Voicings for struming

[DaveF]

Hey folks,

How do you find/choose chord voicings for strumming? Or do you find ways to strum any chord (providing that you mute the open strings)?

Thanks

[destinytot]

Hey folks,

How do you find/choose chord voicings for strumming? Or do you find ways to strum any chord (providing that you mute the open strings)?

Thanks

For me, muting unplayed strings.

Peace.

[DaveF]

Any chord whatsoever?

Some chords voicings lend themselves to being strummed but MOST seem to be a pain even when muting open strings.

[christianm77]

I play pretty much everything with a pick these days. What chord shapes are you talking about?

[DaveF]

I play pretty much everything with a pick these days. What chord shapes are you talking about?

Drop 2 voicings mostly.

[christianm77]

Drop 2 voicings mostly.

It's all in the left muting.

[DaveF]

It's all in the left muting.

Yes, although it's more comfortable for some chords than others e.g. 1st inversion CMaj7 (Drop 2 on string set 2-5) is quite tricky as it's already a tough chord to move into quickly.

[christianm77]

Yes, although it's more comfortable for some chords than others e.g. 1st inversion CMaj7 (Drop 2 on string set 2-5) is quite tricky as it's already a tough chord to move into quickly.

Yeah that ones just hard, not sure if I have any advice there other than practice it lots!

[DaveF]

Yeah that ones just hard, not sure if I have any advice there other than practice it lots!

Fair enough

[destinytot]

Thank you for taking the time to address my question in a video. In summary, I gather that the unwanted open strings of most Drop 2 & 3 voicings can be muted providing that one takes the time to find a comfortable way to use the left hand fingers to mute them on a case by case basis (in other words some chords may need a different approach than others).

A case-by-case basis, yes - but I'd say it has much to do with bringing into play the 'right' physical tone with which to 'feel' one's way.

Also, I notice that when I strum an acoustic archtop with extremely heavy steel strings (.80mm), it's considerably easier to mute with the left hand. My right-hand strum seems to become more precise, and I may not set unwanted strings in motion at all (if they're outside the 'shape' of the chord - usually small - which I want to sound.

I find that the above transfers to electric archtop through a motion involving the lower arm, hand and fingers as one. Again, I'd find it easier to 'show' - rather than 'write about'.

I don't mean any kind of iron grip - but neither do I mean the literal opposite, or degrees of it. For me, the 'right' physical tone starts with breathing. This may be a subtle point, but it's importance is paramount to me. Not just for singing (although that's how I came to value and appreciate it), but for playing/producing single notes (strumming on one string) and groups/collections/chords, too.

[DaveF]

I should have been more clear in my original post, I specifically meant muting strings that are outside of the chord 'shape'.

[Vladan]

Hey folks,

How do you find/choose chord voicings for strumming? Or do you find ways to strum any chord (providing that you mute the open strings)?

Thanks

Really strummable chords sound good when strummed. You can strum anything, but it will sound like some tense mess.

As a general rule, I want to have the melody, or variation/ counterpoint come out audible by freely strumming across all the strings, without paying much attention to muting.

[christianm77]

I should have been more clear in my original post, I specifically meant muting strings that are outside of the chord 'shape'.

I take care of this by collapsing my fingers slightly (you know, like bad guitar playing) and letting the bottoms of my fingers touch the next string over.

When I play strummed rhythm guitar I do tend to favour voicings without many stretches. When I'm playing more 'compy' stuff, I tend not to strum quite so much, it's more controlled.

Also adding open strings to any close position chord is Big and Clever provided it sounds good to you.

[destinytot]

... it will sound like some tense mess.

Nah! It needn't sound that way at all.

[targuit]

One can always pick the strings in a classical or fingerstyle manner. With a pick you have a bit less discretion, though one can use a hybrid approach. I think all this is much less of a problem for jazz players who are less likely to be using distortion pedals and the like and more inclined towards a cleaner or more transparent guitar tone. Whatever muting I do is instinctual in the sense that I don't 'think about it'.

[christianm77]

When comes to jazz strumming I have two words for you: 'Peter' and 'Bernstein'

Such a different sound to the usual finger picking or hybrid picking thing

[Vladan]

Yes, although it's more comfortable for some chords than others e.g. 1st inversion CMaj7 (Drop 2 on string set 2-5) is quite tricky as it's already a tough chord to move into quickly.

Yeah that ones just hard, not sure if I have any advice there other than practice it lots!

Could you draw that one for me, please?

[Reg]

It really involves all the techniques... but basically what is the style and point of your strummin.

Generally when playing jazz or any type of non notated or memorized music... strummon is comping, and comping is generally about lead line of chords you actually play. The choice of notes or voicings you play are about,
1) top or lead note
2) the bottom note
3) the rest should imply the style of music your playing, which implies chords and chord patterns.

Some other basics... try and keep the lead note or melodic figure your using to comp with... generally a 4th or more above the rest of notes. By this I'm talking about making the lead line or melodic figure on top easy to hear. Not everything, you should always have harmonic rhythm and Targets. Unless you doing something different etc... The Freddie Green thing is basically just staying out of the way and helping imply time, it's pretty weak. But has it's place.

Pick any tune and I'll post some examples etc... most of my gigs are about comping.

[Ty123]

That sounds cool.. Would be great! How about a tune that covers use of implying modal chord patterns with use of characteristic pitch lead lines?

[sjl]

First book about jazz voicings every player has to know (IMHO):
CHARLTON JOHNSON - SWING BIG BAND GUITAR.

First you learn your Bottom voicing (Drop 2, Drop 3 and reductions) and then you build from there.

[Reg]

Yea Charlton has the art of staying out of the way down.... but playing guitar in old school Big Bands is not going to get you very far in any other Jazz setting. It is cool for beginners, that don't have 6th string reference for performing on guitar... again jazz comping is about playing from the top, lead lines. Which does require basic jazz technique. But generally comping in the style of BB performance....is really vanilla... boring, both harmonically, rhythmically, melodically and generally sounds like mud when taken out of it's context. IMHO

What it basically comes down to is.... performing in that style misses to much functionally.... it's like classical players trying to perform a blues in a jazz style.

I've been performing in big bands for over 40 years, and still do, when I have the time. I work with lots of rhythm sections.

Hey Ty... any tune can become Modal, it's not just that 60's sound etc... what's it's become is a Harmonic awareness and understanding of a another different source for harmonic motion. but OK I'll post a standard in modal style... a little latter.

[christianm77]

Could you draw that one for me, please?

Cmaj7 drop 2 1st inversion

x x 2 4 1 3
x 7 9 5 8 x
12 14 10 12 x x

[sjl]

You can do a lot with the slash chords of that book.
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