LearnJazzPiano.com archives: bad voicing
d3dy -- 07/09/2005, 12:26:09 -- #16330
scott,i have an unresolved trouble....
I really love close chord voicings(with root)I prefer to use this kind of voicing than rootless voicing.but i get some troubles when i need to play 9th chords.should I play CM9 as CDEGB or GBCDE (from bootom to top) The last voicing make a 'crowded' notes.BCDE,these 4 notes played together... what do you think scott?

7 -- 07/09/2005, 17:35:17 -- #16339
Do you mean Scot (with one "t") Ranney?

Or is there another scott (with two t's) on this forum whom you're referring to?

(I rarely get to use the word "whom" so I thought I'd throw it in).

Maybe somebody else could help you with your problem. But maybe you only want help from scott (whoever that is).

I'll give it a shot, but mind you this is only my opinion. And generally only about 50% of the folks on this forum agree with me.

Solution 1.

Hire a bass player, let him/her play the root for you. That leaves you free to do whatever you want.

Solution 2.
Most (but not all) piano players use both hands. Unless you only have one useful hand (pardon me if you suffer from any sort of disability, I don't intend to ridicule handicapped people), try splitting up the chord tones between the two hands.

Some options are:

LH: C B       RH: D E G

LH: C G B     RH: D E

LH: C E B     RH: D G

LH: C B D     RH: E G

Solution 3.

Become aware of the Hierarchy of the Line.

As you know, music has a tendency to come in 4's.

4 beats to the measure

4 measures to the line

4 lines to the section

The typical hierarchy of the measure is as follows:

Beat 1 = Primary accent

Beat 3 = Secondary accent

Beat 2 = Tertiary accent

Beat 4 = the weakest beat.

Similar to (but not the same) is the  Hierarchy of the Line

On beat one of bar one it's a very good idea to play the root. This establishes the current tonality.

On beat one of bar four it's also a very good idea to hit the root of the chord, because phrases often have a tendency to resolve on that beat in that measure.

For bars two and three of the line, it is not nearly as necessary to hit the roots as these are generally transitory measures leading to the resolution that commonly occures in bar four.

In fact you can make your bass lines much more interesting by NOT being tied to hitting roots all over the place ESPECIALLY in bars 2 & 3, dig?

Solution 4.

Use your ears. If it sounds good, it is.

If it sounds crappy, it is.

Also remember that you are under no obligation to use every chord tone to express your chord, often leaving out one or more chord tones will still totally imply the harmony, yet leave a spacious and elegant sounding voicing.

Now where IS that scott when you need him?

Scot -- 07/10/2005, 00:08:47 -- #16343
Who the heck is Scott?  My birth certificate only has one T on it :)

mike_a -- 07/12/2005, 09:07:52 -- #16423
I think we should just call you Scottt from now on...

Mike -- 07/12/2005, 19:22:36 -- #16452
hey mike I am glad you showed up.... now I can blame everything on you.

mike_a -- 07/13/2005, 06:42:06 -- #16473
I did it and I'd gladly do it again, whatever it was...

d3dy -- 07/13/2005, 10:04:18 -- #16483
sorry...
I really mean you SCOT...
7 thanx for your help....i use your 3rd solution....and now i can have nice soloing time....

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