Music Theory - Drop Voicings

In this Episode of Everything Music we explore Drop Voicings. What are they, how do you build them and how to use them.
C Major 7
4 Way Close C (4) E (3) G (2) B (1) Low --- High
Drop 2 G (2) C (4) E (3) B (1)
Drop 3 E (3) C (4) G (2) B (1)
Drop 2&3 E (3) G (2) C (4) B (1)
Drop 2&4 C (4) G (2) E (3) B (1)
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[@LukeDayInTheUK]

3:00 "and it sounds like this"

[@pantoleonantonio9653]

lol

[@brothercaleb]

Yep, definitely heard that too

[@jazzguitarneophyte-christo7988]

Fuh Shurrrre! LoL! I did not hear any sound! LoL!

[@HugoHenriques95]

I was late for theory class when the teacher explained this, when I came in he was erasing the board, I thought "Rick will have a video on this"... THANK YOU!

[@jebahlmusic]

I'm studying jazz theory at University and Rick Beato you have saved my life. Getting so much value out of your videos! Thankyou

[@labradog05]

what? arent u supposed to learn this in ur school?

[@sacprep4546]

Funny how handy KZbin videos have become an essential tool to get people through college courses. Just because someone is a college professor, doesn’t make them a good teacher

[@Leperkahn1315]

This is so pretty. It really makes Cmaj7 come alive!

[@ChristopherLightfoot-zu3kb]

Mr Beato, You are the main man. I cannot tell you enough how much I’ve enjoyed your very informative and entertaining videos. Please keep up the good work my friend. Many moons ago (1997) when I was studying at the Academy of Contemporary Music in Zurich 🇨🇭 my Guitar tutor Stephen Magnusson (Melbourne 🇦🇺) advised me on buying the book The Advancing Guitarist from Mick Goodrick. What took me days and weeks to study, learn and utilize back then, can now been explained in a 20 minute video from people like you. I have been now a professional Guitar tutor since 20 years but I continue to learn and be inspired from the likes of yourself.

[@PIANOSTYLE100]

Rick this is the clearest video on drop voicings I've seen. A picture is worth a thousand words. The best. I have to do some honey dos and I woodwork. I have a lot of projects. Also I'm using Duo to limprove my Spanish. So yeah with repairing the cars etc. I still plan to watch this again today.

[@Gerard_2024]

@PIANOSTYLE100... Thanks for the fascinating insight into your daily / weekly routine. When do you plan to publish your autobiography ?

[@ScottEltringhamMusic]

More interested in his day than your seemingly frustrated one.

[@waynevicknair]

i was really hoping you'd show the drop voicings on guitar as well. that mapping from piano keyboard to guitar fretboard is very valuable to me.

[@nelsonsarda8854]

Hi Rick! I'm a drummer, music producer and engineer here in Caracas, Venezuela. First, I want to express how much I enjoy your videos, I think they are great and you explain all your subjects very well. I hadn't seen this particular one and I think it is great too but I have to point, even though it may be a little out of time, that the example on a melody using drop 2 & 4 was played incorrectly because you kept the 4th voice in your right thumb and forgot to play the 3rd voice. Anyways, mi intention is only to make a constructive remark so your videos are even better. Have a great time!!

[@MrSF247]

This is definitely the clearest video I've seen regarding drop voicings. I was getting confused about drop-2 inversions and seeing these chord charts showing examples of drop-2s and thinking, "How is that an inversion of the drop-2 voicing from before?" Realizing now, if I'm not mistaken, that you drop from the closed voicing and the closed voicing's inversions to get inversions of the drop chords. So, drop-2 of root position: 1 3 5 7 would be 5 1 3 7. Drop-2 of the 1st inversion: 3 5 7 1 would be 7 3 5 1 Drop-2 of 2nd inversion: 5 7 1 3 would be 1 5 7 3 And drop-2 of 3rd inversion: 7 1 3 5 would be 3 7 1 5. I thought previously drop-2 inversion would simply be inversions of the original drop-2 from root position. So, 1 3 5 7 drop-2 would be 5 1 3 7. And the inversion of that would be 1 3 7 5, 3 7 5 1, & 7 5 1 3. Now, if I missed something or am way off on my "epiphany", someone please correct me. Lol

[@dexgor]

Fantastic lesson. I've been studying and playing jazz for 26 years and I have has many teachers along the way. You are the first who has explained this to me in a very simple and clear way without any feeling of "mystery" behind it. Straight and to the point with no fluff. Thanks so much. I am a new subscriber for sure.

[@ricardomateol]

Hi Rick very clear explanation, thank you, but in 6´27" you did it wrong, you maintained the original 4 voice playing insted the 3 voice when you did the drop 2+4, if I can figure it is just because your explanation about how it works has been amazing great. Thanks a lot

[@remley8877]

Thanks for this lesson. I can't find anyone else on KZbin who can concisely explain the concept.

[@kaieckhardt8261]

Hi Rick, I really enjoy your videos. A lot of what I learned at Berklee kind of went over my head and checking out your videos clarifies a lot of the things I learned but didn't completely digest ! Thank you so much and much love to you and the family

[@dragon-id5uj]

third channel i've watched a video on drop voicings from; third explanation i've gotten. each 'instructor' has a completely different definition of what a 'drop 2' chord is. GDI

[@shanahaudree]

One of the best teacher. He explained the drop voicing to me. Thanks Rick Beato

[@belindadrake5487]

You mentioned my 2 fave pianists. And of course lots of other pianists. ( i My pianos name is OSCAR!! My late DAD💔 & l always listened to jazz & classical. I’ve been listening to them since l was an embryo! I miss my DAD💔 something shocking. It’s not the same without him. But, l’ll never stop playing the music we loved. At least he got to see me at a smaller venue at the Opera House in Sydney. ‘Stella by Starlight’. Out of the THOUSANDS ( no joke) of records he left to me. My Grandpa told me he’d save up & buy records as a little boy, no toys, And l have his 78s & a truly AMAZING sound system. See ya soon PA. 💔✨👊🏾❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@edzielinski]

Excellent explanation of drop voicings and demonstrations of them on the piano. Thanks Rick!

[@merttalay9702]

Jens larsen and your channel is amazing for learning jazz harmony

[@eiiiotrodger6279]

2:55 My god that is simply beautiful sound.

[@Feelgoodtwin]

Great lesson. I can just say that you have the best lessons that are not just only theroy lessons so every lesson can instantly start to practicaly be used in composing,playing ect.

[@lucilabonzo7634]

best explanation. Thank you so much!

[@jamessaldana2022]

Professor Beato each of your videos is so eye opening and simple in your presentations but yet are so rich in content and information that I can't believe someone with your level of education and expertise with a no nonsense approach is even sharing this on the Internet with us...Thank you and May God bless you & your loved ones this New Year for all your hard work..

[@vinlander8484]

Thanks for this Rick. Even though i use these,i now understand what they are. Classical guitar players are not taught, these as drop voicings.

[@tinman2420]

Everything you publish is freaking amazing.

[@thebowdjangos2662]

great vid explaining these terms...lots of vids make this more confusing (or seem just plain wrong in their definition). Jens Larson has some great vids working with actual guitar chord shapes on the first 4 strings (for drop 2 voicings). Thanks Rick!!

[@marcelofonseca3271]

Thanks for the instruction! What is the difference between drop voicing and inversions? Regards.

[@nicklavigne1017]

Not all inversions are drop voicings. You can have an inversion as long as the note in the bass is not the root of the chord. However, drop voicings are specifically open voiced chords, with the octave displacement of the notes you choose. Inversions can be open or closed

[@billihilton4560]

I love this program. Thank you so much!! Your children are marvelous too!!!

[@ronphilip3832]

Hey Rick, this is by far the best and clearest explanation of drop voicings I've every seen- and I've really looked around for quite a while. Thanks a lot.

[@frimpit]

The thing that REALLY confuses people in understanding this is the REVERSE numbering order inherent in identifying the voices within the drop voicings explanation. Now, Rick touched on this a bit at 00:46 ("don't be confused by the numbers here") but it really needs to be repeated on EVERY example that we are counting from the top in stead from the bottom, and bottom is how most musicians are taught to count voices. At 2:20 the explanation confuses again, as he says ..."you take the second note of the chord, the G, and drop it down an octave." The beginner is already lost again, counting from the bottom and getting to E and wondering why Rick is moving G around instead of E. If Rick had again emphasized the important point and said "You take the second note from the TOP and drop it down an octave" it will help keep the beginner from getting confused. "From the top" needs to be said for EVERY example or people get lost. Not bashing Rick here, but just something I see done in nearly every explanation I've ever seen of drop voicings. Otherwise, as always, great material and lesson from Rick.

[@threeinaboat]

Fantastic lesson! You really made it so clear. thank you... just what I was looking for.

[@stevegray2091]

I've been enjoying your film composer analysis series. I understand that your discussion is extemporaneous. May I suggest that you try some other string patches for your demonstrations? The long tails sometimes blur the harmonic movement. It would also help to be able to capture the feeling of staccato and marcato (not to mention pizzicato and tremolo) passage work so often heard in the music of composers like Herrmann and Stravinsky. Occasionally, you fall into saying phrases like "and then that comes in" without clarifying what "that" is. This lesson does clarify the use of spread clusters, min(maj)7th chords, and augmented. I also heard quite a few ostinato figures that were important in the compositional construction. This is the first time I've seen such a forum in KZbin, and it is appreciated that you take the time and effort to put these together.

[@RickBeato]

Hi Steve, I believe you are commenting on the wrong video because this is about drop voicings. Haha! I understand that you are probably talking about the Herrmann video? The only way to show how these piece work together is to demonstrate the separate parts. To program them would take much longer and I actually work as a music producer for a living. I really appreciate that you realize that my discussion is extemporaneous. I just play what I hear. That is also the idea that i am trying to get over to the viewer. Listen and play. I am trying to figure out what some good libraries to buy are and I also don't have the best setup since my control room is used everyday to produce bands and solo artists. I hope to grow my channel in the next few months so that I can devote more time to my videos. I need to put an updated computer rig in my control room dedicated to my videos so that I can access the latest sounds and libraries. Thanks for your thoughtful comment.

[@WinterVibrations]

I love that you mentioned dropping inversions! That’s so cool

[@jimmyclark7269]

Good job. Very clear and easy to understand.

[@udo1483]

Thank you Rick, for your fine and allways friendly explained lessons

[@lionelcampos9868]

I play by ear your lessons have helped me tremendously thanks 🙏

[@epserser9396]

The best lesson ever! Thank you so much.

[@drtejashmodi]

Excuse me, when you played the drop 2 & 4 voicing at 6:27, you omitted the 3rd voice (which is E) and doubled the 4th voice (which is the root-C) in your right hand. Was it just oversight or deliberate?

[@stevenaustin4591]

yep, I copped that too. devil is in the details :)

[@abbasalikhan]

hi rick is there a way i can contribute financially for your efforts ? is there a website ?

[@JulietRobin]

Thanks so much Rick. This is very valuable to me I understood clearly and this will be very helpful when I can master it in all keys.

[@zumasuma5489]

Super! Best teacher ever! Greetings from Germany :)

[@ТимурПятигорець]

Cool! Thank You!

[@curtisbrown3847]

Eye opening as always!

[@BrianAuer]

White keys make life so easy!..Great video Rick! I'll have to share this with my students.

[@mauriciogarzon7844]

Thanks for uploading useful videos :D !! Could you make Composing film scores tutorials in the style of Bernard Herrmann and Jerry Goldsmith ?? Greetings from Colombia !!

[@joskun]

If Rick is doing another composer I'd vote for Bernard Herrmann or Stravinsky I must know what they're doing

[@RickBeato]

I will do videos of all those composers

[@youtou252]

please keep on doing those videos ! I love them

[@antonmorozov7350]

Fantastic!!!so easy to understand!!!!!!

[@rikraunaak2507]

I was new to this concept And this video really helped me.

[@dosgos]

Wonderful sounds from a simple concept!

[@goldsmithstrings6842]

Well said dos gos!

[@jameypiano1885]

This was super helpful, thank you!

[@snilkashnilka429]

Thank you teacher , you're the best , wondering about teacher like u

[@WldHny1]

Thank you, Rick.

[@guitarteam]

Amazing video - please if you answer this , I wuold be very happy ; p - The drop chords are always based on 4 way close? Or could I just use any other form of building the chords and take the second voice to bottom and I could call it drop 2? Thank you!

[@gedfarrell1753]

Fantastic Rick, thanks 👍

[@dogukansezgin4417]

Thank you Rick

[@TheRealBKSchyster]

Soooooo, then would "LEAN ON ME" by Bill Withers, be an example of this drop voicing technique?!!? Hiya Rick!!!! I think I can name others that fall into the "drop voicing" technique of writing and recording, especially those that are not done in arpeggios, such as "L.O.M." Bill seemed to use this technique quite a bit, or maybe I am just hearing it wrong?? As always, Thank you for your help and support on music driven endeavors!!!! ANYWAY, KEEP ON KEEPING ON BROTHER ROCKER, ENGINEER, GUITAR PLAYER, DRUMMER, PRODUCER, WRITER, EDUCATOR, AND ALL AROUND GOOD GUY!!!!!!!!!! PEACE !!!!!!!!!!🤘🏼

[@PauloKorel]

Talk about Exotic Scales and how to compose with then

[@NassosConqueso]

Cool stuff and great explanation! You skipped the Drop 4 voicings though

[@othelloo8354]

Nice lesson

[@Amazology]

Thank you for explaining that !

[@MichaelMcCabeGuitarist]

Truly awesome!

[@PaulPaul-jw7jx]

This is really useful, thank you very much 👍

[@4444hash]

thank you very much!! very pragmatic approach

[@charliekelland7564]

6:24 the diatonic drop 2 & 4 I think you dropped the E from the right hand instead of the C? I could be wrong - I'm a (bad) guitarist :D Anyway, great lesson - thank you!

[@mikegarcia4927]

Thanks a lot Rick !!

[@jakevogel2829]

Thank you rick this is the best explanation for drop voicings. Is there a way to use drop voicings in different styles of music?

[@arrow1372]

Thank you!

[@genesiopereira1468]

Very good

[@amirtehrani2339]

thank you rick

[@neb8167]

awesome!

[@infinitefretboard]

But Rick, what about the *other* voicings? The ones we don't speak of. You demonstrate 5 different families of chords. Each one has 4 inversions. Mathematically, there should be 24 different voicings of any 7th chord. Which leaves us with 4. The other ones are a flipped version of the 4 Way Close. For instance B-G-E-C, or C-B-G-E from lowest to highest. These voicings are very open and I'm not sure if they can be derived from the drop process. They are quite hard to play on guitar, but sound pretty cool. Do you have any experience with these voicings?

[@infinitefretboard]

Okay, I just answered my own question! It's Double Drop-2&Drop 3. Apparently Mick Goodrick uses that terminology as well. After years pondering that question, I'm quite intrigued to discover that there's actually an answer.

[@giocosovelasco]

Rick at 2:01: "...so from the top, you drop it down an octave" My brain: *from the top, make it dr-*

[@chilledfrost3987]

Would a drop vocing be considered a inversion too??

[@RickCarr]

Great lesson!!

[@GarryBurgess]

Do the original chords have to start in the root non-inverted form to use the same drop voicing terminology?

[@JustinMasayda]

Nope, Rick explains at 7:20 that you can voice each inversion of the chord as a drop voicing.

[@andymelendez9757]

Thanks again. Application!

[@markhenderson4001]

loved it.

[@dennisg.582]

Thank you!!!

[@ceonach]

Love it.

[@chuckminzenberger7590]

great video! it always bothered me that the top note is the #1, the root is usually 1 🙄

[@jeroenr4524]

I play country guitar and my teacher mentioned these voicings, but im wondering if they're useful as a country player?

[@Giunga2174]

Thanks RicK! Now I understand all... but I know little english language... ;)

[@jamesmalley1738]

writing a new song gonna try this on the bridge...thanks

[@rileymoore8364]

this is such a good video

[@jrbr549]

Yikes, I always thought that you count from the bottom when you drop. so I called E C G B root position drop 2. I thought that's what Jack Grassel called them anyhoo. Oh well, back to the drawing board.

[@danaecherry9245]

I finally get it😂thank you so much for this video

[@pieceoffake7443]

Damn, this video is so good.

[@cesardenis9014]

Gracias !!!!

[@josiebrown8751]

thank you

[@lacidy]

I am only a beginner trying to orchestrate for church music, would you use these voicing for "Calls to Worship" or Anthems?

[@acialist]

it's funny because in my composition I've done this just to give variety, but now I know it's called something! lol

[@JustinMasayda]

Why are the voices numbered from top to bottom? Especially since we generally spell chords from bottom to top.

[@thewilythylacine]

I'm not a keyboard player (and barely even a guitarist), but is this what Lyle Mays is using on Ozark?

[@novakattila]

Drop 2+3 is the best sounding on a CMaj7

[@caymenmann4612]

This may sound like a dumb question but if you change the voicing does it change the bass note. Or is the new lowest note the bass note.

[@BookooZenny]

How would one apply this theory to further chord extensions? In the case of a maj13(#11), for example, would I just count the 13th as "1" and count down?

[@willemsgrahpics]

I’d like some clarification on this too

[@MrCurtisNolan]

solid video freshing up on some uni stuff :)

[@ddjjuull]

Thanks

[@RTFosmark]

Great lesson! This is infuriating to me though, because I would much rather communicate in scale degrees. So in this example, since we’re dropping the G from the Cmaj, it makes much more sense to me to call it a Drop 5 (dropping the fifth scale degree). In communicating with other musicians, I feel like using numbers to refer to scale degrees and intervals is much more common than using them to refer to the order of voicings. Is there a reason that scale degree terminology doesn’t work for this?

[@nanaandbump.]

This confused the hell out of me too. It's one of those things where I literally yelled "but why!?!?!" to my computer screen. I still don't know the answer btw, just glad to know I'm not alone

[@mean_ice2833]

I'd rather say that it's a C Maj7/G or C Maj7 in 2nd inversion unless they're asking me the particular voicing then I say whatever drop voicing it is. It's good to know these stuff but you don't have to really use it that much. There are so many things in music that can be said in much more simpler terms.

[@RandyBakkelund]

What about Drop 1 voicings or combinations of that? Is there no such thing?

[@basslord1133]

Drop 1 would just be chord inversions which is a completely different thing.

[@mezzavoceify]

@@basslord1133 They're all chord inversions . . .

[@pianistenord5808]

@@mezzavoceify Yes and no, in theory inversions are in close position, drops are ways to spread, leave some gaps, open chords

[@shubhadeepx]

Are drop 2 voicings only for maj7 chords and not min7????

[@jesseolsson1697]

no, they work for any four note chord within an octave. it would even be the same for something you might consider a triad, but that actually has four notes, such as an add9 chord.