Ted Greene 1-8-75

Voice-Leading P.1/3

Voice-Leading
(The connection of chords with minimum movement) One of the smoothest ways to connect chords is y mo!ing the indi!id"a# !oices as #itt#e as $ossi #e. The techni%"e is as fo##ows& 1. 'irst yo" m"st (now how to s$e## the )chords* in!o#!ed+ in the $rogressions yo" wi## wor( with at first, on#y diatonic chords wi## e "sed, so the s$e##ing can e deri!ed y "sing e!ery other #etter in the diatonic sca#e - #i(e an . chord is ., /0, 1, a 2m chord is 2, 3, '0, etc. as in the diatonic chords yo" ha!e a#ready #earned4. 5. 6o" write o"t the s$e##ing of the chords yo" are trying to connect. 7ay yo" are on an . chord and yo" want to connect it to 3 8 yo" wo"#d write&

3. 6o" #oo( for common tones -notes that are the same in oth chords4.

9. 6o" connect the rest of the notes with a minim"m of mo!ement.

5. :otice in the e;am$#e <"st gi!en that whi#e 1 is e%"a##y c#ose to 3 = '0, /0 is on#y c#ose to 3, not '0. 7o wo"#d not e the c#osest !oice-#eading.

.n im$ortant e;ercise now is to ta(e a## yo"r 3 note triads and $#ay the fo##owing e;ercises, "sing good !oice-#eading& I IV I | I V I | I IV (I) V I .#so in minor& i iv i | i V i | i iv i (V) I | i V (i) iv i

Occasiona##y yo" might hit a fingering that is not too $ractica#+ in these cases yo" sho"#d switch strings. 1;am$#e& co"#d ecome

There are not many cases where this ty$e of thing wi## e necessary, so genera##y e!erything <"st wor(s o"t with the fingerings yo" norma##y arri!e at.

Ted Greene 1-8-75

Voice-Leading P.5/3

Voice-Leading with 4 Part Close Triads

-Triads with 5 roots = the "$$er 3 !oices as a c#ose triad4 The $rinci$#es are asica##y the same with this ty$e of triad "t eca"se of the do" #ed root the fo##owing new g"ide#ines are gi!en& 1. /onnect the to$ 3 !oices as with 3 note triads. 5. The ass sho"#d so"nd on#y roots of the chords -for now4 e!en if this seems to contradict the $rinci$#es of !oice-#eading gi!en so far, 1;am$#e& I IV V I

Try the $rogressions #isted a o!e with a## forms of the 9 $art c#ose triads.

Classification of Chord Progressions Given By oot !ove"ent

'or ease of wor(ing with some $rinci$#es to fo##ow, chord $rogressions are c#assified in 3 ways& 1. /hords can $rogress "$ or down an inter!a# of a 4th. 1;am$#es& . 3 -root "$ a 9th4 > 2m 1 -root "$ a 9th4 > . 1 -root down a 9th4 5. /hords can $rogress "$ or down an inter!a# of a #rd. 1;am$#es& . /0m -root "$ a 3rd4 > 2m 3 -root "$ a 3rd4 > . '0m -root down a 3rd4 3. /hords can $rogress "$ or down an inter!a# of a $nd. 1;am$#es . 2m -root "$ a 5nd4 > /0m 3 -root "$ a 5nd4 > '0m 1 -root down a 5nd4 Notice that any $rogression in one direction e%"a#s its co"nter$art in the other direction if s" tracted from ?. 1;am$#es& . '0m @ down a #rd or "$ a %th . . 1 @ down a 4th or "$ a &th. The fo##owing g"ide#ines are common#y acce$ted as wor(ing with 9 $art c#ose triads& 1. Af a chord $rogresses "$ or down the inter!a# of a #rd or 4th, the 5 g"ide#ines gi!en a o!e a#one sho"#d e "sed -to$ of this $age )Voice-Leading with 9 Part /#ose Triads*4. 5. Af a chord $rogresses "$ or down the inter!a# of a $nd mo!e the to$ 3 notes in contrary motion -to the nearest chord tones4 to the ass. This $rinci$#e may conf"se yo" "t it wi## e i##"strated e#ow. 7"$$ose yo" want to connect /0m to 3. This $rogression is "$ a $nd. 7tarting with this form& .ccording to the #ast $rinci$#e on the $re!io"s $age yo" wo"#d get&

Bhat has ha$$ened is that the to$ 3 notes ha!e mo!ed down, eca"se the ass mo!ed "$ 8 in other words, the to$ 3 notes went in contrary motion to the ass. .nother e;am$#e&

Ted Greene 1-8-75

Voice-Leading P.3/3

/hord $rogressions of 5nds o$en "$ the $ossi i#ity of 'I(T)*IC P(++I*G T)*,+, notice in the first e;am$#e a o!e that the to$ 3 !oices mo!e as fo##ows&

whi#e the to$ 5 !oices are mo!ing right a#ong the diatonic sca#e, the /0 is #ea$ing to ., s(i$$ing the 2 note. This 2 co"#d e added after the /0m chord -whi#e it sti## is ringing4 and is ca##ed a 3A.TO:A/ P.77A:G TO:1. 7o it can e said that $assing tones are "sed to fi## in a me#odic #ea$ in any !oice -if desired4. 'or those who read here is an e;am$#e of what a## this #oo(s #i(e&

7ometimes in a $rogression, there is no ass that can e added, after yo" ha!e !oice-#ed the to$ 3 notes& this can $ose $ro #ems+ for instance if yo" tried to $#ay the fo##owing $rogression& I(() iii(C-") IV(') V(,) I((). starting with this form yo" co"#dnCt do it& do it.

. $ossi #e so#"tion is first to start an octa!e higher and then transfer the /0m to its same !oicing on another set of strings which wi## then ena #e yo" to add a ass note and contin"e on&

-added ass note4

-transferred !oicing4

This may seem #i(e a #ot of <"m$ing aro"nd, "t sometimes thatCs the on#y way to get the good so"nds o"t of the g"itar. Practice the fo##owing $rogressions "sing a## forms of the 9-$art c#ose triads&

To get the 1st chord of $rogressions starting on minor chords, yo" "se the e%"i!a#ent !oicing of yo"r ma<or 9-$art triads, e;am$#es& The e%"i!a#ent !oicings of are

. se$arate #ist of $rogressions in minor wi## fo##ow on a #ater $age.