flanagan asked several months ago a question about what a guitar
> player should do while the pianist solos. I answered a one word message:
> "tacet." Edward took this to be rude and I can see how he would feel that
> way. I have apologized to him and offer a more complete answer below.
>
> It is of course a great question, and deserved a better answer. I am both a
> guitar and piano player, and have the benefit of both perspectives.
>
> In all seriousness, the best choice may be to tacet. It is a often
> neglected choice for accomplaninying anyone. Why not let the sax player
> just play with the drums and bass, or the drums alone, or the bass alone?
> The chords from either the piano or guitar may not be necessary with an
> outstanding sax player.
>
> The advantage a pianist has is that he can accompany himself without any
> support, bass, guitar or drums. If the pianist is adventurous at all with
> the harmony during his solo, only a mind reader could make consistent
> choices to accompany him on guitar. The holes may be filled with the
> pianist's left hand, matching exactly the color and rhythmic momentum of
> the solo. A guitarist might take away from the musical moment rather than
> add to it. Another consideration is the overall texture of the performance.
> For example in a quintet (piano, bass, guitar, drums, sax), if both the
> guitar and piano accompany the sax solo, that is five performers at once.
> If the pianist accompanies the guitar solo, that is four performers at
> once. When it comes to the piano solo, it might be nice as a texture change
> to just hear the trio or duo, providing a contrast to the previous music
> and a contrast to the melody at the end when all five are playing again.
>
> There are of course times when providing a rhythmic and simple harmonic
> foundation actually contributes to the piano solo. The guitarist has to
> consider that an amplified guitar can quickly overpower a piano. Simple
> single lines (whole and half-note values) following guide-tones may be
> tasteful, occasional chords stabbed for emphasis could work. But if the
> pianist is covering alot of bases (single line solos and rhythmic
> harmonically clear left-hand comping) the guitarist would have to ask
> himself if anything is actually musically needed, or is he playing just to
> play. I have played with guitarist where there was never a problem, in any
> style, and others where it was always a problem.
Bert, while you offer some excellent advice I feel that I should mention
something about this issue. I play guitar and I usually lay out when
playing with a pianist, but pianists in general do not return the favor.
I don't presume to offer advice to other players I'm working with, but
this is a big peeve of mine, because pianists invariably comp for the
other soloists, comp for me, and comp for themselves. This doesn't leave
me much to do when I'm not soloing. When I'm soloing I've got very good
command of harmony and subs, so I don't *need* someone comping,
especially if they aren't paying attention to where I'm going. I'm just
suggesting to everyone who plays keyboards to share the load a little,
and not assume it's your job 100% of the time.
Clay