The voicing tower

Close posi�on There are many ways to voice chords, Drop-2 posi�on
but pianists since Bill Evans have o�en
used this model.
You can switch
these two layers § Pick one note, and one of its §
around... root b 9 # accidentals, from each layer. root b 9 #
Thirds and sevenths give the chord its
b 6 § b 7 § essence; other notes bring extra colour.

§ §
§ 11 # b 13 § § 11 # b 5 # b 13 §
b 5 #
...as long as you
also switch

b 3 § § 4 # these two. b 3 § § 4 #
As before: switch
one pair, you
Save the fourth for switch the other.
special occasions, like
suspended chords

The voice second from the top

is dropped down an octave: b 6 § b 7 §

root usually le� out if there's a bass player to play it root

Compact rootless le�-hand voicings Wide full piano and guitar voicings

Works well for:
right-hand voicings over le�-hand bass notes Works well for: a stronger, bolder ensemble sound
lower parts of larger voicings the bo�om part of something even bigger?
trumpet or trombone sec�ons in big bands
saxophone sec�ons, with baritone on the root
or doubling the top note

Rob Brockway, May 2020

 {
Some combina�ons work well...
close drop-2
close inverted drop-2 inverted

Bb 13
§9
b7 & bw
ww
w §13
§3
w
ww
§9
§13
w
w
w
§13
§9
Warm and resonant

? bw bw bw
§13 §9 §3 b7 Dissonance is at an acceptable level

bw bw
(that's Bb with a 13, §3 b7 b7 §3
not B with a b13) root root root
What does this mean? Bach and Cecil Taylor had
very different ideas of what is ‘acceptable’. How
much is too much – or not enough?

Straightahead jazz has its own set of rules about

{
dissonance. We'll explore some of them below.

...but some might need tweaking.

root
§5
& ww
§9
§5
w
w
Fm^ Fm^9
#w ? bw bw
§9 b3 b3
w w w

{
§7 §7 §7
D^9 §5
w
root
w root
w
§3 #w
w
root Fla�ened ninth clash Now a tenth
&
# ww
root
§7 Solves both problems This interval is a common hazard.
D^
? #w
§5
w
w You can pull it off, with careful voice-leading or just pure convic�on – think of

{
§3
root Monk on Ruby, My Dear.

w
root
§6 w
& bw bw
Bland; lacks extensions 6
D §5
#w
w w w
w
§9
w w
§3 §9
Semitone crowds out the top note §13 §13
Ab6/9 Ab^13
root

? w w
§3 §3

bw bw
The tops of your voicings form a §6 §7
Preserves the top note root
melody, so they need to be clear. root

S�ll no extensions on this one.

Doubled note No double
But if it's a tonic chord – not a
tension, but a resolu�on – Classical music and early jazz are full of doubles. We even let ourselves have one
we'll let that go. Some back there – did you spot it?
moments suit consonance.
In the bebop era, harmony got leaner and meaner. Now, in modern �mes, every
voice does a unique job. If a note is doubled, it's for a good reason.

Rob Brockway, May 2020