60 Contemporary Voicings for the Jazz Combo Guitarist

by Mike DiLiddo
The drord lorms prsenbd hele provide a variety ol voicings throughout tre freQoard. Although intoduced fiom a rcot of G they arc moveable and can be trans.
poeed lor use firrm any rcot (se6 Tranrpooition on back). All forms are placed on the top lour stdngs (E-1, B-2, G-3, D-4) so as not to entr the range ol fte
bassist These voioingo are modern, easily implemented, and can olfer harmonic inteost to one's playtng.

AppllCatiOhl

When encounbdng a basic ctrord symbol (typically found on lead sfreets such as those in tre Jamey Aebersold play-a-long books) ttre guidght of ttn basic chotd symbol. For example, if the chod symbol is C- any of the six corresponding chod foms may be played.

uisf

we any of he conbmporary voicings presented herc to the

may

Contemporary Voicings

Basic Chords
(Symbol)

,ffi ,m

Minor 7

(c-)
C Dorhn Scale (2nd Inode ol rnafor)

Rttlb7b3

Rr 2 b3

(e)

4
(11)

ffi

(13)

"m

G Mholydlan Scab (Sth mode of mqlor)

Rr3Ues
2 3 4 5 6b7
(s) (11) (13)

RT

Maior 7

(ca)

11b7

l,':"

5 6b7

,"THI7
e

ffi ffi

H' ffi
,m -ffi
Abo

ffi
Aa

ffi
ffi
ffi
.m
Crnll

Rr

b7b0

-o.

b7 bo

'X:'

Rt b7359
.o.

-ffi

C Mafor Scale

Rr 5e 37

2 3 4 5 6
(e) (11) (13)

Rt 6 e 5Rt
e

Rt9573
e

Rr 7 359
.o,

*m ffi

Half Diminished
(ca'1
C Locrhn Scale (7th mode ol mafor)

Cml1u5m3

Cln7b5

Cm7t5

,l-T-[T6-l

TTOTTI

ffi ffi ffi

#
#
"ffi -rm
Eb3

^ ,T;"

1)

Rr b2 b3
(be)

4b5b6b7
(11) (b13)

Altered Dominant
(Cznlt or C7+9)
C Super Locrlan

e
Rr

.m

(/th rnode ol mel. mln)

b2*2 3 *f

(bexflo)

b6 b7

(bs) (f5)
(#l1xb13)

@ 1997 by Michael DiLiddo (revised 5/98)

65

T^r

b7 1r

6g90ll)

Major 7*11

(cl+4)
C Lydlan Scale (4th mode ol mafor)

Rr
2

(e)

3 C Cltt

3*4 5 6
(#11 )
(1 3)

,m

,m
-m
ffi
ffi

ffiH
c7b9

e
Rrb2 #2

(bexfe)

Rr

(r11)

ffi

Rr tb7be5

ffi

3 *{ 5 6b7
(13)

llt@l

lllt@@

c13 b9

ffi

t E belfl

6rr,"7(*11)

rT6-t"Tl

rrrrn

r].rrn

C Diministred Scale (half-whole)

g,-7$ll)

ffi

Frfil 7 t lt

m87elfl

6759(rll)

Dominant 7bg
(ct be)

CrnT0tlhoO

6,t 6(fi1)

cm90ll)

fl Tlll
*lt

#
'm
Rr

7.

#H

Additional Dominant 7bO chords can be bund by movirB any ol these brms up by inbruale ol a minor 3d (by simp_f1 mwinS the $94 lomation 9Yery hree
frets). For example, Gbg(*tl) in the ll pogiton (nr* ot fre truo alovel becomes Cl3bO in he V pot*tion, G7 in the Vlll posilion, and C7#9b9 in he Xl position.
cog6ddbl3)

ffi
H+tffi

,TT(DTT"I

DiminishedT
(co)
C Diminished Scale (whole-hail)

e
Rr 2b3 4b5b6 6

(s) (11) (b13)

H'

Additional diminished ctrords can be lound by moving any of these forms up by interuals of a minor 3d (simply moving every trree frets). For example, Co(addl1)
in the I position becomes @(add b13) in tre lV position, Co(add ma7) in he Vll position, and Cog in tre X position.
Cg#s (*llno3)

,m *m

Augmented 7
(Gz+s)
C Whole Tone Scale

RrtttE

2 3*4
(e) (tlr)

e *5

,m ,ffi

3 15

Dominant 7#11
(c7+4)
d

mel. mh.)

RrtllB

13

Rr E 0lll lt

TTOTTI

ffi
Rr

b7

Hffi

3rflFr

2 3*a 5 6b7
(e) (f11) (13)

TfanSpOSitOn:

A[ ctrord lorms presented are moveaHe and can be pl?VeO from

any root.' To transpose a voicing, pick a new root and position the lgp accordingly. For
eximple, Cffifi in tre I position cah be repositroned to become Fmll in he Vl positlon or
Amll in Ure X position.

thg SCalgS:

Betow eadr b"rry $o4 r4pbd is tre scate rrom

ufiich'he chord isconstrr.rcted (C Dodan forC-; C Mixolydian lorCT; etc.). These scales
are important be6ause trey contain the notes trat were used to cm$ruct the contemporary
voicinds. By obseruing ha anafsis of both he scales and tre drords you will know what
tones you are playing and tre scale hey come from.

Chordb Spcdllc t{amc

Frd Nun$cr
Rod to Vbualza
(do not lingor)

Thbk Line = nut (enphasizes beginning of lretboard when included)

same linger on two or more drings

of the same lret are to be barred
Strings; lrom left to right are
E-6A-5 D4 G-3 B-2 E-l
Fret

AnatyCe
Itfusbal Notatlon

(wrlten er oclavc
abwc *,tual pfch)

@ 1997 by Michael DiUddo (revised 5198)

66

Forexample,CT(#11)
c7*11

ClO*llnot

PUfpOSe Of

Rt*ltE

b7

Adciitional augmenbddrodgcanbebrrndbymovinganyoftheselorms-upbV-iLteru9lso1 a!t!.gpt?td(simplymovingeverytwolrcts)'

in the I positi6n bcornes C9*5(*11) in he lliposition qi*S in the V position, C7(*11) in he Vll podtion, etc.

C Lydhn Dom. (4th mode

c7#5(*