What's new in the world of fun, original sounding voicings?

Oh yeah, by the way, thank you guys very much. A voicing you provided a while ago made the perfect change in a song I was writing. Thanks.

How about this for a C7susb9.

From high to low: C, F, Db, Bb,(C)

This is very cool for the A section of "Caravan" - the long 1 chord (C7) part, and resolves beautifully to the Fm6 change.
Without the low C, it's basically just a Bbm9. So, think about that when you're blowing over a C7b9.

Have you ever experimented with diatonic intervals within a key, as combined with open strings relative to that key?
For example, the key of E major contains E and B as root and 5th, so you can let those open strings go along for the ride...


--0----0----0----0----0----0----0----0--
--0----0----0----0----0----0----0----0--
--1----2----4----6----8----9----11---13-
--2----4----6----7----9----11---13---14-
--X----X----X----X----X----X----X----X--
--X----X----X----X----X----X----X----X--



You can apply this as something that would work over a static E major tonality, or you could use the voicings to *imply* the chords associated with the key of E major (such as I-V-VI-IV, etc.). For example, the second voicing might suggest, and sub for, F# minor, the II chord in the key of E. But these are not complete [1-3-5-7] four note voicings that one would find in harmonizing a major scale; they sound interesting because of the tensions and clusters against the open strings. For a wider sound, you could use diatonic intervals of 10ths, which is of course the extension of 3rds above the octave... these lay nicely on the E and G strings in the key of E. You can harmonize any scale or mode... for instance, if a Dominant/Mixolydian flavor is desired, simply flat the 7ths (in this key, change any D#'s to D's).

There are cool sounds to be found in other keys as well. Try harmonizing the key of G - get the diatonic 10th intervals from the A and B strings, while the G and D strings (root and 5th within the key), ring between them.

Hey Corleone! It's always cool trading ideas with you. My favorite "open" string chord scales are;

keeping the open G string while you play A mixo-lydian chords. Letting the D and high E strings ring with either D7, Dm, or D maj. scale chords.

Have you tried your "E" idea with the notes of an E harm. min. scale? (E,F#,G,A,B,C,D#)

What's up KL! Ditto, always a pleasure. I love bouncing off the open G for the A Mixo stuff; a fave 'lick' lately is to slide in & out of all the 6ths on the A & G strings, and pull off to the open G along the way. Works in E7 with the E & D strings too, but the G really has that cool 'snap' on the A7 moves. I like dropping the low E down for some of the D stuff you mentioned, sounds so huge & rich. I'm addicted to open strings, I never have as much fun with Bb.

For anyone that might be interested, here's a way to play the E harmonic minor thing that klasaine mentioned -


--0----0----0----0----0----0----0----0--
--0----0----0----0----0----0----0----0--
--0----2----4----5----8----9----11---12-
--2----4----5----7----9----10---13---14-
--X----X----X----X----X----X----X----X--
--X----X----X----X----X----X----X----X--

I'll pull off on the G string alot in A mixo stuff but I never thought about doing 6ths on the A string. Very cool, especially when the D,B, and high E's all start ringing a bit. It also works great over E7 - the G sounding very "bluesy" or, Em7 - folk/Zeppelinesque. Thanks "C"!

Glad to return the favor for a change, KL. Here's a rough board mix for a punkabilly tune I worked on recently that contains a couple of the ideas we've been talking about here. An E7 chordal thing at 3:00, and some A7 6th G pulloffs at 3:38. The lap steel stuff is not me, but I did cut the bass track on this one, in addition to the tele stuff.

http://home.comcast.net/~mastermindmusic/mineforthetakin.mp3

FUCK YEAH! - KL

This is good stuff. Keep it coming. Another simple idea you can use is playing barre chords without the barre. Letting the E and B strings ring against various triads adds interest to otherwise boring chords.

--0--0--0--0--0--
--0--0--0--0--0--
--2--3--4--6--8--
--3--4--5--7--9--
--3--4--5--7--9--
--1--2--3--5--7--

These voicings give you from lo to hi: Fmaj7#11, F#11, G(add6), A(add9) and B(add11).

Cool stuff, fender_bender. I like to add a 9 to some of the voicings you posted, particularly the B:

--0--
--0--
--8--
--11-
--9--
--7--

And of course, there's the
quintessential "Spanish" move over E, F, & G...


--0--0--0--
--0--0--0--
--1--2--4--
--2--3--5--
--2--3--5--
--0--0--0--

As long as we're going phrygian, let's do it like Wayne Shorter - from high to low: E, B, A, F, B, E. It's really a susb9. Up an octave at the 12th fret's nice too.

quote:

---

Originally posted by klasaine:
- from high to low: E, B, A, F, B, E. It's really a susb9. Up an octave at the 12th fret's nice too.

---

Well, I nearly broke my left hand trying to finger that damn chord. Then I noticed that you'd specified high to low, NOT low to high.