Roles of the Instruments

The saxophone, trumpet, and trombone (as well as any other single-note instrument, including the human voice) are responsible for playing melodies, both written (e.g., the head),¹ and improvised (their individual solos). 

The piano, bass, and drums comprise the rhythm section; their primary role is to accompany and provide support for the horn players as well as each other; they may also improvise solos. 

1.

The pianist’s primary job is to play chords (the music that accompanies the melodies) in a lively, rhythmic fashion. 

a.

This is called comping. 

b.

Notice how it comes from the word “accompany”. 

c.

The pianist also improvises melodically; when doing this, he/she improvises a melody by playing single notes in the right hand while comping the chords in the left hand (pretty cool!). 

2.

The bassist’s primary job is to play the roots of the chords and “lay down a great groove;” the bass is the foundation, the bottom, the pulse, the “glue” that keeps everyone together. 

3.

The drummer’s primary job is to keep the beat steady and complement what the soloists (improvisers) are playing; by introducing rhythmic accents and laying down a great groove with the bassist, the drummer adds excitement to the performance. 

4.

For more information and aural examples of the rhythm section and comping, click below: 

The guitarist is versatile -- he/she can be like a horn player (that is, playing single note melodies), or like a pianist, that is, comping chords².