Voicing chords on the piano involves creatively arranging the notes of a chord to achieve different textures and harmonies. Common methods of voicing chords:

Root Position and Inversions

  • Root Position: The root of the chord is the lowest note. 1 - 3 - 5 - 7
  • 1st Inversion: The third of the chord is the lowest note. 3 - 5 - 7 - 1
  • 2nd Inversion: The fifth of the chord is the lowest note. 5 - 7 - 1 - 3
  • 3rd Inversion (for 7th chords): The seventh of the chord is the lowest note. 7 - 1 - 3 - 5

Closed and Open Voicings

  • Closed Voicing: All chord tones are within an octave. 1 - 3 - 5 - 7
  • Open Voicing: Chord tones are spread out, often spanning more than an octave. 1 - 5 - 7 - 3

Drop Voicings

  • Drop 2 Voicing: The second highest note of a closed voicing is dropped an octave. 5 - 1 - 3 - 7
  • Drop 3 Voicing: The third highest note of a closed voicing is dropped an octave. 3 - 7 - 1 - 5
  • Drop 2 and 4 Voicing: Both the second and fourth highest notes are dropped an octave. 3 - 5 - 7 - 1

Quartal and Quintal Voicings

  • Quartal Voicing: Chords built in fourths (e.g., C-F-Bb). 1 - 4 - b7 (or 1 - 4 - 7)
  • Quintal Voicing: Chords built in fifths (e.g., C-G-D). 1 - 5 - 9

Cluster Voicings

  • Tone Clusters: Chords with notes that are close together, often including seconds and minor seconds.

Shell Voicings

  • Left Hand Shells: Often used in jazz, consisting of the root, third, and seventh (or sometimes the root and seventh, or root and third).

Upper Structure Triads

Combining a triad (often major or minor) over a different bass note to create complex chords (e.g., an E major triad over a C bass note for a Cmaj#11 sound). 1 - 3 - #11 - 7

So What Voicing

Based on the voicing used in the Miles Davis tune "So What," consisting of a stack of fourths with a major third on top (e.g., D-G-C-F-A). 1 - 4 - 7 - 3 - 6

Rootless Voicings

  • Rootless Left Hand Voicings: Often used in jazz, where the left hand plays the third and seventh (and possibly other tensions) while the root is implied or played by a bass player.

Guide Tone Voicings

Chords reduced to their essential tones, often the third and seventh, which guide the harmony.

Practical Examples

  • Cmaj7 (root position): C-E-G-B 1 - 3 - 5 - 7
  • Cmaj7 (1st inversion): E-G-B-C 3 - 5 - 7 - 1
  • Cmaj7 (2nd inversion): G-B-C-E 5 - 7 - 1 - 3
  • Cmaj7 (3rd inversion): B-C-E-G 7 - 1 - 3 - 5
  • Cmaj7 (closed voicing): C-E-G-B 1 - 3 - 5 - 7
  • Cmaj7 (open voicing): C-G-B-E 1 - 5 - 7 - 3
  • Cmaj7 (drop 2 voicing): G-C-E-B 5 - 1 - 3 - 7
  • Cmaj7 (shell voicing): C-E-B 1 - 3 - 7

Jazz-Specific Voicings

  • C7 (rootless left hand voicing): E-Bb (3rd and 7th) 3 - b7
  • C7 (upper structure triad): E-G#-C# (augmented triad over C) 3 - #5 - #1

Tips for Jazz Voicings

  • Use Tensions: Add 9ths, 11ths, and 13ths to enrich the harmony.
  • Voice Leading: Smooth transitions between chords by moving the smallest distance possible.
  • Avoid Doubling: Especially the root and fifth, unless stylistically appropriate.