Is there a list of jazz piano voicings?

[mm2703]

Hello guys,

I am a jazz piano student and I've been wondering: is there a list of all classic jazz piano voicings with maybe a little historical description for each? Like for instance I know the shell chords, A & B rootless voicings*, but I know there are plenty of others, especially for two hands (So What, tritone in the left / 4ths in the right, etc.). And most of the time the voicings are written in musical notation, which some of us (me included) are not particularly fond of. So if we had a tool like this it'd be helpful, what do you think about that? Would there be enough voicings to make it interesting? Cause I can build it if there's interest.

* and it actually took me time to understand that those were classic stuff. I don't think Mark Levine's book even mentions it. On the other hand I've got a book about rootless two-handed voicings that speaks about "stack of thirds" chords and why they should be avoided... So for a while I got really confused about what the LH should play in a solo situation since 1-3-7 voicings are only one note away from those. I know I shouldn't have but you know, that's what beginners are for.

[Mike A]

Here are some ...
http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/showthread.php?t=36085

[beeboss]

It is best imo to learn the principles of voicings and harmony and then work out your own rather than working from a long list of 'need to know' voicings. This way you can engage the ear rather more. Once you have got the real basic stuff down anyway.

[Jeff Brent]

Here's a take on Drop2 and Drop3 rootless voicings for jazz piano - written by someone very close to me:

Piano Rootless Drop Voicing 251s

It's based on the "Evans" system, but dropped.

[engelbach]

Originally Posted by mm2703

Hello guys,

I am a jazz piano student and I've been wondering: is there a list of all classic jazz piano voicings with maybe a little historical description for each? Like for instance I know the shell chords, A & B rootless voicings*, but I know there are plenty of others, especially for two hands (So What, tritone in the left / 4ths in the right, etc.). And most of the time the voicings are written in musical notation, which some of us (me included) are not particularly fond of. So if we had a tool like this it'd be helpful, what do you think about that? Would there be enough voicings to make it interesting? Cause I can build it if there's interest.

* and it actually took me time to understand that those were classic stuff. I don't think Mark Levine's book even mentions it. On the other hand I've got a book about rootless two-handed voicings that speaks about "stack of thirds" chords and why they should be avoided... So for a while I got really confused about what the LH should play in a solo situation since 1-3-7 voicings are only one note away from those. I know I shouldn't have but you know, that's what beginners are for.

Being comfortable with musical notation is one of the skills absolutely necessary to a professional musician.

[jazzman1945]

Originally Posted by engelbach

Being comfortable with musical notation is one of the skills absolutely necessary to a professional musician.

This is certainly true, but beeboss absolutely right! It is the curse of the classical pianist, who played jazz chords from the sheet, freeing them from the need to understand and think about. We all know the paradox: the more experienced pianist, the less notes he uses in voicings.

[beeboss]

What I meant was that the ubiquitousness of the standard voicings is so complete now that many student pianists don't even realise that this is just one approach of many other possibles.

Originally Posted by jazzman1945

We all know the paradox: the more experienced pianist, the less notes he uses in voicings.

That made me think of Monk …

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkHNkxzZp4k

[engelbach]

Originally Posted by jazzman1945

This is certainly true, but beeboss absolutely right! It is the curse of the classical pianist, who played jazz chords from the sheet, freeing them from the need to understand and think about. We all know the paradox: the more experienced pianist, the less notes he uses in voicings.

Yes, that's a good point.

But of course, I only meant that when studying it's important to be able to read the notes off the staff.

Obviously, when playing one will be improvising, not reading.

[mm2703]

Originally Posted by Mike A

Here are some ...
http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/showthread.php?t=36085

Thanks, that definitely helped. I had heard of the Red Garland voicing once and it left me wondering what other voicings could be. Turns out there's not as many as I thought, and except for the ones I already know they're not that helpful to my practice, I mean out of context like that. Still good to have in mind.

As for the musical notation, I actually can read it (slowly). But being an autodidact I always have this uncertainty of whether I read it correctly or not, especially with dense chords. So when I'm learning something and I can hear it (even in MIDI), I always feel better about it. But practice makes perfect I guess.

[engelbach]

Originally Posted by mm2703

Thanks, that definitely helped. I had heard of the Red Garland voicing once and it left me wondering what other voicings could be. Turns out there's not as many as I thought, and except for the ones I already know they're not that helpful to my practice, I mean out of context like that. Still good to have in mind.

As for the musical notation, I actually can read it (slowly). But being an autodidact I always have this uncertainty of whether I read it correctly or not, especially with dense chords. So when I'm learning something and I can hear it (even in MIDI), I always feel better about it. But practice makes perfect I guess.

You only have to read the voicing once. Then you can transpose it yourself to other keys.