Lesson Goal: To understand the concept of Chord Voicing… and to start applying this understanding when you read, compose, and improvise…
Table of Contents
Prerequisites
Basic music reading skills… the LOVE of music… and the discipline to study and practice.
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Chord Voicing Defined
Chord Voicing is the vertical arrangement of notes in a chord–allows composers and improvisers to create a wide variety of musical effects. Let’s explore what this means in practice by applying the concept to a C Major triad below…
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Examples of Chord Voicing for a C Major Triad
A C Chord could not make much music if we were only allowed play the notes C- E-G in closed position…
C Major Triad Voicing Example #1
Bass note stationary, while right hand chords change shape and the top note moves to create a melody of chord tones…
Important: This is not an example of chord inversion, because the root of the chord C is always the lowest note! This is not just semantic quibbling. Learning that chord voicing and chord inversion are two distinct concepts is fundamental to understanding how music works!
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C Major Triad Voicing Example #2
Two notes in each hand like the voices in a four part choir, giving a full, open sound…
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C Major Triad Voicing Example #3
Notes spread out in the left hand, providing a gentle harmonic pillow and lots of space over which your right hand might play a beautiful melody…
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C Major Triad Voicing Example #4
Thick arpeggios in both hands…
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C Major Triad Voicing Example #5
A big four note chord in the right hand and a low booming octave in the left, perhaps an exclamation point at the end of an heroic classical piece or rousing show tune…
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learn more… Chords & Chord Progressions
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