Playing blues rhythm is sometimes called “comping,” especially when we talk about playing chords behind another soloist or a singer.

It’s not really a “strum pattern,” because you don’t strum, but this is really the best way to approach rhythm behind a blues shuffle.

It’s nice and simple, using your trusty 2 note chords. And this pattern will get you through a LOT of songs.

Dig it!


    38 replies to "The Comping Pattern"

    • Jack Flash

      INTERESTING. I did it awhile back but listened to when to do it. I can watch someone play, or listen to the sound and get into the grove but THAT COUNTING THING IS HARD FOR ME….I know I need to count to keep up

      • Jack Flash

        INTERESTING. I did it awhile back but listened to when to do it. I can watch someone play, or listen to the sound and get into the grove but THAT COUNTING THING IS HARD FOR ME….I know I need to count to keep up

    • Gerard

      i wish someone would write the count above the tab. just once somebody!!! Its all i want for christmas

    • Darryl Manire

      Hi.. you’re the only messages or texts I leave in my mailbox, everything else I just delete.. some people don’t like so many texts I do..ha.. what about me, what about my needs, what about my likes and dislikes, ha.. bye’eeee..

    • Gordon N. Day

      I have been playing and singing “Professionally” for over 50 years, After a stroke I slowed down some. This is a great help. I use it most of the time. Thank you.

    • Ernie

      Great video. My regular guitar teacher was going over little chords and 9th’s at the same time I was going over them in your BGU lesson. My question is in the book you show the A7 little chord as a 2 note chord using the 3rd string 6th fret and the 4th string 5th fret and on this video you show it as using the 2nd string 5th, 3th string 6th, and 4th string 5th. Why the difference and where would you prefer one over the other?

      • Ricardo

        You can play any of the 6 strings.

        The idea of “little” chords is that you don’t need to play the bass when playing in a band.

        In BGU he demonstrates playing chords on the top 4 strings.

        Then demonstrates only playing the 2 most important notes, 3 & b7.

        In this video he plays 3 strings.

        Playing 2, 3 or 4 strings are all considered “little” chords.

    • Skip Young

      I can’t get your comping count. You keep changing from a “1 and 2” count to a “1 and ah 2” count ?
      Can slow down a little so I can get it,
      Thank you
      Skip

      • Ernie

        You can go into YouTube settings and slow the video down to get the parts that go a little to fast for you. I use this all the time.

      • Ricardo

        3 options, all the same 3 counts:

        1) 1 and uh 2
        2) say “and” under your breath, just say 1 uh 2 out loud
        3) say “and” where “uh” should go, 1 and 2

        • Ricardo

          That’s 3 counts per beat counted 3 different ways.

          • Vic

            Uh and “and” seem to be interchangeable..sometimes he says “and” but usually “uh”…. Then again I haven’t totally finished the video yet

            • Ricardo

              That’s option 3, saying “and” instead of “uh”.

              It’s like delaying the “and” of straight 8ths by 1/6th of a beat.

      • Glenn

        You can choose the speed in YouTube.

    • Paul Spiel

      dig it, always like short-cuts to playin’ chords … thx Griff

    • greg

      simple but very useful. thanks Griff

    • tony

      You actually use DigiTech add on cool .

    • tom ayers

      ok ty

    • DavidJon

      Very, very nice lesson, Griff. I love the simplicity of using 2 and 3 note little chords in place of striving to play a clean 6-string barre chord. Simple but not simplistic.

    • Brian

      Another excellent lesson! Cool and useful. Thanks Griff!

    • Pete

      Nice lesson. I’ve been using a 2 note variation for the same type of backing rhythm. Your lesson gave me a new voice to use and a new way of playing it. Thanks for great lesson. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and your family.

    • Dr Brad Dahlager

      You are way cool! Thank you for this invaluable share. BTW, I have a copy of your Playing On The Porch DVD and it’s also one of those “got-to-know” things.

    • Mark

      I just can’t pick up how you’re doing the chord shapes. You go over it too fast for me. I get the strumming pattern, but I can’t get the shapes.

      • Jeff

        buy his course How To Build Blues Songs, this is from that course.

      • blind Lame Bob

        Couple of suggestions.
        I have the same problem as you and found that this actually hurts my playing as I constantly look at the TAB while I play. Let your musical brain and motor skills drive you.

        This video is on YouTube and let the player assist you. In no time, you’ll be able to watch the Shifu and write your tab along with his playing in real time. Well OK, maybe slowed down a bit.

        This is an impossible task, yes?
        No, it is not. Have you ever looked at the gear in the bottom right corner. The gear stands for tools and there are several things you can do.
        1. Enlarge the screen
        2. Increase video quality
        3. Slow the video down.
        4. Look up YouTube not keys. These allow frame by frame viewing both forward and in reverse.

        Using the tools, you should be able to get much of what the SHifu plays and recorded on paper.

        By all means print and use the TAB. Remember what the Master said –
        Listen and watch closely ….. Practice with the TAB …… Memorize parts and put them together …… Play the whole thing …….

        And get the tabs and refer back as needed.

      • HotLks

        52 Rhythm Fills & Variations course will give you everything you need.
        You can play the examples and create your own rhythm patters for days with it.
        I love it.

        Rhythm Guitar Rules!

      • Jeff Kent

        Maybe you should watch again beginning at the 2 minute mark where Griff says, 5th fret 2nd and 3rd strings etc., etc.

      • Ernie

        You can slow the YouTube videos down. I use this all the time.

    • DaveyJoe

      Cool stuff Griff!

    • greggo

      Griff, I miss the tabs you used to provide. I kept them in a binder for future reference and practice. Hard to find all these videos you do when I want to look back on a lesson.

    • Louis

      I have trouble forming these ‘little chords,’ thus, I usually form the full chord but only strike 2 or three strings. Anything wrong with that?

    • Jenny Amanda Hurwitz

      Hi Griff – So I really took some time with this. I’m going to email you my worksheet for analyzing it. This is so informative. I did need to figure out what form of D9 and E9 chord you were basing your partial chords off of. I then spelled the chords – the notes and what steps of the chord each note of the full and the abbreviated chord represented. Then the chord structure of the 12 Bar Blues you were doing. The rhythm wasn’t hard. Thanks!

    • CHRIS CLEMANS

      I use something similar but I like this better. Thanks again Griff

    • Mark

      Thanks Griff!
      Very handy

    • Dick Frederick,aka Fearless Freddy

      Hi Griff, Thanks for the “little chord” Christmas present. God bless you, your family, & the band this holiday season.
      Dick

    • Ian Stobbart

      Thanks for that griff another great lesson

    • dale

      thanks Griff …

    • johnnie

      Sweet! Thanks

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