Voicing

How to create a voicing.

1. Identify the relationship between the root and the melody

2. Decide where to put the root (typically more than one and less than 3 octaves)
All the other notes will go in between the root and the melody.
3. Add the 3rd and 7th to the chord
4. Add tension to the chord (also decide if the 5th should be added)

Consider if the sound of the voicing is

●too thin (if so add a note(s) to the voicing)
●too muddy (if so take away a note(s) from the voicing)
●the intervalic balance of the voicing
●the context of the voicings before and or after.

Step 1: Relationship between Step 2: Decide where to put the root.

melody and root of the chord.

b 4 Cwm7 w w w
C m7 C m7 C m7

b
& b 4
Only slightly more than Over 3 octaves makes
Melody is a M2 Just over 2 octaves

w
an octave so there isn't much it difficult to balance
from the root is perfect!

? b 4
room to work with. the voicing.

bb 4 ∑ w
w
Step 3: add 3rd and 7th

b w w w ww w
C m7 C m7 C m7 C m7 C m7

&bb
5

w w w
Either of these could
Either one could work but I work as well but I find

w
think this one will make it this one gives us more

? b w ww
easier to find a nice balanced voicing.

w w w
intervalic balance.

bb

©
2 Voicing

Step 4: Add Tension (9, 11, 13) and or 5

b w w n wwww w
C m7 C m7 C m13 C m11

&bb w
10

ww ww
The 5 in this case creates more
This voicing is functional It's has too much tension for I really like this voicing.
balance in the sound. Since the
as is but I find it to be a most situations but could be the If you notice the intervals
voicing already has the 9 in it this
little thin sounding so we perfect sound in some cases. P4, P4, P4, M3, P5
could be the final sound you choose

? b ww w w ww
should add at least one note. That's a very balanced voicing.
but lets explore some other options.

bb w w w

When you find a voicing you like work it into your harmonic vocabulary.

# œ œœ œœ # # œœ œ #œ nœ œ
# œ œœ # # œœ œœ
Play it up and down chromatically

œ # œ œœ b œœ œœ b œ n œ b œ # œœ œ b œ n œ b œœ # œœ n b œœ n œœ
14

& b œœ # n œœ œ b œ
Etc

#œ œ bœ nœ bœ œ bœ œ
œ bœ œ bœ nœ œ œ
? b œœ #n œœ œ b œ œ œ #œ œ #œ œ bœ nœ œ bœ œ

Play it in circle of 4ths.

œ
œ b œœ œ b b œœœ # œ # # œœœ œ # #n œœœ
#œ
œœ œ œ
œœ œ
18

& b œœ b œœ # œœ œœ
# œœ b œœ
bœ bœ œ œ
? b œœ œ bœ bœ #œ œ
#œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
bœ #œ #œ œ œ œ

# œ œœ b œœœ œ œ
Major 2nds

œ # œœ # # œœ # œ b œœ Œ Ó
Minor 3rds

œ # œœ b œ œ
œ b œ # œœ n œœ
œœ œ œ Œ
21

& b œœ b œœ b œ
œ œ œ # œ b œ b œœ œ bœ
? b œœ #œ bœ b œ b œ # œœ œ œ
œ œ #œ Œ œ bœ Œ Ó
 Voicing 3

Come up with your own voicings for these famous songs by follwing the same steps I laid out for you.

E b6 B b7 E b7 A bM7 E b/B b
b ˙ œ œ œ œ œ ˙
C m7 G m7 F/A

&bb ˙ w
25

? b
bb

E bm B b7sus4 B b7Alt
b
C m7 ( b 5)

& b bbbb
F7

œ œ œ
29

œ œ œ. j œ.
œ œ œ œ
? bbb
bbb

E b m7 A b7 B b m7 E b7
bb œ œ nœ.
& b b bb Πj
B m7 E7

nœ bœ œ
31

œ œ œ nœ

? bbb
bbb