Building From Within: A Harmonic Self-Help Guide For Guitar Chord Voicings, Their Densities, and Applications

Throughout the history of jazz, the guitar has competed with its chordal counterpart, the piano, in providing the harmonic foundation for both small and large jazz ensembles. Initially a rhythm instrument assigned to fill the role previously occupied by the banjo in Dixieland, the jazz guitar evolved into an instrument capable of providing everything from a sparse and rhythmic harmonic palette to lush chord voicings that rival it’s eighty-eight key brethren. This paper explores a method of studying harmony on the jazz guitar by building chords from the inside out, beginning with two note dyads, and working up to six note voicings. The respective density of these chords will be discussed, and how this affects their suitability for musical settings including solo guitar, small ensembles, big bands, and orchestras.