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Drop 2 Chords - Theory, Shapes, and Application - MATT WARNOCK GUITAR
Drop 2 Chords - Theory, Shapes, and Application - MATT WARNOCK GUITAR
WhatAreDrop2Chords?
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Drop2Maj7Chords
Drop27thChords
Drop2m7Chords
Drop2m7b5Chords
Drop2Dim7Chords
Drop2mMaj7Chords
Drop27#11Chords
Drop2Maj7#11Chords
Drop2ChordExercise1
Drop2ChordExercise2
Drop2ChordExercise3
Drop2MajoriiVIChordPhrases
Drop2MinoriiVIChordPhrases
Drop2BluesforAliceChords
FreeJazzGuitareBook:DownloadafreeJazzguitarPDFthatllteachyouhowtoplayJazzchord
progressions,solooverJazzchords,andwalkbasslines.
OneofthebiggestquestionsIgetfromstudentsandreadersaboutjazzguitarchordsis:
Howdoyoubuildadrop2chord?
Thenamedrop2comesfromthefactthatinordertobuildthesechordshapes,youtakeaclosed
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positionchord,1357,anddropthe2ndnotefromthetopdownanoctave.
Thisformstheinitialintervalpattern5137.
Hereshowthatlookslikeonthefretboardtohelpwithvisualizingthischordconstruction.
Theclosedmaj7chordisontheleft,thedrop2maj7chordshapeisontheright.
Whenyoudropthe2ndnoteofanyclosedpositionchordbyanoctave,youwillthenproducethe
followingfourintervalpatternsforeachinversion.
RootPositionR573
1stInversion37R5
2ndInversion5R37
3rdInversion735R
Noticethatthe3rdand7th,aswellastherootand5th,arealwaysnexttoeachotherinany
inversion.
Thiscanhelpyouinvisualizingtheintervalswithinanydrop2chordshapeyouarelearningor
playingonthefretboard.
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Lastly,thisformulaworksforanychordtypeyoucanthinkof,youjusthavetoaltertheinterval
qualitiestofitthatchordtype.
Forexample,arootpositiondrop27thchordisbuiltR5b73,am7chordwouldbeR5b7b3,etc.
Theintervalschangetomatchthechordyoureplaying,buttheorderoftheintervalsalwaysremains
thesame.
Tohelpyoutaketheseshapesfromthepageandontothefretboard,letstakealookat12different
drop2chordsforallofthecommonchordqualitiesusedinjazz.
Eachofthesegroupsofdrop2chordsiswrittenwithaCroot,somakesuretomovethemtoother
keysaroundthefretboardasyouexploretheseshapesfurtherinyourjazzguitarpracticeroutine.
Tobegin,hereare12differentCmaj7drop2chords,whichhavetheintervalstructure:
RootPositionR573
1stInversion37R5
2ndInversion5R37
3rdInversion735R
HerearefourinversionsofCmaj7onthelowestfourstringsoftheguitar.
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Youcannowlearnthesechordsonthemiddlefourstrings.
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Finally,youcanplaythesechordsonthetop4stringsofthefretboard.
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Hereare12differentC7drop2chords,whichhavetheintervalstructure:
RootPositionR5b73
1stInversion3b7R5
2ndInversion5R3b7
3rdInversionb735R
HerearefourinversionsofC7onthelowestfourstringsoftheguitar.
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Youcannowlearnthesechordsonthemiddlefourstrings.
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Finally,youcanplaythesechordsonthetop4stringsofthefretboard.
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Drop 2 m7 Chords
Hereare12differentCm7drop2chords,whichhavetheintervalstructure:
RootPositionR5b7b3
1stInversionb3b7R5
2ndInversion5Rb3b7
3rdInversionb7b35R
HerearefourinversionsofCm7onthelowestfourstringsoftheguitar.
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Youcannowlearnthesechordsonthemiddlefourstrings.
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Finally,youcanplaythesechordsonthetop4stringsofthefretboard.
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Hereare12differentCm7b5drop2chords,whichhavetheintervalstructure:
RootPositionRb5b7b3
1stInversionb3b7Rb5
2ndInversionb5Rb3b7
3rdInversionb7b3b5R
HerearefourinversionsofCm7b5onthelowestfourstringsoftheguitar.
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Youcannowlearnthesechordsonthemiddlefourstrings.
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Finally,youcanplaythesechordsonthetop4stringsofthefretboard.
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Hereare12differentCdim7drop2chords,whichhavetheintervalstructure:
RootPositionRb5bb7b3
1stInversionb3bb7Rb5
2ndInversionb5Rb3bb7
3rdInversionbb7b3b5R
HerearefourinversionsofCdim7onthelowestfourstringsoftheguitar.
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Youcannowlearnthesechordsonthemiddlefourstrings.
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Finally,youcanplaythesechordsonthetop4stringsofthefretboard.
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Hereare12differentCmMaj7drop2chords,whichhavetheintervalstructure:
RootPositionR57b3
1stInversionb37R5
2ndInversion5Rb37
3rdInversion7b35R
HerearefourinversionsofCmMaj7onthelowestfourstringsoftheguitar.
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Youcannowlearnthesechordsonthemiddlefourstrings.
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Finally,youcanplaythesechordsonthetop4stringsofthefretboard.
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Hereare12differentC7#11drop2chords,whichhavetheintervalstructure:
RootPositionR#11b73
1stInversion3b7R#11
2ndInversion#11R3b7
3rdInversionb73#11R
HerearefourinversionsofC7#11onthelowestfourstringsoftheguitar.
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Youcannowlearnthesechordsonthemiddlefourstrings.
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Finally,youcanplaythesechordsonthetop4stringsofthefretboard.
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Hereare12differentCmaj7#11drop2chords,whichhavetheintervalstructure:
RootPositionR#1173
1stInversion37R#11
2ndInversion#11R37
3rdInversion73#11R
HerearefourinversionsofCmaj7#11onthelowestfourstringsoftheguitar.
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Youcannowlearnthesechordsonthemiddlefourstrings.
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Finally,youcanplaythesechordsonthetop4stringsofthefretboard.
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Thefirstexerciseyoucanusetointernalizedrop2chordsisbasedonfindingchordsthatareonly
onenotedifferentfromothershapes,andthenmovingbetweenthesechordsonthefretboard.
Hereisafavoriteexampleofthisexercisethatcovers5differentchordtypesinoneexercise.
Playthesechordsusingdrop2shapesinC,beforemovingthemtootherkeysonthefretboard.
Aswell,youcanuseanystringset,andanyinversion,tooutlinetheseshapes,juststicktothesame
oneforeachtimethroughtheexercise.
So,ifyouplaythefirstCmaj7chordasa1stinversiononthemiddlefourstrings,keepthatsame
outlineasyouthenmovetotheotherchordsintheexercise,meaningyouplayeverychordasa1st
inversiononthemiddlefourstrings.
Tohelpyoutakethisprogressiontoyourstudies,heresasampleversionoftheaboveexerciseto
getyoustarted.
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HeresanotherprogressionthatIliketousewherethesecondchordisbuiltbyalteringonenotefrom
thefirstchordshape.
Tohelpyoutakethisprogressionintothepracticeroom,heresasampleversionofthisexercise.
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Lastly,hereisanotherchordprogressionyoucanusetolearnandmemorizevarioustypesofdrop2
chordsinthepracticeroom.
Andhereisasampleofthisexercisetoworkoninyourjazzguitarpracticeroutine.
Clicktohear
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Onceyouveworkedthroughthesethreeprogressionsinvariouskeysandinallinversionson
differentstringsets,comeupwithyourownprogressionstoworkdrop2chordsinthewoodshed.
Thisexercisebringsapracticalapplicationofdrop2chordstoyourpracticeroutine,asyououtline
majorkeyiiVIVIchangesusingdrop2voiceleading.
Whendoingso,youbeginonanyiim7drop2chord,suchastherootpositionintheexamplebelow,
andthenmovetotheclosestV7chord,Imaj7andVI7b9chordinthatareaofthefretboard.
Hereshowthatlooksontheneckoftheguitar.
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Whendoingso,youwillalwaysusethefollowinginversionsforeachchord.
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R2ndR1st
1st3rd1st2nd
2ndR2nd3rd
3rd1st3rdR
ThisorderofinversionsisthesameformajorandminoriiVIviprogressions,andsoitsworth
memorizingasyoutakethisexercisefurtherinthewoodshed.
Onceyouveworkedouttheexampleabove,movetotheotherinversionsofDm7onthetop4strings
andvoiceleadingthechordsfromtherethroughtheprogression.
Then,moveontodifferentkeysonthatstringset,andontootherstringsetsbeforeapplyingthese
shapestoafulltune.
YoucanthenrepeatthepreviousexercisewithminorkeyiiVIvichords,asyoucanseeinthe
followingexample.
Whendoingso,youllusetheprogression:
iim7b5
V7b9
ImMaj7
vim7b5
AsthereareanumberofvariationsyoucanuseforminoriiVIviprogressions,youcanalsousea
Im7,Im6,andbIIImaj7chordinplaceofthevim7b5toaddvarietytothisprogression.
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Again,onceyouhavetheseshapesdowninvariouskeysandonafewstringsets,takethemtoa
tunesuchasAutumnLeaves,whichhasbothmajorandminoriiVIchanges,inordertohearand
seehowthesechordsapplytoamusicalsituation.
Aswellaslearninghowtoplaydrop2chordshapesandrunningthemthroughprogressions,its
importanttolearnjazzvocabularythatusesdrop2chordsinyourstudies.
Thefollowingthreechordlicksusedrop2chordsoverthemostcommonjazzchordprogression,the
majoriiVI.
Eachofthesephrasescanbeusedinyourcomping,chordsoloing,orchordmelodyplayingasyou
takethemfromthepageandapplythemtoamusicalsituation.
Becauseyoullbeapplyingthesephrasestoyourplayinginrealtime,youllwanttolearntheminthe
originalkeyfirst,thentakethemtootherkeysfromthere.
Aswell,youcanjamoverajazzstandardandapplyeachlickoneatatimetoyourchordsoloingand
compingoverthattune.
Thisapproachtopracticingwillprepareyoutoapplytheselickstoyourplayinginajamsituation,as
wellasstudyhowtheysitonthefretboardinvariouskeys.
Therearebackingtracksprovidedforeachphrasethatyoucanusetopracticetheminthegivenkey,
aswellasanaudioexampletoplayalongwithwhenfirstlearningeachphrase.
Tobegin,heresaJoePassinspireddrop2lickthatoutlinesashortmajoriiVIprogression.
Noticethechromaticpassingnotes,GbandEb,usedtoaddabitoftensiontotheline.
Aswell,aBm7b5drop2chordisusedtooutlinethe3to9shapeoverG7.
Ifyourenewtothistypeofchordapplication,checkoutmylessononextendedjazzguitarchordsfor
morebackgroundonusingdrop2chordsinthismanner.
BackingTrack
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ThenextlineisamixtureofJoePassandEdBickertasitoutlinesalongmajoriiVIprogression.
Again,youllseeBm7b5usedoverG7,whichisverycommoninjazzguitar,aswellastheBbdim7
andGdim7chordsusedtooutlinetheA7b9chordinthelastbarofthephrase.
Theopeningrun,overDm7,isaclassicJoePasslick,andoneyoushouldextractfromthislickso
thatyoucanapplyittoanym7chordinyourchordsoloing,comping,andchordmelodyplaying.
BackingTrack
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ThefinalmajoriiVIphraseuseschordscalestooutlineeachchordintheprogression.
Here,youreusingdiatonicchords,andonepassingchord(F#dim7),tooutlinethechordsinthe
progression.
Thisharmonicapproachaddsextramovementtothechordprogression,creatinganextralevelof
interestbeyondtheshapesyoureplayinginthelick.
BackingTrack
Vm P
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ClicktoHear
Vm P
Youllnowmoveontoapplyingdrop2chordstominorkeychordprogressions,beginningwiththe
shortminoriiVI.
Inthisfirstphrase,youllbeusingaverycommonchordapplicationoverthefirsttwochordsinthe
progression.
Here,youreplayingAm7b5overAm7b5,thenoverD7alt,youreplayingCm7b5.
Whendoingso,playingam7b5chordfromtheb7ofadominant7chord,youcreatea7altsoundin
yourplaying.
Thisisahelpfulharmonicapplicationasitallowsyoutousethesameshapesoverboththeiim7b5
andV7altchords,creatingdifferentsoundsovereachshapeintheprocess.
Then,overtheGm7chord,youreusingaBbmaj7forthefirstshapeofthatchord.
Thisisanother3to9harmonicsub,similartowhatyouusedoverG7intheprevious3licks,only
herethattheoryisappliedtoam7chordshape.
Whenplayingoverm7chords,youcanplayamaj7chordfromtheb3ofthatchordtooutlinea
rootlessm9chord.
BackingTrack
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ClicktoHear
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ThenextlineisplayedoveralongminoriiVIchordprogressioninGminor.
YoullbeusinginversionsofAm7b5overthefirstbaroftheprogression,thenEbdim7andF#dim7
shapesoverD7alt,botharecommonwaystooutlinethosetwochordchanges.
Then,inthethirdbar,youllbeusingtheJoePassm7chordrunyousawinthemajoriiVIsection,
onlythistimeoverthetonicm7chordinaminoriiVIprogression.
ThelinethenfinishesonaBbmaj7chordoverGm7toproduceanotherexampleoftherootlessGm9
chordshape.
BackingTrack
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ThefinalminoriiVIdrop2chordphraseusesastaticrhythm,chordsonthe&of1and3,tooutline
thechanges.
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Beyondthat,youllbeusingaC7susdrop2chordtocreateaGm11soundoverthelastchordinthe
phrase.
Byloweringthe5thofGm7byatone,youcreateaGm11soundinthatsectionoftheline,which
turnsouttobethesameshapeasaC7suschord.
Thisisntaverycommonlyusedsub,butitsonethatcanaddnewflavortoyourcompingandchord
soloinglines.
BackingTrack
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Tofinishyourintroductiontodrop2chords,heresachordstudywrittenoutoverthechordchanges
toCharlieParkersjazzclassic,BluesforAlice.
Goslowwhenlearningthischordstudy,learningeachtwoorfourbarphraseoneatatimeuntilyou
havethemmemorizedandcomfortableonthefretboard.
Fromthere,youcanconnecteachphrasetoformthestudyasawhole.
Aswell,theresabackingtrackincludedsoyoucanpracticeplayingthisstudyonyourown,aswell
aspracticecompingoverBluesforAlicewiththedrop2chordsthatyoulearnedinthisjazzchord
lesson.
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BackingTrack
ClicktoHear
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Vm P
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