Major 7 Chord Voicing: Root Plus Definitive Tones

A standard way to voice a Major 7 chord is to play the root plus the two definitive tones (3, 7)…

This open voicing can be played as an arpeggio in your left hand when soloing or played two-handed (Root left, 3 & 7 right) when comping.

C Major 7: The 1-3-7 Chord Voicing

C Major 7: The 1-7-3 Chord Voicing

Homework

Using your ears and knowledge of scales and chord structure, “transpose” this voicing to all spellings chromatically ascending…

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Doing so will develop an enormous chord vocabulary that you will know by ear, intellect, eye, and muscle… laying a rock solid foundation for fluent improvisation.

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Jazz School: Chords Voicings: Major 7, add9