Substitute

This Issue: Different Voicings

Usually, we’ll look at groups of related chords, or a particular type of chord extension here, but this time we’re going to turn this approach on its head and look at some of the various ways a C major chord can be voiced to fit with different styles and moods. Though you may not use these all together in any one song, knowing them will expand your vocabulary enough to add some interesting twists to songs you already play – and maybe inspire you to write something new, who knows?

We need a baseline to start from, so that is the 3rd position barre chord version, also known as the ‘A’ shape if you’re into the CAGED chord approach.

From there, we get into pop/rock, blues and jazz, with hints of Crowded House, Steely Dan and Tal Farlow. The point being demonstrated here is the sheer stylistic variety available by changing – even removing – selected notes in a chord. And it’s always fun to learn some new shapes in any case!

Example 1

Here is our ‘baseline’ – a C major barre chord in the 3rd position. As you can see, it takes the form of an A chord, shifted up a couple of positions with the first finger serving as a temporary capo.

Example 2

A popular voicing, often used in a major context, but on closer examination there is no 3rd because this is a ‘sus’ chord. This means it is equally happy to sit among minor chords. You’ll hear it in the music of artists as diverse as Crowded House and Rush.

Example 3

Shifting just one note on the third string gives us this C major 9. There is no E, therefore no major 3rd, but that doesn’t change things as much as you may think. The major 7th and 9th give a strongly major feel, though context is everything!

Example 4

We’ll call this C6/9, though you may spot the major 7th lurking on the first string. This is a nice way to top off the chord, but not an essential ingredient – if we included the major 7th in the name, it would start to read like a sentence…

Example 5

This C9/E works beautifully with a C bass note from another instrument such as the bass guitar. It’s a movable shape, though the lack of obvious root means you’ll need to be thinking on your feet to add this in at a jazzy blues jam!