Module 4: Voicings I: shell voicingsLesson 2intermediate⏱ 75 min + 15 min daily for a week

Shell voicings with the root on the 5th string

Add the two root-5 shell shapes, pair them with the root-6 shapes so a ii–V–I stays in one position, and comp a jazz blues in F with shells only.

Why you need a second set of roots

In lesson 4.1 the ii–V–I in C sent your hand from fret 10 to fret 3 to fret 8. Nobody comps like that. The fix is simple: every root is available on the 5th string as well as the 6th, and a root on string 5 is a 4th above the root on string 6 at the same fret. Since the ii–V–I moves in 4ths (ii up to V, V up to I), alternating string 6 and string 5 roots lets the whole progression sit under one hand. By the end of this lesson you will comp a ii–V–I and a twelve-bar blues without moving more than two frets.

The two layouts with the root on string 5

Exactly as with the 6th string, there are two ways to stack the guide tones above a root on the A string:

• Set 5-3-2: root – 7th – 3rd. Skip the 4th string; the 7th is on the G string, the 3rd on the B string. The 4th string must be muted. The shapes are the 6-4-3 shapes moved across one string, with the note on the B string one fret higher because of the major 3rd between strings 3 and 2 (see the note on the B string in lesson 1.3).
• Set 5-4-3: root – 3rd – 7th. Three adjacent strings. These are the 6-5-4 shapes moved across one string with no change at all, since strings 5, 4 and 3 are all tuned in 4ths.

Here are the seven qualities on a C root, on set 5-3-2:

And on set 5-4-3:

Compare the two sets. On 5-4-3 the 3rd is right above the root; on 5-3-2 it is on top, a bright, singing top note. Players who comp behind singers often prefer the 5-3-2 shapes for exactly that reason: the 3rd on the B string is where the ear hears "major" or "minor" most clearly.

Fingering and muting

• Set 5-3-2: 2nd finger on the root, 3rd finger on string 3, 4th finger on string 2 is the natural choice for the dominant and m7 shapes; the 1st finger lies flat across string 4 (and the 1st string) to mute. For maj7 (frets 3-4-5 in the C shape) the 1st finger takes the root, 2nd the 7th, 3rd the 3rd.
• Set 5-4-3: 1st finger on the root for the m7, 7 and 6 shapes with the 3rd a fret or two lower under the 1st finger's reach; or 2nd finger on the root with the 1st finger on the 3rd. The low E string is muted by the tip of the root finger reaching over, or simply not picked.

Strum all six strings and check that only three pitches ring. For the 5-3-2 set, the 4th string is the usual culprit: lean the root finger slightly towards it.

\tempo 60
.
\ts 4 4
(3.5 4.3 5.2).1{ch "Cmaj7"} | (3.5 3.3 5.2).1{ch "C7"} | (3.5 3.3 4.2).1{ch "Cm7"} | (3.5 2.3 4.2).1{ch "Cm6"} |
(3.5 2.4 4.3).1{ch "Cmaj7"} | (3.5 2.4 3.3).1{ch "C7"} | (3.5 1.4 3.3).1{ch "Cm7"} | (3.5 1.4 2.3).1{ch "Cdim7"} |

Pairing root-6 and root-5: the ii–V–I in one position

Here is the rule that makes shells practical. Put the ii on string 5 at some fret; the V is on string 6 two frets lower; the I is on string 5 two frets lower, that is, on the same fret as the V. In C: the ii root is at fret 5 on string 5, the V root at fret 3 on string 6, the I root at fret 3 on string 5. Everything is between frets 2 and 5.

Now listen to what the guide tones do.

In the Dm7 shape on 5-4-3 the 3rd is on string 4 and the 7th on string 3. Move to the G7 shape on 6-4-3: the note on string 4 does not move (the 3rd of ii is the 7th of V), and the note on string 3 drops one fret (the 7th of ii falls a half step to the 3rd of V). Move to the Cmaj7 shape on 5-4-3: now the note on string 3 holds (the 3rd of V is the 7th of I) and the note on string 4 drops one fret (the 7th of V falls to the 3rd of I). One guide tone holds, the other moves down by a half step, at every change. That is what good voice leading means, and with these three shapes you can watch it happen on two strings.

\tempo 80
.
\ts 4 4
(5.5 3.4 5.3).1{ch "Dm7"} | (3.6 3.4 4.3).1{ch "G7"} | (3.5 2.4 4.3).1{ch "Cmaj7"} | (3.5 2.4 4.3).1 |
(5.5 3.4 5.3).2{ch "Dm7"} (3.6 3.4 4.3).2{ch "G7"} | (3.5 2.4 4.3).1{ch "Cmaj7"} |

There is a second route: ii on string 6, V on string 5 at the same fret, I on string 6 two frets lower. In C this lives around fret 8–10.

\tempo 80
.
\ts 4 4
(10.6 10.4 10.3).1{ch "Dm7"} | (10.5 9.4 10.3).1{ch "G7"} | (8.6 9.4 9.3).1{ch "Cmaj7"} | (8.6 9.4 9.3).1 |
(10.6 10.4 10.3).2{ch "Dm7"} (10.5 9.4 10.3).2{ch "G7"} | (8.6 9.4 9.3).1{ch "Cmaj7"} |

With both routes you can play any ii–V–I in two places on the neck, which is already enough to comp a whole tune without big shifts. Here it is in F and in Bb using the low route; notice the fingers do exactly what they did in C, two frets and five frets lower.

\tempo 90
.
\ts 4 4
(10.5 8.4 10.3).2{ch "Gm7"} (8.6 8.4 9.3).2{ch "C7"} | (8.5 7.4 9.3).1{ch "Fmaj7"} | (3.5 1.4 3.3).2{ch "Cm7"} (1.6 1.4 2.3).2{ch "F7"} | (1.5 0.4 2.3).1{ch "Bbmaj7"} |

The minor ii–V–i

The minor version uses the same shapes. Because the m7b5 shell is identical to the m7 shell, the only new ingredient is the i chord, which in jazz is usually a m6 (or m7) rather than a plain minor triad.

\tempo 80
.
\ts 4 4
(7.5 7.3 8.2).1{ch "Em7b5"} | (5.6 5.4 6.3).1{ch "A7"} | (5.5 4.3 6.2).1{ch "Dm6"} | (5.5 4.3 6.2).1 |

The jazz blues in F with shells

The twelve-bar jazz blues is the first full form to comp with shells. Here it is in F, in Roman numerals: I7 | IV7 | I7 | v7 I7 | IV7 | #iv°7 | I7 | VI7 | ii7 | V7 | I7 VI7 | ii7 V7. The chord symbols are on the notation; everything sits between frets 1 and 5 except the VI7, which is on string 5 at fret 5.

\tempo 100
.
\ts 4 4
(1.6 1.4 2.3).1{ch "F7"} | (1.5 1.3 3.2).1{ch "Bb7"} | (1.6 1.4 2.3).1{ch "F7"} | (3.5 3.3 4.2).2{ch "Cm7"} (1.6 1.4 2.3).2{ch "F7"} |
(1.5 1.3 3.2).1{ch "Bb7"} | (2.5 1.3 3.2).1{ch "Bdim7"} | (1.6 1.4 2.3).1{ch "F7"} | (5.5 4.4 5.3).1{ch "D7"} |
(3.6 3.4 3.3).1{ch "Gm7"} | (3.5 2.4 3.3).1{ch "C7"} | (1.6 1.4 2.3).2{ch "F7"} (5.5 4.4 5.3).2{ch "D7"} | (3.6 3.4 3.3).2{ch "Gm7"} (3.5 2.4 3.3).2{ch "C7"} |

Three things to notice while you play it:

• Bars 5–6, IV7 to #iv°7. The Bb7 shape on 5-3-2 and the Bdim7 shape on 5-3-2 share two notes; only the root moves up a fret. That is the sound of the passing diminished chord, and you get it for free with shells.
• Bars 9–10, ii–V. Gm7 on string 6 at fret 3 and C7 on string 5 at fret 3: the second route from above. Then the I chord is back at fret 1 on string 6.
• The turnaround, bars 11–12. I7–VI7–ii7–V7, two beats each. This is the hardest part physically because the changes come twice as fast. Isolate it and loop it.

Exercises

1. Seven qualities on string-5 roots at frets 1, 3, 5, 6 and 8, both sets, two beats each at 60 bpm, as in lesson 4.1.
2. ii–V–I both routes in C, F, Bb, Eb and G. Play the low route, then the high route, then the low route again, without stopping the metronome. One chord per bar at 90 bpm.
3. Blues in F, as notated, then with every chord played as two half notes, then in Bb (the same shapes, five frets higher, or the I7 on string 5 at fret 1 and the IV7 on string 6 at fret 1: work it out).
4. Reading: take any chart you own, reduce every symbol to a shell as described in lesson 4.1, and play it at 80 bpm one chord per beat of its written duration, choosing root-5 or root-6 so that you never move more than three frets. This is the single most useful comping exercise in the module.

Quiz