From the course: Music Theory for Songwriters: The Fundamentals

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Chord voicing

Chord voicing

From the course: Music Theory for Songwriters: The Fundamentals

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Chord voicing

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- There are many ways to voice a chord. Root position of a triad is the most basic way. (piano notes playing) The first and second inversions are two more ways. First inversion, E-G-C. And second inversion, G-C-E. Playing the root, first inversion, and second inversion of the C major triad on guitar is straightforward as well. (tranquil guitar music) The voicing of the triad or chord refers to the order of the notes but also refers to where the notes are played. There are seven octaves on a piano and at least eight instances of each note. What's to stop us from playing these three notes spread out across the keyboard? Nothing. Here's a C major triad spread out across three octaves. (piano notes playing) We can spread the root, third and fifth of a triad across the keyboard any way we want to to achieve the sound we're looking for. This is what a voicing is. It's the vertical or harmonic spacing and ordering…

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