[Harp-L] voicings continued

[icemanle@xxxxxxx]

I love reading posts on the "L" that encourage learning music on an instrument that can create chords (piano, guitar). It opens the ears, which open the imagination, which translates to more interesting ideas on harmonica.

Because of the recent interest in voicing, I'm moved to add the following, which is a companion piece to my previous voicings and voicings part deux.

Remember how I suggested you use your left hand on keyboard to play the outline of one of the seventh chords while the right hand plays an extension of the chord? Here is a stripped down simple to understand musical theory logic explanation of what is going on:

Most chords are defined by three notes - the root note, the third and the seventh. The root suggests or outlines the key or tonality. The third is major or minor and the seventh is also major or minor. (C Maj 7 = C, E, B), (C - 7 = C, Eb, Bb), (C - Maj7 = C, Eb, B) and (C7= C, E, Bb). 

*There do exist other chords without a third and/or a seventh, but let's start here with defining the majority of the most basic ones*

The other basic triad interval, the fifth, is a lot less necessary in defining a chord's SOUND - it becomes more of an optional note. 

Factor in a good bass player, and you can also omit the root note, leaving you with just the third and seventh to deal with. However, for the sake of learning and assuming you have a keyboard but no live in bass player, let's include that root note.

So, your left hand can outline any of these basic chords using the minimal amount - 3 notes - to totally define these chords. Place these at just below middle C. Let's keep everything in the key of C for simplification.

The right hand is now free to add notes that will color or extend (hence the word extension) these basic chord sounds, making them more interesting, or in the words of musicians - "hipper".

Back to that C+11 chord talked about in the original posting - left hand defining C7 - C, E, Bb.

We mentioned adding a D major triad with the right hand - D, F#, A, which gives you that hard bop piano sound (as defined in an earlier email - however, don't sweat over that type of terminology - hard bop, be-bop, etc. Remember, we are just going for a SOUND) of Augmented or + 11 (two terms that describe the same sound). The A is called the 13th and the D is called the 9th. So, using a two octave approach for defining the intervals that make up this voicing (numbers 1 - 15), we have, from left to right 1, 3, -7, 9, +11, 13. (It is also sometimes called D/C7 - another way to describe the same sound).

I like to define voicings in this way, as taught to me by the legendary piano master - Howard Lucas - originally from Detroit, but now living in upstate NY like the recluse introvert that he is), because this type of labeling can be used to define any key - just decide where to start with the 1, in our case it is C.

So, play this voicing with both hands, sustain the chord and listen. This is the sound of + 11. (This isn't the only voicing that exists for a + 11, as you can create variations of it, but since we need to start somewhere, this is as good a place as any). 

Now, drop the root note and repeat. You will still hear the basic "voicing", but the key center is not so defined. The voicing is this "sound" that you want to be able to eventually recognize. ("Hey, that's a +11 chord played at the end of that tune. I can hear it."). 

Other important "hip" chords can be spelled out 1, 3, -7, +9, -13, 15 or Ab/C7 (the Ab being in second inversion), sometimes written as C+9-13.....1, 3, -7, -9, +11, +13 or Gb/C7 (Gb in second inversion) sometimes written as C-9+13.........and 1, 3, -7, 10, 13, +15 or A/C7 (A in second inversion), sometimes defined as C7-9. What you have here is the right hand playing a second inversion chord and moving that around above the left hand definition of C7. Once again, drop the root note and you sound like a very contemporary jazz pianist playing cool voicings.

If you can get the SOUND of these voicings in your inner ear, you will be extending your understanding of music harmony. If you can visualize these notes in your mind and attach them to where they live in HNA (hole number arrow - a frequently used harmonica tab system), you can begin to make interesting choices in your harmonica improvisations, or at least start to understand what is going on from a theory standpoint.

This is just the beginning, as there are A LOT of voicings out there defining A LOT of chords. The deeper you get into it, the farther out you can take it.

 It's fun. Really.

The Iceman