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  • Buckley Summer Music Lessons
  • Master Your Instrument
    • Guitar
      • Level 1
      • Level 2
      • Jazz Guitar
    • Jazz Piano
      • 0. Prerequisites
      • 1. Jazz Chords
        • A. The Shell and Chord Theory
        • B. The 2-5-1 Progression
        • C. Jazz Chord Voicings
      • 2. Blues Comping and Improvisation
      • 3. Jazz Comping and Improvisation
      • 4. Solo Jazz Piano
    • Saxophone
      • 1. Introduction to Saxophone
      • 2. Saxophone Spicy Techniques
    • Bass
  • Learn Real Book Tunes
    • Index
    • Blues Tunes 1
    • Modal Tunes 1
      • So What (Dorian)
      • Footprints (Dorian)
      • Impressions (Dorian)
      • All Blues (Mixolydian)
      • Freddie Freeloader (Mixolydian)
    • Straight Ahead Tunes 1
      • Satin Doll
    • Ballads and Pop Tunes 1
    • Blues Tunes 2
    • Straight Ahead Tunes 2
      • Black Orpheus
    • Modal Tunes 2
    • Other Tunes
  • Scales 1
    • Why Scales?
    • The Chromatic Scale
    • Pentatonic and Blues Scales
    • Modes of the Major Scale
      • Major: Ionian and Lydian
      • Minor: Dorian, Aeolian, and Phrygian
      • Dominant: Mixolydian
      • Half-Diminished: Locrian
    • Modes of the Melodic Minor Scale
      • Melodic Minor
      • Dominant: Lydian Dom. and Altered Dom. Scales
      • Mixolydian â™­6
      • Half-Diminished: Locrian â™®2
  • Scales 2
    • Bebop Scales
    • Diminished and Whole Tone Scales
    • Modes of the Harmonic Minor Scale
    • Jazz Scales: Wikipedia
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On this page
  • A Few Basic Principles
  • 2+2 Voicings
  • 4 Basic Chord Voicings
  • Two-Handed 5-Note Voicings
  • Advanced Concept: Balancing the Voices

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  1. Master Your Instrument
  2. Jazz Piano
  3. 1. Jazz Chords

C. Jazz Chord Voicings

PreviousB. The 2-5-1 ProgressionNext2. Blues Comping and Improvisation

Last updated 3 years ago

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A Few Basic Principles

  • Above all, use your ear and decide if it "sounds good."

  • Consider voice leading, especially in 2-5-1 progressions.

  • Try to avoid doubling notes, especially the third.

  • For two-handed comping, put the "shell" (3rd and 6th/7th) in the left hand and the "pretty notes" (9th, 13th, 5th, alterations) in the right.

  • Rootless voicings are a must when playing with others.

2+2 Voicings

If you only ever watch one video on jazz piano voicings, watch the one above.

4 Basic Chord Voicings

Once you are comfortable with the 2+2 voicing system, check out these ideas to expand your vocabulary.

Two-Handed 5-Note Voicings

“Miracle Voicings” (from Frank Mantooth, Voicings for Jazz Keyboard):

D G C F A

Strong Major BbMA9 (3rd, 7th present) Weak Major: F69 Minor: Dmi11 Sus. Dominant: G9sus Lydian: Eb MA9#11

Advanced Concept: Balancing the Voices