Drop 2 Type Voicings

It is no doubt that Voicing could be the most popular technique to instantly create a "weird but nice" chord. By only "change position" of a note from chord, we could enter new dimension of sound. So, let's talk about Voicing, specially the champion... Drop 2 voicing

By dropping the second note from the top of a four-way close voicing down an octave, a larger sounding voicing (referred to as “drop 2”) is produced. These drop 2 voicings in turn produce a chord physically more accesibble on the guitar than some of the orginal four-way close voicings.
Lets explore all four inversions of the drop 2 type voicings and their pplacement on the middle four strings of the guitar (2, 3, 4, 5).

C Maj = C E G B ( R 3 5 7)



The Following maj7th chord forms are produced by the above voicings on the middle four strings of the guitar: ( strings vertically/ frets horizontal)


The above form ca be trasposed or moved to different keys

THE MIXOLYDIAN MODE (D/E, E7sus, G/A....)

The Mixolydian mode is built on the 5th note of a major scale. E Mixolydian would have the same notes as the A major scale (A B C D E F G) because E is the 5th scale degree of A. Therefore, E mixolydian is the notes of A major beginning on the note E: E F# G# A B C# D. An understanding of an intervallic relationship between each of these notes is necessary in order to understand the character of the mixolydian scale. To do that we must compare these notes to the standard sclae from which all music theory is derived: THE MAJOR SCALE. If we compare E mixolydian to the notes of E major we have:

E Major:



E Mixolydian

Now you can see that the only difference is that the 7^th degree is flet (lowered ½ step) in the mixolydian scale. By numbering the degrees we get a scale formula we can use which will be consistant with every mixolydian scale in every key.

Mixolydian:

You can see by this scale’s interval content that the chords possible from mixolydian are dominant 7th chord characters: E7 (1 3 5 b7), E11 or D/E (1 7 9 11), and E13 (1 3 b7 13). These are just a few of the possibilities for chords available using the mixolydian interval structure: 1 2(9) 3 4(11) 5 6(12)b7.

The most popular mixolydian chordis indoubtedly the 11th chord, which is one-whole-step higher. For E11, that would be the same as D/E (verbalized: “D over E”). Here, the D major triad is borrowing three notes from E mixolydian (Db7), F#(9) and A(11)) with the E below it functioning as the bass noteor root of the chord. Visualizing this chord as a triad over a bass note makes it easier to find these chord voicings on the guitar. Now its time to start putting all this information for mixolydian together.

THE IONIAN MODE (Emaj7, E(9)

E major would obviously have the same notes as the major scale. Therefore, the notes of E major are: E F# G# A B C# D# . The intervallic realtionship between each of these notes reveals the character of the major scale.

E Major:

By numbering the degrees we get a scale formula we can use which will be consistant with every major scale in every key.

Ionian:

You can see by this scale’s interval content that the chords possible from major are major chord characters: Emaj7 (1 3 5 7). E(add9) (1 3 5 9), Emaj9 ( 1 3 5 7 9) . These are just a few of the possibilities for chords available using the major interval structure: 1 2(9) 3 4(11) 5 6(13) 7. The most popular major chords are undoubtedly the major 7 chord and the major (add9).

THE DORIAN MODE (Emin7, Emin9, Emin11)

The dorian mode is built on the 2^nd note of the major scale. E dorian would have the same notes as the D major scale (D E F# G A B C#) because E is the 2^nd scale degree of D. Therefore, E dorian is the notes of D major beginning on the note E = E F3 G A B C# F (E dorian). An understanding of the intervallic relationship between these notes is necessary in order to understand the character of the dorian scale. To do that we must compare these notes to the standard scale which all music theory is derived: THE MAJOR SCALE. If we compare E dorian to the notes of E major we have:

E Major:


E Dorian:

Now you can see that the only difference is that the 3rd and 7th degrees are flat (lowered ½ step) in the dorian scale. By numbering the degrees we get a scale formula we can use which will be consistant with every dorian scale in every key.

Dorian:

You can see by this scale’s interval content that the chords possible from dorian are minor chord characters: Emin7 (1 b3 5 b7), Emin9 (1 b3 5 b7 9) and Emin11 (1 b3 b7 11 ). These are just a few of the possibilities for chords available using the dorian interval structure:1 2(9) b3 5 6(13) b7 . The most popular dorian chord is undoubtedly the minor 7 chord.

Lydian Mode (F#/E, EMaj7#11, B/E

The Lydian mode is built on the 4th note of a major scale. E lydian has the same notes as the B major scale (B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A#) because E is the 4th scale degree of B. Therefore, E lydian is the notes of B major beginning on the note E: F, F#, G#, A#, B, C#, D#). An understanding of the intervallic relationship between each of these notes is necessary in order to understand the character of the lydian scale. To do that we must compare these notes to the standard scale which all mucis theory is derived: THE MAJOR SCALE. If we compare E lydian to the notes of E major we have.

E Major:

E Lydian:

Now you can see that the only difference is that the 4^th degree is sharp (raised ½ step) in the lydian scale. By numbering the degrees we get a scale formula we can use which will be consistant with every lydian scale in every key.

Lydian:

You can see by this scale’s interval content that the chords that are possible from lydian are major chord characters: Emaj7 (1 3 5 7), Emaj9 (1 3 5 7 9), Emaj7#11 (1 3 7 #11), and F#/E (1 #4 6 9). These are just a few of the possibilities for chords available using the lydian interval structure: 1 – 2 (9) – 3 – 84(#11) – 5 – 6 (13) – 7. The most popular lydian chord is undoubtedly the 811 chord, which is more commonly reffared to as a major tried over a bass note which is one-whole-step lower. For E 11), that would be the same as F/E (verbalized: “F8 over E”). Here, the F8 major triad is borrowing three notes from E lydian (F#=9, A#=#11, C#=6) with the E below it functioning as the bass note or root of the chord. Visualizing this chord as a triad over a bass note makes it easier to find these chord voicings on the guitar. Now it’s time to start putting all this information for lydian together.

Locrian Mode (Emin7b5, Bb Maj7b5/E)

The Locrian mode is built in the 7^th note of a major scale. E Locrian would have the same notes as F major scale ( F G A Bb C D E) because E is the &th scale degree of F. Therefore, E Locrian is the notes of major beginning on the note E : E F G A Bb C D. An understanding of an intervallic relationship between these notes is necessary in order to understand the character of the locrian scale. To do that we must compare these notes to the major scale. If we compare E Locrian to the notes of Emajor, we have

E Major

E Locrian

Now you can see that the differences are that the 2^nd, 3^rd, 5^th, 6^th and 7^th degrees are flat (lowered ½ step) in the locrian scale. By numbering the degrees we get a scale formula we can use which will be consistent with every locrian scale in every key.

Locrian

You can see by this scale’s interval content that the chords possible from locrian are minor chord characters : Emin7b5 ( 1 b3 b5 b7) and Emin11 (1 b3 b7 11). These are just few possibilities that we can create from the interval. The champion for locrian chord is no doubt minor 7(b5) chord.

To me, I simply know that whenever I play E Locrian, I actually play F Major start from E note.