Lesson

The Standard Basic Chord Voicings

What is a the difference between a ”chord” and a chord voicing”? A chord is a group of three or more notes played simultaneously, creating a harmonic sound....

Root Chord

Formula Spatial Degrees

C Major 7th

Spatial: Major triad with M7
Degrees: 1 3 5 7
Symbols: CM7, Cmaj7
Active Formula: 1 3 5 7

What is a the difference between a ”chord” and a chord voicing”? A chord is a group of three or more notes played simultaneously, creating a harmonic sound. It represents the combination of specific pitches that form a particular tonal quality or harmony.

On the other hand, a chord voicing refers to the specific arrangement or positioning of the notes within a chord. It determines how the individual pitches of a chord are distributed and arranged across the keyboard. Chord voicings affect the overall sound and character of a chord by altering its texture, color, and tonal range.

In essence, a chord is the abstract concept of a set of notes played together, while a chord voicing is the concrete representation of how those notes are physically played or arranged on the keyboard. Chord voicings involve decisions about octave placement, note order, inversions, additional tones, and other factors that shape the sound and expression of a chord.

Different chord voicings can yield distinct sonic qualities and emotional effects. They allow musicians to explore variations in sound, create specific textures, and convey particular moods or musical styles. Chord voicings play a crucial role in shaping the overall harmonic landscape, adding depth, complexity, and character to musical compositions and performances.

In summary, a chord represents a set of notes played together, while a chord voicing refers to the specific arrangement and distribution of those notes across the keyboard, influencing the sound and expression of the chord itself. We’re now going to look at the Standard Basic Chord Voicings.

The Standard Basic Triad Chord Voicings

Here’s our C Major Chord. The notes are C, E, and G. The scale degrees are 1, 3, and 5.

Here’s the C Major 6-Note Standard Basic Triad Voicing: Notice here, we have 3 C’s, 1 E, and 2 G’s. The C with the red dot is Middle C. If we look at this from a scale degree perspective, with the C being “1”, the E being “3”, and the G being “5”, we can see a pattern here. The bottom 3 notes (played by the left hand) is 1-5-1. The top 3 notes (played by the right hand) are 3-5-1.

This is the 1-5-1, 3-5-1, 6-Note Standard Basic Triad Voicing. This works for any pitch (e.g., A chords, F chords, Bb chords). It also works for all standard triads (major, minor, augmented, diminished). Simply sharp and flat scale degrees. For example, below is a C minor Chord 6-Note Standard Basic Triad Voicing. Notice the “b3” adjustment made. (Left hand: 1-5-1, Right hand: b3-5-1).

The Standard Basic 7th Chord Voicings

Here’s our C7 Chord. The notes are C, E, G, and Bb. The scale degrees are 1, 3, 5 and b7.

Here’s the C7 6-Note Standard Basic 7th Chord Voicing: Notice here, we have 2 C’s, 1 E, 2 G’s, and 1 Bb. If we look at this from a scale degree perspective, we can see a pattern. The bottom 3 notes (played by the left hand) is 1-5-b7. The top 3 notes (played by the right hand) are 3-5-1.

This is the 1-5-b7, 3-5-1, 6-Note Standard Basic 7th Chord Voicing. This works for any pitch (e.g., A7, Bb7 chords) and our most common 7th Chords (Major 7th, Dominant 7th, Minor 7th).

With our Major 7th and Minor 7th chords, a small adjustment is made. We lower the top “1” and make it a ”7”. For example here’s a C Major 7th Chord Voicing:

In this pattern we now have a “7” in the right and left hands. 1-5-7 in the left, and 3-5-7 in the right.

Church Piano Application

For worship accompaniment, keep the left hand stable with 1-5-1 for triads and 1-5-b7 for dominant seventh chords. The right hand can carry 3-5-1 or 3-5-7 so the chord quality stays clear without crowding the melody.

Use these voicings under common progressions like I-V-vi-IV, vi-IV-I-V, and ii-V-I.