115

CHAPTER 6
Four-Note Open-Position Voicings
A thorough knowledge and understa~ding of four-note bl~c~ voicings will provide an excel-
lent foundation for mastering the various types of open vo1c111gs. In fact, all open voicings
should be derived directly from block voicings, at least in the beginning.

Concept
Any block voicing may be converted to an open one by lowering one or more of the notes
under the top voice by one octave. As mentioned in chapter 4, voices are identified by their
position in the voicing (the top voice is number one, the note immediately under the top
voice is number two, followed by three and four). The process of lowering the pitch of these
notes one octave is called dropping.

€XA"1Pl.€ 6--1.
SLOCK VOICING- OR
Cl.OSE' POSl'i"ION fiROPt r?£OP ! H
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II
17
After a block voicing has been converted to an open one, only the top voice retains its origi-
nal number. In the drop-two illustration above, the second voice was lowered an octave and
now becomes the fourth. The original third voice is now the second, and the fourth becomes
the third. Remember that the order of instruments remains the same so that when a voicing is
changed, all except the lead instrument will be playing different notes. The following illustra-
tion will clarify this.

EXA"1P!.£ 6-'l.
BLOCK VOICING- OR
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An exhaustive list of four-note block voicings is included in appendix 4 to show the range
of possibilities in that format. Including a similar compilation for each type of open voicing
would not only be overwhelming, but might actually hinder the creative process. Success
can be achieved only through the trial and error process. Once a voicing has been selected
and used, its characteristics ca n hP. assessP.rJ and stored in the memory. This cataloging of
sounds is slow and time-consuming because it can only be done one voicing at a time.
Nevertheless, it is the only way to develop a musical vocabulary that is unique and personal.

Reasons for Use

The main reason for utilizing open voicings is to achieve a variety of colors and textures and
improve voice leading. While block voicing is a very effective and versatile tool, its sound
can be tiring if used for too long.
116 PART i • BASIC TECHNIQUES

Other factors which may dictate a change of voicing arc as follows.

• Tempo· As a general rule, block voicing works better in faster tempos ( h

· . . . or s orter
note values), while open vo1crngs are more effective at slower tempos (or longer
note values).
• Timbre: Block voicing creates a compact, integrated sound. The larger intervals ·
inherent in open voicings tend to highli~ht the timbral qualities of each instrument
and the individual lines become more d1scernable.
• Range: When choosing a key for a given melody or original thematic material,
range, tessitura, and transposition of the lead voice must always be taken into
account. But these criteria should be applied to the other voices as well. When scor-
ing for like instruments (i.e., four trumpets or four trombones) there should be no
range problems in the other voices. But in mixed instrument scoring, those below
the lead are usually pitched in a lower key. In block voicing this means that their
transposed pitches will place them relatively higher in their effective ranges. So
when the lead voice approaches the upper limits of its range, the other instruments
may ~eat the extreme limits of their upper range, or perhaps out of range. This
will create serious problems of balance, blend, and intonation, or even make the
passage unplayable.

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y b1-6M@f ]

Shifting to an open voicing will eliminate these problems.

OOMPL! '1-4.
AM11 c1
Wt, ti ~f 1'2F
In the next example, the bracketed chords have been opened even further. This not only
provides additional relief for the two bottom voices, but also introduces some contrary
motion between the two outer voices.

EXAMPl.t b-S.
AMt7

~y Ii
~actors such as sudden leaps and the overall contour of the melody may contribute to poten-
tial range problems.

Sudden leaps in the melodic line

Range aga in comes into play because a large upward ledp in the top voice is apt to
rlace the other voices in an uncom_
fortablc range.
 CHAPTER 6 Four-Note O en-Posif n 'I<OICln
.• s
117

A7 Fl7 6it117 l7M17 r,7 AiV111 Cit111 (I

G
r1!:Pf r
CD1 •TRACK 41
Part 1

&t,t t , ;w,~ fr;ThiU L~~211 9Gfd

Chan~ing_ to an open voicing will reduce the size of the leaps in the other voices,
resu!tmg m a smoother, more controlled effect. This also creates more contrary
motion between the outer voices.

G
CD1 •TRACK 41
Ft7 6it117 l7Ml7 ~1 AM11 CM17 F7 Part2

4il i ' i wf:Jeffl~ 1!~¥:~Jbi 1 111:§ ~rZr II

Contour of the melodic line

l~stead of a large leap, the melody may gradually move upward through arpeggia-
t1on or scale lines until the same range problems occur. G
CD1 •TRACK 42
Part 1

fM17 6bM17 AbMA1 Ab7 6b..i11 ~b7 Fit1,1 Sb1

f$ibb f r 'tiff b~f bt~!wlf b~ vpl;: lb$ fl1 ~lfbf@f qJ1=f II

The solution is to find the most appropriate place to make \he change of voicing.
0)
CD1 • TRACK 42
Part 2
.l'WIfCll 1'0

I b~ 6bf ~f Pli=J I

• Emphasis or dramatic effect: Voicings can play a significant role in controlling

dissonance and consonance. Even though these are relative terms, they have real
meaning within a context, and one is ineffective without the other. Dissonance is
more striking in close voicings; less so in open ones. Voicings that have wide inter-
vals at the bottom tend to be stable and well-balanced; those comprised of smaller
intervals are less stable.

• Stability and motion: Chord spacing is an important factor in determining the

expressive quality of the music and contributes to the effects of movement and
arrival. Block voicings are comprised primarily of seconds and thirds. In open voic-
ings, wider intervals such as the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh are commonplace.
Even compound intervals (those wider than an octave) may occur. When a wide
interval is placed at the bottom of a chord, it can bear a resemblance to the distribu-
tion of overtones in the harmonic series.
 ---- -·--
-
- -J - --
-=--""'1°:,.",.~
- o:.
- -==.:::::..::: -~
------..:::::::
~ o:.ice the " ioo interYals oi the perfect fifth and perfect fourth i'lt the botto Al
d d f h m. so pre~ent
are the major ~b.th tbetwt.'<'n the secon an ourt overtones) and the <.:om d. ·
- d . h . . poun interval of
the maJ·or tenth ,between the first an tourt O\.ertone$). Chords that are canst ,.,,1 •
. ·1· d h . . ruct~ on thrs
model epitomize balance and stab1 1ty an convey t e most expl1c1t harmonic .
' meaning.

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... . .A,

- I
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This pertains as well to chords that contain minor thirds, diminished fifths, and major
sevenths. Even though these chord types do not occur naturally in the overtone system,
following this model ,-viii impart the same firmness and clarity.

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These intervals can also occur between other notes of the chord, but they may not belong to
the primary overtone series of that chord. The following shows a few of the many possibili-
ties.

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Problems with low-register intervals

A probl em may arise
· when these intervals occur singly
· · com b'inatron
or 1n · at the
bottom of a chord in the low register. H ere they can assert themselves as primary
overtones and distort the true meaning of the chord . In the following exam~le th e
chord is intended to be a Grni9 . But in this register, the intervallic con struction of
th e first chord suggests a sbma7. The subsequent versions define the chord more
cl earl y.
------------ - - - - - --- -C_= H}.fJE_R_Q_::-~!-Note Open-Position Voicings 119

tXAMPL~ 1H4.
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Here is another problem of ambiguity involvi ng an Fma9 chord.

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The problem, then, is not one of spacing, but of register. The solution is to use the
overtone series model when voicing low-register chords in order to impart the true
meaning of the chord. There will be more discussion on this as the various types
of open voicings are examined. However, at this point, there should be no great
concern for these possible ambiguities. A chord's quality is determined more by its
usage than its spacing. Its interaction with the surrounding chords p lus the sounding
of the true bass note will dispel uncertainty in most instances. The remainder of the
chapter wil l be devoted to the examination of the various types of open voicings,
beginning with those that are most useful.

Types
Drop-Two Voicings
Th is is the most frequently used open voici ng because of its versatility. It is effective in both
high and low ranges, wh ich makes it possible to use in extended passages.

To convert a block voicing to a drop-two, the second note (the one immediately under the
lead voice) is lowered one octave. Thi s simple octave displacement results in a rather distinc-
tive change in the sound of the chord . The brilliant, homogeneous sound of the compact
version is replaced with one that is richer and mellower. The overall range of the chord now
exceeds an octave, thus lowering the center of sound. The intervals between the two top and
two bottom voices is also increased. This wider spacing results in a more transparent texture,
and the timbral characteristics of each instrument become more discernable. Only the
interval between the original third and fourth voices remains intact, and these now become
voices two and three in the new configuration. The fact that each of the lower three voices
wi ll be played by an instrument of lower pitch contributes to the increased rich ness of the
voicing. (The on ly exception to this would be if two like instruments are used.)

The possib ility of misinterpreting drop-two chords is not great. The main concern is when the
interval of the perfect fourth appears between the second and fourth voices in block voic-
 120 PART! • BASICTECHNIQ~ -- - - - - ·- - - - -- - ------- -
ing. In a drop-two version, this interval is inverted and a perfect fifth appears on the bottom
of the chord . As expla ined previously, this resembl ance to the overtone series model could
cause an ambiguous sit uation if the chord is placed in a low register. However, if the bottom
note of the drop-two is the root, it can be used to good adva ntage, especia lly in cadential
situations . The next examp le shows how the same vertical sonority can be ambiguous in one
setting, but provides harmoni c stability in another.

OOP1PLH-lh.
G-q cqr,si fr1Aq 6!Yll1(vS) 501(vS) AP1t1

.
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AP16 IIHJOUS

--
I I I I I I

I I

Here are the first eight measures of "Windswept" from chapter 5 (p. Ill), converted from
0
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block voicing to drop-two. Notice how eas ily the conversion is made

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Part 1

The increased range of all open-pos ition voicings has a tendency to place the bottom voice
close to the bass register at times . This voice should be exam ined throughout to check for
this situation. The lowest n·otes of the bottom voice of the previous example can be found in
mm . 2 and 3 .

The last two chords in m. 2 contain unclear voicings . Th is is due to the low placement of
the guide tones in the r-# 13 (beat 4) and Fl 3 ("and" of beat 4) chords . The two chords in
the second beat of m. 3 are also unclear. These contain the raised eleventh of the r-#13 (C)
and Fl 3 (B) in the bottom voice. (For these chords, see example 5-56 in chapter 5, p. Ill
for the detailed harmonic analysis .) These voicings are even more unclear due to the low
placement of this color tone. In order to retain this drop-two voicing throughout, the entire
· harmonization would have to be transposed upward to alleviate th is undesirable situation,
even though the rest of it is satisfactory. In actual practice, this is not typically possible unl ess
either the key of the entire arrangement or the chorus where this harmoni zation appears is
 CHAPTER 6 - four-Note Open-Position ,,vo1c1ngs
· ·

raised. The correct solution for this problem involves closing those voicings that are unclear.
Consequently, the four voicings mentioned above would revert to close position as shown in
the next example.
G
Ci)l •TRACK 43
Part 2
tXA~Pl£ 6-1&.
CLO.I'( PO.l'lilON YOICINH

Drop-Two and Four Voicings

Drop-two and four voicings are also very useful. The majority of block voicings work well in
this format. They are more manageable in middle and upper registers, although they can be
very effective in the lower register, with some restrictions. This versatility enables drop-two
and four voicings to be used in extended passages.

This voicing is created by lowering the second and fourth voices of a block voicing one
octave. Now the intervals between all voices are increased and the chord extends to almost
two octaves. When a combination of mixed instruments uses this voicing, the timbral charac-
teristics of each instrument, as well as their individual lines, become even more pronounced
than in drop-two.

The increased span of this voicing places some restrictions on the placement of the top
voice. The range of the lead instrument defines the upper limit. But if the melody descends
below Bl, below middle C, th e bottom voice enters the bass register and can create problems.
Voicings with color or altered tones in the bottom voice become unusable. Those w ith basic
or guide tones in the bottom voice are generally workable, but their efft:ctiveness should be
determined in each specific situation. As with drop-two voicings, those configurations that
follow the overtone series model can be ambiguous in the low register. The following exam-
ple contains a sampling of versatile drop-two and four voicings.

BIBUOTECA
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122 PART I • BASIC TECHNIQUES _ -- -- --
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Here are some drop-two and four voicings that sound good in the low register, but whose
f.
),f: C

..
meaning could be unclear. In the following example, the intended interpretation is shown ,.,~: \,\
above the chord w hile the possible misinterpretation is show n below. ;.. C
::C
.:
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-
- ~;,:,: ·•
. 6-
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The following example shows the "Windswept" excerpt expanded to a drop-two and four
format. •
4
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 - .£!:16PTER 6 - Four-Note

The increased range of these voicings has created some serious problems in the bottom
voices. In its original key, there are only a handful of voicings in the entire eight measures
that are clear. Closing the unclear voicings would involve changing a majority of them.
Consequently, the only way to successfully employ this voicing here is to transpose the ke
of the entire arrangement, or this chorus, upward. In the next example the key is raised a y
major sixth so all the drop-two and four voicings are acceptable. In doing so the lead voice
has been placed in its upper range, but the passage is still playable.

0
C01 •TRACK 44

Other Drop Voicings

Drop-two and drop-t-.vo and four voicings are the only drop voicings that are used with any
consistency. This is because-these formulas tend to spread the voices in an even manner.
However, there are times when other types of drop voicings can be employed as a remedy
to undesirable drop-two or drop-two and four voicings. These additional drop voices include
the following.
• Drop-three
• Drop-four
• Drop-two and three
• Drop-three and four
These voicings are typically used to improve voice leading or to place more stable notes at
the bottom of a voicing. Some examples are shown below, which show how a standard drop-
two or drop-two and four voicing may be unclear.
 124 PART I • BASIC TECHNIQUES

tXAi\1Pl.t '1·'/3.
A13ffll) t7DP'1Al3/IIIJ
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In the A 13 chord, a drop-two voicing places its raised eleventh on the bottom. In this range,
it is ambiguous, sounding like E~7(#9)/A. A drop-three voicing will place the th ird of this
chord on the bottom resulting in a clearer sound. In the Fma7 chord, a drop-four voic ing
places the root further into the bass register. This is rare, but could be used in a caden-
tial progression. In the C9sus chord, the drop-two and four voicing places its ninth on the
bottom. This color tone could make this chord unclear. A drop-two and three voicing places
the fourth of this chord (a guide tone) on the bottom, making it more stable. In the D~ma7
chord, a drop-two and four places its seventh on the bottom. This note is acceptable albeit
on the low side. However, the third voice contains the raised eleventh, which may be
unclear in this register. A drop-three and four voicing places both guide tones on the bottom
and presents a more stable situation .

Spread Vo icings
To qualify as a spread voicing, the chord shou ld contain at least two intervals of a sixth or
greater. This makes it possible to extend the overall range of a four-note chord to more than
two octaves. To convert a block voicing to spread voicing, follow the procedure listed below.

1. Retain the original interval between the outer voices.

2. Invert the interval between the two middle voices.
3 . Lower this interval one octave, placing it on the bottom of the chord .

.The four positions of an Arn7 in block voicing are used to demonstrate this procedure. The
numbers above each voicing correspond to the numbered steps above.

.. . ,., n n -9n -G-

I
~
I
-~
-~ - - I
- I
r

I
I I
I
I
I
a
I
a
I
I I a I
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- I -G-
-G- I
- -e-
-
0
l -1.

Because these voicings have a spread of more than two octaves, the bottom note may extend
into the hass register. The effecti veness of the chord in this situation is determined by which
note is in the bottom vo ice. As in the c.1se of the other open voicings, basic tones work best,
guide to nes are b s effective, and color and ;iltered tones are least effecti ve. The next exam-
ple shows the same voici ng twice; first in a low position and then one octave higher. O nly
th<:' first two voicings are acceptable in the low er position . The higher voici ng is acceptable
in all cases, but each one pl aces the top voice in the upper register.
 1:
,I CHAP fER 6 - Four-Note Ooon Po .,.
- s, icn Voicing~

' I

.
_ 125

,' lf
A1 G-9
a.

',I !; a e- a
'i u e- ,e-
- 0 G

•'
_j
t.:.601'~ VOICINlil' A~t ACCEP1'ASL( !il!t 1'0 'TH, ONLY 'THt HlvlltR VOICINH AR, Accmm, M 1'0 f H( Pii:'.rf);C( Or
ntS[NCt Or AMl'IC10N( IN 1HE ~011M VOie€. AvUi0E:, co~. ore AL1E:'K(!l 10N€IN f H( ,0110..i VOie(,

•'
The top note should not go below third space C. The upper range of the lead instrument

,,
,; I
would determine the highest note possible, so unless the lead instrument was a high-pitched
one (i.e., a flute), the overall melodic range would be limited to about an octave. But these
limitations need not be a deterrent to the use of this voicing. It can be combined effectively

•• with other types of voicings that wil l not only increase the melodic range, but also may
improve voice leading and create opportunities for contrary motion .

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.: mfAO ~OPf Oi/OP f '1~0P f '1RCP 3 CHORALE:

Below is a selected list of spread voicings that includes all the chord types in different regis-
CHORAL€ OROP f O~OP3 !'~£AO

•• ters and inversions.

••
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•
t i Efficient handling of this voicin r . _ _ _

••
rnencJed until the th . .· g equ1res J great deal of skill. Its extensive use is not rccom-
. . o er vo1ungs have been mastcred. Here ,s . an extended passage using
spread vo1cings .

••
 126 PART I • BASIC TEQ1~ -

0)
CD1 •TR.ACK 45
a,7
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Chorale Voicings
As the name implies, th is is a type of spread voicing reminiscent of four-part choral writing
with emphasis on proper voice leading. The most effective uses of this voicing are as follows.
• Ballads or pieces with slow harmonic rhythm
• Cadential progressions
• Pds~ages requiring a feeling of strong root movement
• Pads or backgrounds for solos

Unlike the other methods of creating open voicings by starting with a block voicing and
transposing notes downward by octaves, these are constructed from the bottom up. The
structure of a chorale voicing is as follows.

• The root of the chord is in the bottom voice. The only exception to this rule would
be if inversions occur as part of the bass Ii ne.

fXAP'IPI.€6-tt
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... Cff!A 8bffl11 ~ 1 AbfflA1 Ar,111 [71 vfflA1 rrf•.t1 (3b1 fbfflA7 A~fl1A7 t',117 a,7 Cff'IA7
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To achieve the proper sonority, the bottom instrument should be a low-pitched one, like a
baritone saxophone or a bass trombone.

• The first note above the root should be a guide tone.

 C HAPTER 6 - Four-Note O
-

If the seventh of the chord is selected, the interval between the two bottom voices w·II
6
a seventh. If the third of the chord is sele~ted,_the interval between the two bottom v~ice:
will be a third. It is possible to expand this third to a tenth by dropping the bass note an
octave. This interval may seem excessively large, but in fact it is a very sonorous one when
employed between the two bottom voices because it emulates the overtone model. This kind
of spacing is not as effective between other voices and should not be used elsewhere except
for special effects .

..
- ROOf f 3R'1
ROO'i" f 71'H ROOf f ~p ro
INV(R'ffP AIO'l'H

I
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• The remaining guide tone should be placed immediately above. This three-note
combination provides a very cohesive unit, but for it to function properly at least
one guide tone (and preferably both} should resolve correctly. In cycle progressions,
this means either moving stepwise or remaining stationary as a common tone.

EXAMPLE' 6-n.
Ci'1A7 6~it117 £~ 7 A~(()A7 Ait111 rJ1

• Once the root, third, and seventh have been added, only one voice remains to add
any color lo the chord. Th is top voice would cons ist mostly of fifths, color tones,
and altered tones. Obviously, the only way these restrictions can be adhered to is by
composing an original line, rather than dealing w ith an existing melody.
 128 PART I • BASIC TECHNIQUES

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In actual practice, this chorale voicing could function as a "pad" (see chapter 9} and would
probably look more llke the following.
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CD1 • TRACK 46
Part 2

Harmonizing a given melody in this fashion would be difficult due to the need to include
the root and guide tones in the bottom thrE:e voices. This leaves one remaining voice to add
either stability (basic tones) or color (color or altered tones). The placement of an existing
melody atop this configuration may result in uninteresting sonorities due to the possibility of
note duplications. The addition of a fifth voice (see chapter 8) would eliminate this problem
and make colorful melody harmonizations easier to achieve.

Beware of becoming too enamored with this sound; its overuse can create a heavy, plodd ing
effect. As mentioned earlier, it is most effective in cadential progressions, tonicizations, and
passages where strong root movement needs to be emphasized. One such situation involves
1i ·a horn soli with no rhythm-section accompaniment. Here, the bottom voice must define the
I
I root movement. An example of this is shown below. The diminished chords in mm. 1 and 2
j and the tritone substitutions in mm. 5, 7, and 8 were chosen to soften the angularity of the
j cycle progression. 0)
CD1 • TRACK 47 .

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 <;:HA Pf ER 6 - Four-Note O
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129
A fu rther extension nf th is softening involves the u~e rif chord inw,wrs,ons
.
Nor .
example thill there r1rc only five root-position chords. The other nin ·. ice 1n th<: next
e are inversions.

I
- =--- '
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-
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Sections of a harmonized line of any kind rarely contain just one type of voicing. Instead,
combinations of close- and open-position voicings are used. The final example of this chapter
presents a full chorus of "Windswept'' taken from chapter 5, containing parallelisms and toni-
cizations. The original key of the melody has been reta inerl ;rnd the voicing types have been
changed to accommodate it. Changes of voicing are indicated throughout.

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There are several points of interest in this example.

• Drop-two is the most-used voicing throughout the harmonization.

• The more open-voicing types are used only when the melody ascends and all even-
tually return to drop-two (mm. 6-7, 22, 26, 30, 32).

• For the most part, close-position voicings are used as a necessity, when the melodic
line descends to the point where drop-two voicings are unusable (mm. 9- l 6, .
20- 22). This type of voicing is also used to provide tension between two open voic-
ings 1mm. 25, 25, 29, 31 ).

• The ;moothcr the melody contour is, the less often the voicing position changes
1mm. 17- 24, 25- 29).

• The more angular the melody contour is, the more often the voicing position
changes (mm. 6-7, 22, 25- 27, 29- 32).

cings described in this chapter are a means, not an end · The

The various open
-posi·t·ion vo1
· ·
..
deci~ion of wh ich position to u;e should never be made arbitrarily. With the exception of .
drop-tVvo' nu one fJos·1t·o ..
1 n can ~ucccs~fully harmonize
. extended passages, 1et aIOn"" an entire
chorus.
 ARRANGING LARGE JAZZ ENSEMBLE

1 _4 Low-Interval Limits ·. .
,o ensure that your voicings create
-r
. a clear
. impression and that the intervals they contain
.
. be heard distinctly, do not mclude mtervals below the limits shown in the h
w111 . . h. h c art
below. There are always e xcept1ona1 c_ases m w 1c . t?ese limits may be adjusted
downward. But if you follow them strictly, your vo1cmgs will never sound muddy.

unison (unlimited) minor 2nd major 2nd minor 3rd major 3rd
II ,we II &,we II '·o II ~a

perfect 4th augmented 4th diminished 5th perfect 5th minor 6th major 6th

,=Q·g II ~g t: II
b~
II '·~ II u j

diminished 7th minor 7th major 7th octave (unlimited)

,= ;: II '·: II : II II

minor 9th major 9th minor 10th major 10th

.i: e e I,,, e
<
-&
II &-e- II II II
-& bu

Whenever the bottom note of a voicing is not the root, "assume" there is a root and then
check that the voicing follows the low-interval guidelines. In the example shown below,
the C7 voicing confonns to the guidelines. But in the A-7 voicing, after we assume the
root, the resulting minor third interval falls below recommended low-interval limits (LIL).

C7 A -7
I
- -
"
I.f,ii- -
--&
(Proble m )
I .. minor 3rd is LIL violation
....
I .. ..
I

-
r
\

(OK ) r
(assumed root)