Module 4: Voicings I: shell voicingsLesson 5intermediate⏱ 60 min + two-week practice plan

Shells through all twelve keys

Take every shell shape around the cycle of fourths, drill ii–V–I and I–vi–ii–V turnarounds in all twelve keys with minimal hand movement, and follow a two-week plan that makes the whole module automatic.

Why all twelve keys, and why the cycle

A chord shape you can only play in three keys is a trick; one you can play in twelve is vocabulary. Jazz tunes change key constantly (a single standard may pass through four or five), singers call tunes in whatever key suits their voice, and a ii–V–I in B is just as common on a bandstand as one in F. The way to learn the shapes in all keys is not to practise twelve separate things but to practise one thing that moves: the cycle of fourths.

Root motion by a 4th up (equivalently a 5th down) is the strongest motion in tonal music. ii goes to V by a 4th; V goes to I by a 4th; the bridge of rhythm changes is four dominants in a row by 4ths; the turnaround I–vi–ii–V is 4ths from the vi onwards. Arrange the twelve roots so that each is a 4th above the last and you get the cycle:

Read the flat keys downwards from C (each key adds a flat) and you are moving by 4ths: C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb. Continue through B, E, A, D and G (the sharp keys in reverse) and you are back at C. Twelve steps, every root once. Anything you can play in one key, play around this cycle and you have it in twelve.

The two tracks on the fretboard

Here is why the shells from lessons 4.1 and 4.2 make the cycle easy. A root on string 6 and a root on string 5 at the same fret are a 4th apart. A root on string 5 and the root on string 6 two frets lower are also a 4th apart. So moving around the cycle is a zigzag: string 6, string 5 at the same fret, string 6 two frets lower, string 5 at that fret, string 6 two frets lower again, and so on. Every twelve chords you drop ten frets in total, which means one octave jump somewhere; put it wherever your neck runs out.

Starting from G at fret 3 on string 6: G (string 6, fret 3), C (string 5, fret 3), F (string 6, fret 1), Bb (string 5, fret 1), then jump up: Eb (string 6, fret 11), Ab (string 5, fret 11), Db (string 6, fret 9), Gb (string 5, fret 9), B (string 6, fret 7), E (string 5, fret 7), A (string 6, fret 5), D (string 5, fret 5), and G again at fret 3. The hand walks down the neck two frets at a time.

Say the roots aloud as you play. The first week, the saying is more important than the playing: you are learning the order of the cycle as much as the shapes.

\tempo 80
.
\ts 4 4
(3.6 3.4 4.3).2{ch "G7"} (3.5 2.4 3.3).2{ch "C7"} | (1.6 1.4 2.3).2{ch "F7"} (1.5 0.4 1.3).2{ch "Bb7"} | (11.6 11.4 12.3).2{ch "Eb7"} (11.5 10.4 11.3).2{ch "Ab7"} | (9.6 9.4 10.3).2{ch "Db7"} (9.5 8.4 9.3).2{ch "Gb7"} |
(7.6 7.4 8.3).2{ch "B7"} (7.5 6.4 7.3).2{ch "E7"} | (5.6 5.4 6.3).2{ch "A7"} (5.5 4.4 5.3).2{ch "D7"} | (3.6 3.4 4.3).1{ch "G7"} |

Listen to strings 4 and 3 as you go round: at every change one of the two guide tones stays and the other drops a half step. A dominant cycle is a chain of resolutions, and the shells put the chain on two strings. Here are the guide tones alone, which is also a fine exercise on its own:

\tempo 80
.
\ts 4 4
(3.4 4.3).2{ch "G7"} (2.4 3.3).2{ch "C7"} | (1.4 2.3).2{ch "F7"} (0.4 1.3).2{ch "Bb7"} | (11.4 12.3).2{ch "Eb7"} (10.4 11.3).2{ch "Ab7"} | (9.4 10.3).2{ch "Db7"} (8.4 9.3).2{ch "Gb7"} |
(7.4 8.3).2{ch "B7"} (6.4 7.3).2{ch "E7"} | (5.4 6.3).2{ch "A7"} (4.4 5.3).2{ch "D7"} | (3.4 4.3).1{ch "G7"} |

Now the minor 7ths. The 5-4-3 m7 shape needs the 3rd two frets below the root on string 4, which runs out at the 1st fret, so this version alternates set 6-4-3 with set 5-3-2 instead. Same zigzag, different top string.

\tempo 80
.
\ts 4 4
(3.6 3.4 3.3).2{ch "Gm7"} (3.5 3.3 4.2).2{ch "Cm7"} | (1.6 1.4 1.3).2{ch "Fm7"} (1.5 1.3 2.2).2{ch "Bbm7"} | (11.6 11.4 11.3).2{ch "Ebm7"} (11.5 11.3 12.2).2{ch "Abm7"} | (9.6 9.4 9.3).2{ch "Dbm7"} (9.5 9.3 10.2).2{ch "Gbm7"} |
(7.6 7.4 7.3).2{ch "Bm7"} (7.5 7.3 8.2).2{ch "Em7"} | (5.6 5.4 5.3).2{ch "Am7"} (5.5 5.3 6.2).2{ch "Dm7"} | (3.6 3.4 3.3).1{ch "Gm7"} |

Do the same with maj7, 6, m6 and m7b5 shapes. The pattern of frets never changes; only the shape does.

ii–V–I in all twelve keys

Each ii–V–I is three steps round the cycle, so the zigzag applies: ii on one string, V on the other string at the same fret or two frets lower, I back on the first string. Lesson 4.2 called these the low route (ii on string 5) and the high route (ii on string 6). Here are four keys with the two routes mixed so that the hand stays between frets 1 and 8; read the roots off the table above and say them.

\tempo 100
.
\ts 4 4
(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"} | (3.6 3.4 3.3).2{ch "Gm7"} (3.5 2.4 3.3).2{ch "C7"} | (1.6 2.4 2.3).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"} | (8.6 8.4 8.3).2{ch "Cm7"} (8.5 7.4 8.3).2{ch "F7"} | (6.6 7.4 7.3).1{ch "Bbmaj7"} |

Wait: the last line plays the ii–V–I in Bb twice, once low and once high, rather than going on to Eb. That is deliberate. Playing the same ii–V–I in two places, back to back, is the drill that frees you from one position; do it for every key in the table. The Eb version is yours to work out: ii on string 6 at fret 1 or on string 5 at fret 8.

Turnarounds: I–vi–ii–V

The turnaround is the two-bar progression that ends almost every A section and sends the tune back to the top. In its diatonic form it is I–vi–ii–V; very often the vi is played as a dominant (VI7), which pulls harder into the ii.

With shells, a turnaround sits under one hand if you take the I on string 5, the vi on string 6, the ii on string 5 and the V on string 6: four chords, four strings-and-frets, all within three frets. The rhythm below is the Charleston from lesson 4.4 (dotted quarter plus eighth), which gives each chord two beats.

\tempo 110
.
\ts 4 4
(3.5 2.4 4.3).4{ch "Cmaj7" d} (3.5 2.4 4.3).8 (5.6 5.4 5.3).4{ch "Am7" d} (5.6 5.4 5.3).8 | (5.5 3.4 5.3).4{ch "Dm7" d} (5.5 3.4 5.3).8 (3.6 3.4 4.3).4{ch "G7" d} (3.6 3.4 4.3).8 |
(1.6 2.4 2.3).4{ch "Fmaj7" d} (1.6 2.4 2.3).8 (5.5 3.4 5.3).4{ch "Dm7" d} (5.5 3.4 5.3).8 | (3.6 3.4 3.3).4{ch "Gm7" d} (3.6 3.4 3.3).8 (3.5 2.4 3.3).4{ch "C7" d} (3.5 2.4 3.3).8 |
(1.5 0.4 2.3).4{ch "Bbmaj7" d} (1.5 0.4 2.3).8 (3.6 3.4 3.3).4{ch "Gm7" d} (3.6 3.4 3.3).8 | (3.5 1.4 3.3).4{ch "Cm7" d} (3.5 1.4 3.3).8 (1.6 1.4 2.3).4{ch "F7" d} (1.6 1.4 2.3).8 |
(6.5 5.4 7.3).4{ch "Ebmaj7" d} (6.5 5.4 7.3).8 (8.6 8.4 8.3).4{ch "Cm7" d} (8.6 8.4 8.3).8 | (8.5 6.4 8.3).4{ch "Fm7" d} (8.5 6.4 8.3).8 (6.6 6.4 7.3).4{ch "Bb7" d} (6.6 6.4 7.3).8 |

And the swing-era version with a 6 chord on the I and a dominant on the VI, which is what you would play in the Freddie Green style of lesson 4.3:

\tempo 130
.
\ts 4 4
(3.5 2.4 2.3).4{ch "C6"} (3.5{ac} 2.4{ac} 2.3{ac}).4 (5.6 5.4 6.3).4{ch "A7"} (5.6{ac} 5.4{ac} 6.3{ac}).4 | (5.5 3.4 5.3).4{ch "Dm7"} (5.5{ac} 3.4{ac} 5.3{ac}).4 (3.6 3.4 4.3).4{ch "G7"} (3.6{ac} 3.4{ac} 4.3{ac}).4 |
(6.6 5.4 7.3).4{ch "Bb6"} (6.6{ac} 5.4{ac} 7.3{ac}).4 (10.5 9.4 10.3).4{ch "G7"} (10.5{ac} 9.4{ac} 10.3{ac}).4 | (8.6 8.4 8.3).4{ch "Cm7"} (8.6{ac} 8.4{ac} 8.3{ac}).4 (8.5 7.4 8.3).4{ch "F7"} (8.5{ac} 7.4{ac} 8.3{ac}).4 |

Watching the voice leading

As you take the ii–V–I and the turnaround through the keys, give one part of your attention to strings 4 and 3, where the guide tones live. The rule from lesson 4.2 holds in every key: at each change one of the two notes stays where it is and the other falls one fret. If you ever find both notes moving, or one of them jumping several frets, you have picked the wrong string set for that chord; swap to the other root string and the motion will shrink. This is the quickest check you have that a voicing choice is right, and it works without any theory: minimal movement on strings 4 and 3 means good voice leading.

Over a whole turnaround the top guide tone describes a descending line, one fret at a time, that lands on the 3rd or 7th of the I chord. Hum it as you play. Later, when you build drop-2 and drop-3 voicings on top of these shells, that line is what the extra notes will decorate.

Trouble spots

A few places in the cycle catch everyone:

• The octave jump. Somewhere in the twelve chords the hand must go up ten frets. The exercises put it after Bb (fret 1 to fret 11). You can put it elsewhere, but put it somewhere deliberate and practise the jump itself: look at the target fret during the previous chord.
• Open strings. The Bbmaj7 and Bb7 shells on set 5-4-3 at fret 1 use the open D string; the F6 shape on 6-4-3 does too. They sound fine, but the release in the Freddie Green style must stop them. If an open string rings on, play the same chord with the root on the other string instead.
• The high frets. Keys whose roots fall above fret 10 on string 6 (D, Eb, E) are easier on string 5. Let the route choice follow the neck, not the key name.
• Saying the wrong root. If you play the right shape in the wrong key you have learned nothing; if you say the right root and fumble the shape you have learned the cycle. Keep speaking the roots until the order is as automatic as counting.

How to practise anything in twelve keys

The method is the same for every shape, voicing or line you will ever learn:

1. Learn it in one key until it is clean at a slow tempo.
2. Take it round the cycle of 4ths with the metronome, two beats or one bar per key, saying the roots. Do not stop for mistakes; let the cycle come round again.
3. Take it round in a second order: chromatically up (every fret) and then in whole steps. Each order breaks a different habit. The cycle teaches the harmony; chromatic movement teaches the shape.
4. Random keys: write the twelve key names on cards, shuffle, and play the item in each key as it comes up, in time.
5. In a tune: find a standard whose changes contain the item and play it there, in the tune's key, at the tune's tempo.

A single shape takes about a week to get through all five steps at fifteen minutes a day. The two-week plan below does it for the whole module.

Quiz