Why should

pianists have
all the fun?
When it comes
to playing two-part
comping patterns, its
hard to compete with 88
keys and ten fingers
unless youre Tuck An-
dress or Charlie Hunter.
However, this spicy mon-
tuno riff (Ex. 1) will add a
two-handed, piano-
style salsa vibe to your
playing and buff out
your chops.
For starters, jumping
quickly from chord to
chord will build left-hand
dexterity. Next, plucking
the piano players left-
hand part (stems down)
with your thumb and in-
dex finger, and the right-
hand part (stems up)
with your middle and
ring fingers will strength-
en fingerstyle chops.
(Pickers arent off the
hook. Simply team up
your pick and middle fin-
ger, and your ring and
pinky fingers.) The
grooves heavy syncopa-
tion will help deepen
your rhythmic pocket,
but, most of all, this riff
will teach you to handle
bass lines and chords.
When youve got this
montuno licked, try
revoicing it so you can
handle it in other keys
(Ex. 2). Now all you
need is a percussionist
and a trumpet player,
and this groove will last
all night. g
PHOTOS: SRVCLAYTON CALL; ALL OTHERSPAUL HAGGARD guitarplayer.com OCTOBER 2001 GUITAR PLAYER 153
B Y J U D E GOL D
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, = 120-160
1
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4
Ex. 1

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, = 120-160
,
,
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Ex. 2
Piano-Style
Comping