Thoughts on Comping Part II

Playing around with 2 & 4

An easy way to ‘cruise’ while still lending support to the soloist is to play lightly on 2 and 4. A cross-stick on the snare can give a subtle push without getting in the way. More subtle still is to play on just 2 or just on 4. And if you want to kick things up a notch or two, play 2 and 4 full out and really get things rocking (just don’t keep it up for too long).

You can also ‘refer’ to 2 and 4 to create different effects. This is a method of comping that doesn’t require a lot of technique or analysis. For a more subtle and sophisticated approach, you can hint at 2 and 4 using the following ideas, (playing with a triplet feel, of course):

Or just play a single element each bar. Also try the figures on different drums and see what effect that has. Then mix and mingle. As long as it fits, go for it!