Chords
Voicing
A chord voicing is the concrete layout of a chord's notes: which octaves, in what order, which notes are doubled or left out. One chord can have dozens of voicings.
What is a chord voicing?
A symbol like C tells you the notes of a chord (C, E, G), not how to play them. The voicing is the how: the lowest note, the highest note, the spacing, the doubled notes and the omitted ones.
Here are five voicings of C major, all correct:
| Fingering | Notes (low to high) | Character |
|---|---|---|
| x32010 | C E G C E | open chord, full |
| x35553 | C G C E G | barre, compact |
| 8-10-10-9-8-8 | C G C E G C | 8th-fret barre, powerful |
| xx(10)988 | C E G C | four strings, mid-range |
| xxx553 | C E G | three strings, light |
The bass note sets the inversion; everything else about the layout is the voicing.
Close voicings vs open voicings
A close voicing keeps every note within one octave: the 5-5-3 triad on the G, B and high E strings (C E G) is one. An open voicing spreads the notes over more than an octave, which makes the sound airier.
On guitar, close four-note chords are often unplayable because two notes land on the same string. So guitarists rely on families of open voicings:
- the drop 2 voicing, four notes on four adjacent strings;
- the shell voicing, stripped down to root, third and seventh.
Example: make the top note sing
Your ear follows the highest note first. Pick voicings so that it draws a melody. In C major:
- C: x32010 (top note E)
- F: xx3211 (top note F)
- G: 320003 (top note G)
- C: x32013 (top note G, high E string 3rd fret)
The top line climbs E, F, G and holds the G: a small melody appears without adding a single note. Now replay the same progression with G as 320033: the top changes, and so does the colour. This is the starting point of voice leading.
Common voicing mistakes
- Always using the same open shapes: in a band, two guitars both on x32010 step on each other. If the other player sits low on the neck, take the xxx553 triad.
- Thirds too low: a third below the 5th fret of the A string quickly sounds muddy. Down low, prefer root and fifth.
- Forgetting the top note: a voicing change that makes the top note jump an octave breaks the line.
- Doubling the wrong note: doubling the root or fifth sounds stable, doubling a seventh or a leading tone sounds heavy.
Key takeaways
- Voicing = the real layout of the notes: octaves, order, doubling, omissions.
- Close within an octave, or open across more than an octave.
- The top note guides the ear: make it sing.
- To explore triads on every string set, use the guitar triads tool.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a voicing and an inversion?
The inversion depends only on the lowest note. The voicing describes the complete layout. x32010 and x35553 are two voicings of C, both in root position.
How many voicings does a chord have?
Dozens on a 20-fret neck. For a triad, learn at least its three inversions on each of the four groups of three adjacent strings: twelve shapes that cover the whole neck.
Which voicings should I learn first?
Open chords, then barre chords with the root on the low E and A strings, then triads on the top three strings. Those three families cover most pop and rock accompaniment.
Related terms
Practise in the workshop
Take it from theory to the fretboard
Open the workshop tools and see this idea across the whole neck. Free account, no card needed.