Drop 2 and Drop 3 Voicings for Jazz Guitar

How to Use Drop 2 and Drop 3 Voicings in Your Playing

Jazz guitar is a genre that relies heavily on chords and chord progressions. The chords used in jazz can be quite complex, but understanding some basic chord voicings can make a big difference in your ability to play and improvise over jazz standards. Two important chord voicings for jazz guitar are drop 2 and drop 3 voicings. In this article, we’ll explore what drop 2 and drop 3 voicings are and how to use them in your playing.

What are Drop 2 Voicings?

Drop 2 voicings are a common type of chord voicing used in jazz guitar. The name “drop 2” comes from the fact that you take the second-highest note in a four-note chord and drop it down one octave. For example, if you have a Cmaj7 chord with the notes C-E-G-B, you would take the second-highest note (which is G) and drop it down one octave. The resulting chord voicing would be C-G-B-E, which is a drop 2 voicing of Cmaj7.

Drop 2 voicings are useful because they have a balanced sound that makes them well-suited for both chordal accompaniment and soloing. They also have a relatively simple fingering that makes them easy to play on the guitar.

Here are some examples of drop 2 voicings:

Cmaj7: E – A – C – E

Dm7: F – Bb – D – F

Em7: G – C – E – B

Fmaj7: A – D – F – C

G7: B – E – G – F

To play a drop 2 voicing on the guitar, you can use the following fingerings:

Cmaj7: x 3 2 4 5 x

Dm7: x 5 3 5 6 x

Em7: x 7 5 7 8 x

Fmaj7: x 8 7 5 5 x

G7: 3 x 3 4 3 x

Note that in each of these voicings, the notes are not in order from lowest to highest. This is because we’ve dropped the second-highest note down one octave.

What are Drop 3 Voicings?

Drop 3 voicings are similar to drop 2 voicings, but instead of dropping the second-highest note, you drop the third-highest note. For example, if you have a Cmaj7 chord with the notes C-E-G-B, you would take the third-highest note (which is E) and drop it down one octave. The resulting chord voicing would be C-B-E-G, which is a drop 3 voicing of Cmaj7.

Drop 3 voicings are also well-suited for both chordal accompaniment and soloing, and they have a slightly different sound than drop 2 voicings. They can also be more challenging to play on the guitar than drop 2 voicings, but with practice, they can become an essential tool in your jazz guitar toolbox.

Here are some examples of drop 3 voicings:

Cmaj7: E – B – C – E

Dm7: F – A – D – F

Em7: G – D – E – B

Fmaj7: A – E – F – C

G7: B – F – G – E

To play a drop 3 voicing on the guitar, you can use the following fingerings:

Cmaj7: x 3 2 0 1 0

Dm7: x 5 3 0 3 0

Em7: x 7 5 0 5 0

Fmaj7: x 8 7 5 6 5

G7: 3 x 3 4 3 3

Note that in each of these voicings, the notes are not in order from lowest to highest. This is because we’ve dropped the third-highest note down one octave.

How to Use Drop 2 and Drop 3 Voicings in Your Playing

Drop 2 and drop 3 voicings can be used in a variety of ways in your jazz guitar playing. Here are a few ideas:

  • Use them for chordal accompaniment: Drop 2 and drop 3 voicings are great for comping behind a soloist or for playing chords in a jazz standard. You can use these voicings to create interesting and complex chord progressions that complement the melody of the song.
  • Use them for soloing: You can also use drop 2 and drop 3 voicings in your solos. For example, you might play a chordal lick using a drop 2 voicing and then switch to a single-note solo using the same chord voicing. This creates a cohesive sound and shows off your ability to move between chords and single-note lines.
  • Combine them with other chord voicings: Drop 2 and drop 3 voicings are just two of many chord voicings you can use in jazz guitar. Try combining these voicings with other voicings, such as open chords or inversions, to create even more interesting sounds.
  • Practice them in all keys: Like any chord voicing, it’s important to practice drop 2 and drop 3 voicings in all 12 keys. This will help you develop your fingerboard knowledge and make it easier to use these voicings in your playing.

Final Thoughts

Drop 2 and drop 3 voicings are important chord voicings for jazz guitar. These voicings have a balanced sound that makes them well-suited for both chordal accompaniment and soloing. They can be challenging to play at first, but with practice, they can become an essential tool in your jazz guitar toolbox. Try using drop 2 and drop 3 voicings in your playing and see how they can help you create interesting and complex chord progressions and solos.

February 16, 2023

3 responses on "Drop 2 and Drop 3 Voicings for Jazz Guitar"

  1. Great info

  2. Check the examples, they seem kind of scrambled–
    under drop 2-
    “Cmaj7: E – B – C – E”–no G in the chord?
    “Dm7: F – A – D – F”–no C in the chord?
    similar goings-on in Drop 3, and the guitar fingerings/voicings seem dicey as well.

  3. I don’t think the examples are correct…

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