Chord Voicings

Quartal voicings[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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

Voicing 1 - 7b9[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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.

$\new PianoStaff << \chords { b1:maj7.11+ } \new Staff \relative b { \key b \major \time 4/4 \omit Staff.TimeSignature \set fingeringOrientations = #'(right) \override Fingering.font-size = #+1 <fis-5 ais-7 f'\finger \markup {\sharp "11"}>1 } \new Staff \relative b, { \clef bass \key b \major \time 4/4 \omit Staff.TimeSignature \set fingeringOrientations = #'(right) \override Fingering.font-size = #+1 <b-1 dis-3 f\finger \markup {\sharp "11"}>1 } >>$