VOI CI NG OF CHORDS WI T H T E NS I ONS

PERFORMANCE
PRACTICE
MUSIC TECHNIQUE VOICING OF
CHORDS WITH TENSIONS
What is chord voicing?
The instrumentation and vertical spacing and ordering of
pitches in a chord. Wikipedia 2014
Basically How you play the chord on your instrument
Tensions?
Tensions are notes that are the 9
th
, 11
th
, or 13
th
note from the
base note of the chord that it is being based on
E.g. The tension notes of a C major chords are: D(9
th
),
F(11
th
), and A (13
th
)
CHORD TENSIONS
However, some people like to sharpen and flatten
the tensions to make the tension more!
E.g. #9, b13, etc.
Most of these special tensions are usually played in
either Major or Dominant chords.
TYPE OF CHORD VOICING
Chords only
Open, Close
With Melody
Solo voicing Both hand voicing, with Melody on the top
Accompanist voicing Both hand voicing with minimal
movements
RECAP - GOALS
Long-Term Goals
To be a pianist that has experiences in several genres,
classical, romantic, 20
th
Century, and then Jazz, Pop, etc.
Current Goals
Becoming more proficient in Jazz
Jazz solo phrasing
Being able to read and play extended chords with
effectiveness
Still having Classical Technical Skills, maintaining classical
playing to a good level

PRACTICE ROUTINE
10 mins: Study piece Practicing on Tension voicing
10 mins: Practice Running through rounds
(Comping with Voicing)
10 15 mins: Classical piece (So as not to lose the
feel)
Occasionally: Listening to a youtube jazz
performance and transcribing the refrain

STUDY PIECE
A piece that is being used to focus on different Jazz
techniques Chord voicing w Tensions, Melody line
ornaments, Voicing of chord w Melody near Mid C,
etc.
Jazz Standard Realbook My Romance
Voicing of chord and melody in Refrain section
What I worked on
Ensuring that chords are voiced properly
Adding in some additional tensions
STUDY PIECE
OUTCOME OF PRACTICE
More intuition in voicing chords
Starting experience in playing Refrain section
Able to add some Tensions in Chords
Able to voice Tension Chords out
WHAT TO WORK ON NEXT
Transcribing Jazz Pianists performance & Analyzing
their chord voicing
Bill Evans My Foolish Heart
Work on Refrain section more
E.g. Fill-ins during gaps, better chord tensions, etc.
Jazz Improvisation/Solo
SOLO PIECE - PERFORMANCE
The Girl from Ipanema
Bossa Nova
Composer - Antonio Carloz Jobim