1---
2title: Understanding Chord Voicings
3layout: ../../layouts/MainLayout.astro
4---
5
6import { MiniRepl } from '../../docs/MiniRepl';
7import { PitchSlider } from '../../components/PitchSlider';
8import Box from '@components/Box.astro';
9
10# Understanding Chords and Voicings
11
12Let's dig deeper into how chords and voicings work in strudel.
13I'll try to keep theory jargon to a minimum, so hopefully this is approachable for anyone interested.
14
15## What is a chord
16
17Playing more than one note at a time is generally called a `chord`. Here's an example:
18
19<MiniRepl client:visible tune={`note("<[c3,eb3,g3] [f3,a3,c4]>").room(.5)`} />
20
21Here's the same with midi numbers:
22
23<MiniRepl client:visible tune={`note("<[48,51,55] [53,57,60]>").room(.5)`} />
24
25Here, we have two 3-note chords played in a loop.
26You could already stop here and write chords in this style, which is totally fine and gives you control over individual notes.
27One downside is that it can be difficult to find good sounding chords and maybe you're yearning for a way to organize chords in some other way.
28
29## Labeling Chords
30
31Chords are typically given different labels depending on the relationship of the notes within.
32In the number example above, we have `48,51,55` and `53,57,60`.
33
34To analyze the relationship of those notes, they are typically compared to some `root`, which is often the lowest note.
35In our case, the `roots` would be `48` (= `c3`) and `53` (= `f3`).
36We can express the same chords relative to those `roots` like this:
37
38<MiniRepl client:visible tune={`note("<[0,3,7] [0,4,7]>".add("<48 53>")).room(.5)`} />
39
40Now within each chord, each number represents the distance from the root.
41A distance between pitches is typically called `interval`, but let's stick to distance for now.
42
43Now we can see that our 2 chords are actually quite similar, as the only difference is the middle note (and the root of course).
44They are part of a group of chords called `triads` which are chords with 3 notes.
45
46### Triads
47
48These 4 shapes are the most common types of `triads` you will encounter:
49
50| shape | label      |
51| ----- | ---------- |
52| 0,4,7 | major      |
53| 0,3,7 | minor      |
54| 0,3,6 | diminished |
55| 0,4,8 | augmented  |
56
57Here they are in succession:
58
59<MiniRepl
60  client:visible
61  tune={`note("<[0,4,7] [0,3,7] [0,3,6] [0,4,8]>".add("60"))
62.room(.5)._pitchwheel()`}
63/>
64
65Many types of music often only use minor and major chords, so we already have the knowledge to accompany songs. Here's one:
66
67<MiniRepl
68  client:visible
69  tune={`
70note(\`<
71[0,3,7] [0,4,7] [0,4,7] [0,4,7]
72[0,3,7] [0,4,7] [0,3,7] [0,4,7]
73>\`.add(\`<
74a c d f
75a e a e
76>\`)).room(.5)`}
77/>
78
79These are the chords for "The House of the Rising Sun" by The Animals.
80So far, it doesn't sound too exciting, but at least it's recognizable.
81
82## Voicings
83
84A `voicing` is one of many ways a certain chord shape can be arranged.
85The term comes from choral music, where chords can be sung in different ways by assigning different notes to each voice.
86For example we could add 12 semitones to one or more notes in the chord:
87
88<MiniRepl
89  client:visible
90  tune={`note("<[0,3,7] [12,3,7] [12,15,7] [12,15,19]>".add("48"))
91.room(.5)`}
92/>
93
94Notes that are 12 semitone steps apart (= 1 `octave`) are considered to be equal in a harmonic sense, which is why they get the same note letter.
95Here's the same example with note letters:
96
97<MiniRepl
98  client:visible
99  tune={`note("<[c3,eb3,g3] [c4,eb3,g3] [c4,eb4,g3] [c4,eb4,g4]>")
100.room(.5)`}
101/>
102
103These types of voicings are also called `inversions`. There are many other ways we could `voice` this minor chord:
104
105<MiniRepl
106  client:visible
107  tune={`note("<[0,3,7,12] [0,15,24] [0,3,12]>".add("48"))
108.room(.5)`}
109/>
110
111Here we are changing the flavour of the chord slightly by
112
1131. doubling notes 12 steps higher,
1142. using very wide distances
1153. omitting notes
116
117## Voice Leading
118
119When we want to meaningfully connect chords in a sequence, the chosen voicings affect the way each chord transitions to the next.
120Let's revisit "The House of the Rising Sun", this time using our newly acquired voicing techniques:
121
122<MiniRepl
123  client:visible
124  tune={`note(\`<
125[0,3,7] [7,12,16] [0,7,16] [4,7,12]
126[0,3,7] [4,7,12] [0,3,7] [4,7,12]
127>\`.add(\`<
128a c d f
129a e a e
130>\`)).room(.5)`}
131  punchcard
132/>
133
134These voicings make the chords sound more connected and less jumpy, compared to the earlier version, which didn't focus on voicing.
135The way chords interact is also called `voice leading`, reminiscent of how an
136individual choir voice would move through a sequence of chords.
137
138For example, try singing the top voice in the above example. Then try the same
139on the example not focusing on voice leading. Which one's easier?
140
141Naturally, there are many ways a progression of chords could be voiced and there is no definitive right or wrong.
142
143## Chord Symbols
144
145Musicians playing chord-based music often use a `lead sheet`, which is a simplified notation for a piece of music.
146These sheets condense the essential elements, such as chords, into symbols that make the music easy to read and follow.
147For example, a lead sheet for "The House of the Rising Sun" might include chords written like this:
148
149```
150Am | C | D  | F
151Am | E | Am | E
152```
153
154Here, each symbol consists of the `root` of the chord and optionally an `m` to signal it's a minor chord (just the root note means it's major).
155We could mirror that notation in strudel using the `pick` function:
156
157<MiniRepl
158  client:visible
159  tune={`"<Am C D F Am E Am E>"
160  .pick({
161    Am: "57,60,64",
162    C: "55,60,64",
163    D: "50,57,66",
164    F: "57,60,65",
165    E: "56,59,64",
166  })
167  .note().room(.5)`}
168  punchcard
169/>
170
171## The voicing function
172
173Coming up with good sounding voicings that connect well can be a difficult and time consuming process.
174The `chord` and `voicing` functions can be used to automate that:
175
176<MiniRepl client:visible tune={`chord("<Am C D F Am E Am E>").voicing().room(.5)`} punchcard />
177
178Here we're also using chord symbols but the voicings will be automatically generated with smooth `voice leading`, minimizing jumps.
179It is inspired by the way a piano or guitar player would pick chords to accompany a song.
180
181## Voicing Dictionaries
182
183The voicing function internally uses so called `voicing dictionaries`, which can also be customized:
184
185<MiniRepl
186  client:visible
187  tune={`addVoicings('house', {
188  '': ['7 12 16', '0 7 16', '4 7 12'],
189  'm': ['0 3 7']
190})
191chord("<Am C D F Am E Am E>")
192  .dict('house').anchor(66)
193  .voicing().room(.5)`}
194  punchcard
195/>
196
197In a `voicing dictionary`, each chord symbol is assigned one or more voicings.
198The `voicing` function then picks the voicing that is closest to the `anchor` (defaults to `c5`).
199
200The handy thing about this approach is that a `voicing dictionary` can be used to play any chord progression with automated voice leading!
201
202## The default dictionary
203
204When using the default dictionary, you can use these chord symbols:
205
206```
2072 5 6 7 9 11 13 69 add9
208o h sus ^ - ^7 -7 7sus
209h7 o7 ^9 ^13 ^7#11 ^9#11
210^7#5 -6 -69 -^7 -^9 -9
211-add9 -11 -7b5 h9 -b6 -#5
2127b9 7#9 7#11 7b5 7#5 9#11
2139b5 9#5 7b13 7#9#5 7#9b5
2147#9#11 7b9#11 7b9b5 7b9#5
2157b9#9 7b9b13 7alt 13#11
21613b9 13#9 7b9sus 7susadd3
2179sus 13sus 7b13sus
218aug M m M7 m7 M9 M13
219M7#11 M9#11 M7#5 m6 m69
220m^7 -M7 m^9 -M9 m9 madd9
221m11 m7b5 mb6 m#5 mM7 mM9
222```
223
224The available chords and the format is very much inspired by [ireal pro chords](https://technimo.helpshift.com/hc/en/3-ireal-pro/faq/88-chord-symbols-used-in-ireal-pro/).
225Some symbols are synonymous:
226
227- "-" is the same as "m", for example C-7 = Cm7
228- "^" is the same as "M", for example C^7 = CM7
229- "+" is the same as "aug"
230
231You can decide which ones you prefer. There is no international standard for these symbols.
232To get a full chord, the symbols have to be prefixed with a root pitch, e.g. D7#11 is the 7#11 chord relative to the pitch D.
233
234Here are all possible chords with root C:
235
236<MiniRepl
237  client:visible
238  tune={`chord(\`<
239C2 C5 C6 C7 C9 C11 C13 C69
240Cadd9 Co Ch Csus C^ C- C^7 
241C-7 C7sus Ch7 Co7 C^9 C^13 
242C^7#11 C^9#11 C^7#5 C-6 C-69 
243C-^7 C-^9 C-9 C-add9 C-11 
244C-7b5 Ch9 C-b6 C-#5 C7b9 
245C7#9 C7#11 C7b5 C7#5 C9#11 
246C9b5 C9#5 C7b13 C7#9#5 C7#9b5 
247C7#9#11 C7b9#11 C7b9b5 C7b9#5 
248C7b9#9 C7b9b13 C7alt C13#11 
249C13b9 C13#9 C7b9sus C7susadd3 
250C9sus C13sus C7b13sus C Caug 
251CM Cm CM7 Cm7 CM9 CM13 CM7#11 
252CM9#11 CM7#5 Cm6 Cm69 Cm^7 
253C-M7 Cm^9 C-M9 Cm9 Cmadd9 
254Cm11 Cm7b5 Cmb6 Cm#5
255>\`).voicing().room(.5)`}
256  punchcard
257/>
258
259Note that the default dictionary contains multiple ways (= `voicings`) to play each chord symbol.
260By default, the `voicing` function tries to minimize jumps.
261You can alter the picked voicings in various ways, which are now explained in further detail:
262
263## anchor
264
265The `anchor` is a note that is used to align the voicings to:
266
267<MiniRepl client:visible tune={`anchor("<c4 g4 c5 g5>").chord("C").voicing().room(.5)`} punchcard />
268
269By default, the anchor is the highest possible note the voicing can contain.
270When deciding which voicing of the dictionary to pick for a certain chord, the voicing with a top note closest to the anchor wins.
271
272Note that the anchors in the above example match up with the top notes in the pianoroll.
273Like `note`, anchor accepts either midi numbers or note names.
274
275## mode
276
277With `mode`, you can change the way the voicing relates to the `anchor`:
278
279<MiniRepl
280  client:visible
281  tune={`mode("<below above duck root>").chord("C").anchor("c5").voicing().room(.5)`}
282  punchcard
283/>
284
285The modes are:
286
287- `below`: the top note of the voicing is lower than or equal to the anchor (default)
288- `above`: the bottom note of the voicing is higher than or equal to the anchor
289- `duck`: the top note of the voicing is lower than the anchor
290- `root`: the bottom note of the voicing is always the lowest root note higher than or equal to the anchor
291
292- `oldabove` : old (buggy) behavior of above, kept for legacy reasons
293- `oldroot` : old (buggy) behavior of root, kept for legacy reasons
294
295The `anchor` can also be set from within the `mode` function:
296
297<MiniRepl client:visible tune={`mode("<below above duck root>:c5").chord("C").voicing().room(.5)`} punchcard />
298
299## n
300
301The `n` control can be used with `voicing` to select individual notes:
302
303<MiniRepl
304  client:visible
305  tune={`n("0 3 1 2").chord("<C <Fm Db>>").voicing()
306.clip("4 3 2 1").room(.5)`}
307  punchcard
308/>
309
310## Example
311
312Here's an example of a Jazz Blues in F:
313
314<MiniRepl
315  client:visible
316  tune={`let chords = chord(\`<
317F7 Bb7 F7 [Cm7 F7]
318Bb7 Bo F7 [Am7 D7]
319Gm7 C7 [F7 D7] [Gm7 C7]
320>\`)
321$: n("7 8 [10 9] 8").set(chords).voicing().dec(.2)
322$: chords.struct("- x - x").voicing().room(.5)
323$: n("0 - 1 -").set(chords).mode("root:g2").voicing()
324`}
325  punchcard
326/>
327
328The chords are reused for melody, chords and bassline of the tune.