What is guitar voice leading?

Voice Leading in Action: Simple Chord Families on the Guitar Neck. The term “voice leading” refers to the way in which individual voices move from chord to chord. You can achieve this by moving between chords using the same note or moving up or down by a step in the inner voices of the chord, whenever possible.

Is voice leading the same as counterpoint?

Voice-leading is the set of rules for writing parts; part-writing is synonymous. These rules are descriptive procedures based on the last thousand years of observing musical practice. Counterpoint is a slightly more general term enclosing the voice-leading rules and some stuff about style.

How do you vocal lead a 7th chord?

There is one general rule for voice leading any seventh chord: resolve the 7th of the chord down by step. All other voices should move smoothly to the nearest chord tone in a voicing containing the appropriate doubling.

Which is the best voicing for guitar lead?

One of the most helpful voicings is the drop-2 voicing. Drop-2 voicings are chords played in close position, in which the alto (middle) voice is played one octave lower than the original alto, in close position. This lays well on the guitar fretboard and makes voice leading from one chord to the next easier.

Which is the best way to play voice leading?

The best voice leading occurs when all individual voices move smoothly. You can achieve this by moving between chords using the same note or moving up or down by a step in the inner voices of the chord, whenever possible. Read and play through this simple voiceleading exercise.

When to use voice leading in a chord progression?

In general, voice leading favors conservation of motion: chord progressions sound smoothest when each note in a chord moves in stepwise motion, or in short leaps of no more than a major third, to corresponding chord tones or tensions in the next chord.

When do you use octave shifts in voice leading?

From the last chord of each measure to the first chord of the next, all melodic movements (excepting those in the bass) are conjunct; inside each measure, however, octave shifts account for a more complex parsimonious voice leading. Play original (help·info) or reduction (help·info)