Random chord voicing

[Dave Ferris]

A totally random voicing for an Ab Maj.7 +11 that I was futzing around with today. Nothing groundbreaking but just a nice sound.

 

LH- F (5th below Middle C) Bb, Eb

 

RH- G, C,D, G

 

So yes a Lydian thing that also works with Eb Maj 7 of course.

 

also works with : F7 sus add 2,6.

 

Cm11

 

Gm7 Aeolian mode

 

Bb sus add 6, 2

[kanker.]

Not near a keyboard, but might work with an A-(b5) too?

[Dave Ferris]

Yes...good one. A different LH shell sound then the typical :

 

LH-Eb A D

RH- G D G

 

A couple of ii- V- Is in Gm with that chord :

 

Am7 b5

LH-F Bb Eb

RH- G C D G

 

D7 (alt.)

LH-F# C F natural

RH- Bb Eb F Bb

 

Gm Maj7

LH- Bb D E A

RH- C F# A C

 

Am7b5

LH-F Bb Eb

RH-G C D G

 

D7 (alt)

LH-F# C

RH- F (natural) Bb D F

 

GmMaj7

LH-G D Bb

RH- E F# A D

 

also works with : F7 sus add 2,6.

 

Also functions as an Fm which is pretty obvious.

[TommyS]

Nice sound.

[marino]

Hi Dave, I use that voicing, and similar ones, every day. What's "random" about it? (half joking... )

 

Btw, a cluster-type voicing for Ab maj7 - with hands packed together in the middle register:

LH: Bb C F

RH: G Ab Eb

 

Play it lightly but rhythmically.

 

 

[JeffLearman]

Wouldn't that be AM9#11? Because it has the 9 in there.

 

(I kinda wish people wouldn't use "+" other than for augmented 5th, since otherwise one always has to ask "By + do you mean # or add?" But that's beside the point! Or am I missing something?)

 

A sweet voicing in any case.

[Jazz+]

Dave that's a well balanced voicing.

It has a stock 4th voicing in the left hand and an octave filled in the middle, in the right hand. I use that same right hand voicing a lot, especially when it comes to any major 7th chord with the 3rd in the lead (foe example Eb maj7, while LH plays low Eb Bb). The trick to these optimized voicings ("menu" voicings) is instant recognition and association of what chord tone is in the melody. Requires memorization and organization.

[Jazz+]

Let's name this the Dave Ferris chord. You know , like the way Mark Levine names all his menu voicings such as the Kenny Barron Chord, the Herbie Hancock Chord, The Duke Ellington Chord, The So What Chord, The Fourth Chord, The Keith Jarrett Chord, etc... based on who he learned it from.

[Dave Ferris]

Btw, a cluster-type voicing for Ab maj7 - with hands packed together in the middle register:

LH: Bb C F

RH: G Ab Eb

 

Now that's a nice sound Carlo..

 

Sounds cool as the Ab maj7. Again I'm a Lydian head so I like that also as a Db Maj7+11. Also great sounding as a Fm9sus, Bb7sus .

 

Wrote out a quick sequence with top melody based on that chord :

 

LH-Bb C F

RH-G Ab Eb

 

LH-Db F G

RH- Ab C G

 

and ending up totally out of the tonal center

LH- B E G#

RH- Db Gb Bb

basically a Gb/E obviously.

[Dave Ferris]

Let's name this the Dave Ferris chord. You know , like the way Mark Levine names all his menu voicings such as the Kenny Barron Chord, the Herbie Hancock Chord, The Duke Ellington Chord, The So What Chord, The Fourth Chord, The Keith Jarrett Chord, etc... based on who he learned it from.

 

Haha...thanks J+ but it's just one of those *random* chords I just happened to grab, nothing radical. Maybe call it "Chord that sounds great on Steinway D"...

 

Yes agree about harmonizing the top melody with these type of chords. It almost has to be instinctive where your hands go to these type of sounds.

[bluzeyone]

Nice! Thats what I noticed. It has that nice fourth (sus) sound flyin'. Love it! Thanks Dave! Been kinda busy but caught some of your other threads. Hope your feeling ok. Praying. Also, following you on soundcloud. Your material on there is phenomenal!!!

[Dave Ferris]

Hi Bill. Thanks man and yes doing ok. 20 down, 24 to go.

 

So a voicing with two minor triads, Bm & Dbm, over a Bb bass note. It can function as the V chord going to Eb, or a stand alone pedal/modal type of thing.

 

In this case I made it a V-!.

 

Hit an octave Bb for 2 beats in the LH in the lower register and while sustaining that play :

 

LH-F#, B natural, D

RH- E, Ab, Db

 

for 2 beats.

 

Next bar- and then the I chord Eb:

LH- F (5th below middle C) G

RH D, Eb, Bb

 

While sustaining that chord with the pedal, go down an octave and play an open fifth against that.

LH- Eb Bb

 

Let that whole tonality ring out for the entire bar into the next.

[hurricane hugo]

how big a gap between that E-flat and that lower G?

 

would sound beautiful on an electric piano.

[Dave Ferris]

If you are are referring to this chord (EbMaj7)

 

LH- F (5th below middle C) G

RH- D, Eb, Bb.

 

The second voice of the LH, G, is a whole step away from the F (5th below Middle C).

 

The D is a whole step above middle C and the Eb a half step away from the D.

 

So the interval between the Eb (2nd voice in RH) & G (2nd voice in LH) is an augmented 5th.

[marino]

Btw, a cluster-type voicing for Ab maj7 - with hands packed together in the middle register:

LH: Bb C F

RH: G Ab Eb

 

Now that's a nice sound Carlo..

 

Sounds cool as the Ab maj7. Again I'm a Lydian head so I like that also as a Db Maj7+11. Also great sounding as a Fm9sus, Bb7sus .

 

Wrote out a quick sequence with top melody based on that chord :

 

LH-Bb C F

RH-G Ab Eb

 

LH-Db F G

RH- Ab C G

 

and ending up totally out of the tonal center

LH- B E G#

RH- Db Gb Bb

basically a Gb/E obviously.

 

Nice. There's the seed of a song here...