Chord Voicings

From Leo's Notes
Last edited on 1 January 2024, at 09:06.

Quartal voicings

Quartal voicings are built using perfect 4ths.

When starting out, learn the 2+3 voicing where the lower 4 notes should be perfect 4ths apart and the 5th note a major third higher:


\new PianoStaff <<

\new Staff
\relative c' {
\key c \major \time 4/4 \omit Staff.TimeSignature
<bes ees g>4
\transpose c cis' { <bes, ees g>4 }
\transpose c d' { <bes, ees g>4 }
\transpose c dis' { <bes, ees g>4 }
\transpose c e' { <bes, ees g>4 }
\transpose c f' { <bes, ees g>4 }
\transpose c fis' { <bes, ees g>4 }
\transpose c g' { <bes, ees g>4 }
\transpose c gis' { <bes, ees g>4 }
\transpose c a' { <bes, ees g>4 }
\transpose c ais' { <bes, ees g>4 }
\transpose c b' { <bes, ees g>4 }
\break
\transpose c c'' { <bes, ees g>4 }
\transpose c b' { <bes, ees g>4 }
\transpose c ais' { <bes, ees g>4 }
\transpose c a' { <bes, ees g>4 }
\transpose c gis' { <bes, ees g>4 }
\transpose c g' { <bes, ees g>4 }
\transpose c fis' { <bes, ees g>4 }
\transpose c f' { <bes, ees g>4 }
\transpose c e' { <bes, ees g>4 }
\transpose c dis' { <bes, ees g>4 }
\transpose c d' { <bes, ees g>4 }
\transpose c cis' { <bes, ees g>4 }
}

\new Staff
\relative c, {
\clef bass \key c \major \time 4/4 \omit Staff.TimeSignature
<c' f>4
\transpose c cis { <c f>4 }
\transpose c d { <c f>4 }
\transpose c dis { <c f>4 }
\transpose c e { <c f>4 }
\transpose c f { <c f>4 }
\transpose c fis { <c f>4 }
\transpose c g { <c f>4 }
\transpose c gis { <c f>4 }
\transpose c a { <c f>4 }
\transpose c ais { <c f>4 }
\transpose c b { <c f>4 }
\break
\transpose c c' { <c f>4 }
\transpose c b { <c f>4 }
\transpose c ais { <c f>4 }
\transpose c a { <c f>4 }
\transpose c gis { <c f>4 }
\transpose c g { <c f>4 }
\transpose c fis { <c f>4 }
\transpose c f { <c f>4 }
\transpose c e { <c f>4 }
\transpose c dis { <c f>4 }
\transpose c d { <c f>4 }
\transpose c cis { <c f>4 }
}
>>


Chord voicings by chord type

Based on mDecks video: https://piped.oracle.steamr.com/watch?v=oLfkz93rMgY

Voicing 1 - 7b9

Use a triad upper structure.

For example, with a Ab7b9 chord, we can use a F major triad as the upper structure to get a 13th chord like so:


\new PianoStaff <<

\chords {
aes1:7.9-
}
\new Staff
\relative aes' {
\key aes \major \time 4/4 \omit Staff.TimeSignature
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
\override Fingering.font-size = #-3
<a,\finger \markup {\flat "9"} c-3 f-13>1
}

\new Staff
\relative aes, {
\clef bass \key aes \major \time 4/4 \omit Staff.TimeSignature
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
\override Fingering.font-size = #-3
<aes-1 ges'\finger \markup {\flat "7"}>1
}
>>

Voicing 2 - 7#9

Fmaj7b5 over Db7#9.

Altered sound with the #9 and b13. The top is just a rootless voicing of G7 which is a tritone substitution of Db7. We can use the 3rd of the chord as the lower note of the right hand, which we can call it as a Fmaj7b5.


\new PianoStaff <<

\chords {
des1:7.9+
}
\new Staff
\relative des' {
\key des \major \time 4/4 \omit Staff.TimeSignature
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
\override Fingering.font-size = #-3
<e\finger \markup {\sharp "9"} b\finger \markup {\flat "7"} a\finger \markup {\flat "13"} f-3>1
}

\new Staff
\relative des, {
\clef bass \key des \major \time 4/4 \omit Staff.TimeSignature
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
\override Fingering.font-size = #-3
<des-1 des'-1>1
}
>>

Voicing 3 - 7#11

Bbmaj7#5 over C7#11.


\new PianoStaff <<

\chords {
c1:7.11+
}
\new Staff
\relative c' {
\key c \major \time 4/4 \omit Staff.TimeSignature
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
\override Fingering.font-size = #-3
r8 <bes\finger \markup {\flat "7"} d-9 fis\finger \markup {\sharp "11"} a-13>8~ 2
}

\new Staff
\relative c {
\clef bass \key c \major \time 4/4 \omit Staff.TimeSignature
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
\override Fingering.font-size = #-3
c,8-1 c'8~ 2-3
}
>>

Voicing 4 - Major7

Am7 over Fmaj7


\new PianoStaff <<

\chords {
f:maj7
}
\new Staff
\relative f {
\key f \major \time 4/4 \omit Staff.TimeSignature
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
\override Fingering.font-size = #-3
<a-3 c-5 e-7 g-9>1
}

\new Staff
\relative f, {
\clef bass \key f \major \time 4/4 \omit Staff.TimeSignature
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
\override Fingering.font-size = #-3
<f-1 e'-7>1
}
>>

Voicing 5 - 7#11

C-augmented over Bb7#11. Left hand is playing root and guide tones and right hand is playing an augmented on the second degree of the dominant chord.


\new PianoStaff <<

\chords {
bes1:7.11+
}
\new Staff
\relative bes {
\key bes \major \time 4/4 \omit Staff.TimeSignature
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
\override Fingering.font-size = #-3
<c-9 e\finger \markup {\sharp "11"} gis\finger \markup {"3"} c-9>1
}

\new Staff
\relative bes {
\clef bass \key bes \major \time 4/4 \omit Staff.TimeSignature
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
\override Fingering.font-size = #-3
<bes,-1 d-3 aes'\finger \markup {\flat "7"}>1
}
>>

Voicing 6 - 7#11

Play the major triad over the second degree of the dominant chord.

B over A7#11


\new PianoStaff <<

\chords {
a1:7.11+
}
\new Staff
\relative a {
\key a \major \time 4/4 \omit Staff.TimeSignature
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
\override Fingering.font-size = #-3
<b-9 dis\finger \markup {\sharp "11"} fis-13 b-9>1
}

\new Staff
\relative a {
\clef bass \key a \major \time 4/4 \omit Staff.TimeSignature
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
\override Fingering.font-size = #-3
<a,-1 cis-3 g'\finger \markup {\flat "7"}>1
}
>>

Voicing 7 - Half diminished

Major triad over half diminished chords sounds good. This turns the 9 into a natural 9.

D triad over Em7b5.


\new PianoStaff <<

\chords {
e1:min7.5-
}
\new Staff
\relative e {
\key e \major \time 4/4 \omit Staff.TimeSignature
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
\override Fingering.font-size = #-3
<d'\finger \markup {\flat "7"} fis\finger \markup {\natural "9"} a-11 d\finger \markup {\flat "7"}>1
}

\new Staff
\relative e {
\clef bass \key e \major \time 4/4 \omit Staff.TimeSignature
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
\override Fingering.font-size = #-3
<e-1 g\finger \markup {\flat "3"} bes\finger \markup {\flat "5"}>1
}
>>

Voicing 8 - 7b5

Augmented triad of the b7 of the chord. The left hand plays the b5 triad in closed position.

Db-augmented over a Eb7b5


\new PianoStaff <<

\chords {
ees1:7.5-
}
\new Staff
\relative ees' {
\key ees \major \time 4/4 \omit Staff.TimeSignature
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
\override Fingering.font-size = #-3
<des\finger \markup {\flat "7"} f-9 a\finger \markup {\flat "5"}>1
}

\new Staff
\relative ees {
\clef bass \key ees \major \time 4/4 \omit Staff.TimeSignature
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
\override Fingering.font-size = #-3
<ees-1 g-3 a\finger \markup {\flat "5"}>1
}
>>

Voicing 9 - Minor6

Minor 6 chords are inversions of the minor 7b5 chord. They use the same notes.

Asus2 chord (the substitute chord on the 5th of the minor 6th chord) over a B diminished chord (diminished chord of the minor 6th chord)


\new PianoStaff <<

\chords {
d1:min6
}
\new Staff
\relative d' {
\key d \major \time 4/4 \omit Staff.TimeSignature
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
\override Fingering.font-size = #-3
<a-5 b-6 e-9>1
}

\new Staff
\relative d {
\clef bass \key d \major \time 4/4 \omit Staff.TimeSignature
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
\override Fingering.font-size = #-3
<b-6 d-1 f\finger \markup {\flat "3"}>1
}
>>

Voicing 10 - Major7

Esus4 over Amaj7.

If you play 2 perfect fifths one half step above each other between, you get a nice sounding voicing. Leveraging on this fact, we'll play the two perfect fifths on the right hand as a sus4 chord.


\new PianoStaff <<

\chords {
a1:maj7
}
\new Staff
\relative a {
\key a \major \time 4/4 \omit Staff.TimeSignature
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
\override Fingering.font-size = #+1
<e-5 a-1 b-9 e-5>1
}

\new Staff
\relative a, {
\clef bass \key a \major \time 4/4 \omit Staff.TimeSignature
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
\override Fingering.font-size = #+1
<cis,-3 gis'-7 a-1>1
}
>>

Voicing 11 - Major7#11

Gsus4 over AbMaj7#11 (ie. lydian).


\new PianoStaff <<

\chords {
aes1:maj7.11+
}
\new Staff
\relative aes {
\key aes \major \time 4/4 \omit Staff.TimeSignature
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
\override Fingering.font-size = #+1
<g-7 c-3 d\finger \markup {\sharp "11"} g-7>1
}

\new Staff
\relative aes, {
\clef bass \key aes \major \time 4/4 \omit Staff.TimeSignature
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
\override Fingering.font-size = #+1
<aes-1 ees'-5>1
}
>>

Voicing 12 - Major7#11

Play the major7 of the 5th of the maj7#11 chord, without the 5th. This makes the cluster stand out even more by making the upper voice more isolated.

Create an inner cluster with the #11 on the left hand.

F#maj7 over a Bmaj7#11.


\new PianoStaff <<

\chords {
b1:maj7.11+
}
\new Staff
\relative b {
\key b \major \time 4/4 \omit Staff.TimeSignature
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
\override Fingering.font-size = #+1
<fis-5 ais-7 f'\finger \markup {\sharp "11"}>1
}

\new Staff
\relative b, {
\clef bass \key b \major \time 4/4 \omit Staff.TimeSignature
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
\override Fingering.font-size = #+1
<b-1 dis-3 f\finger \markup {\sharp "11"}>1
}
>>