Chords / Voicings
Welcome to the blog section dedicated to jazz guitar chord voicings. You will find here relevant sources of information (Tabs, shapes, charts, diagrams) for a better understanding of the main types of chords (minor, major, dominant, diminished, half-diminished, augmented, altered, extended) found in jazz standards and common progressions.
These free guitar lessons provide chord shapes, Tabs, theory, YouTube videos, audio files and formula charts. They are intended for the beginners as well as the more advanced players who want to learn how to build chords (triads, tetrads) or how to play chord-melody arrangements using drop 2, drop 3 and drop 2-4 voicings.
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What's the Major II-V-I Chord Progression - Guitar Lesson with Shapes , Tabs and Licks
- By Stef Ramin
- On 12/22/2016
- 0 comments
The major II-V-I sequence is the most common chord progression used in jazz music but also in a whole number of styles of music as pop, rock, blues, country. This theoretical element is a must know for any guitarist who wants to learn the jazz language.
The 2-5-1 progression is present in many jazz standards (Summertime, Autumn leaves, Blue bossa, All the things you are and many more), this is why it is very important to master it.
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Harmonized Major Scale - Guitar Lesson With Shapes and Charts
- By Stef Ramin
- On 12/19/2016
- 0 comments
One of the fundamental theoretical elements to understand music is the harmonization of the major scale. Harmonizing scale is building chords with notes. This lesson explains how to create triads and seventh chords from each note of the major scale.
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What Are Drop 2 Voicings - How To Play Them On Guitar
- By Stef Ramin
- On 12/09/2016
- 0 comments
What Are Drop 2 Chords?
Drop 2 chords are formed by dropping the second highest note of a four-note chord in close position down an octave.
What Does Voicing Means?
Voicing is the practice of regarding the individual notes of a chord as voices. There are several voicing techniques that can be used to rearrange the notes of a chord as drop 3 or drop 2-4 voicings.
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Misty - Arrangement with chords & melody - Jazz guitar lesson
- By Stef Ramin
- On 12/03/2016
- In Jazz Standards
- 2 comments
Misty is a jazz standard written by Erroll Garner following a 32-bar progression in the key of Eb including some common chord sequences as II-V-I, I-VI-II-V. A very popular ballad that has crossed over genres of music for the past 50 years (1959). This post in analysis of this song reffering to the realbook including a youtube video lesson about a chord melody arrangement for jazz guitar.
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84 Triad Chords | Guitar Diagrams | Open and Close Voicings | Root Positions & Inversions
- By Stef Ramin
- On 11/26/2016
- 0 comments
Mastering triads is necessary for any guitarist who wants to expand his fretboard and theory knowledge.
These chords are not really considered as jazz chords because of their basic sound, but they can be efficient tools for comping and chord soloing. Indeed, the strong point of these chords is the simplicity of learning and playing.
You will find in this guitar lesson 84 ways of playing triads (major, minor, diminished and augmented) using root and inverted voicings in close and open positions.
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Chord Formula Chart - How Chords Are Built - Music Theory
- By Stef Ramin
- On 11/12/2016
- 0 comments
How Chords Are Built?
Chord formulas show all the notes which constitute a chord. They reveal the structure of chords. They provide a link between scales and arpeggios.
Knowing the structure of chords will help you find any chord position on the guitar when you only have the name.
Learning chord formulas will make it easier to understand the difference between many types of chords. Learning chord formulas is necessary for anyone who wants to expand their musical knowledge and increase their guitar playing skills.