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MELODIC VOICINGS – 1
Axis of 7 & 3, Shells

ALBERTO BETANCOURT
(albetan)
SEVENTHS AND THIRDS AXIS

This is a harmonic system of four voices in which first voice plays melody, fourth
voice plays bass, and interior voices play sevenths and thirds.
Melody and bass in extreme voices work around an axis of sevenths and thirds in
interior voices.

EXAMPLE: Fragment of All the things you are (Hamerstein / Kern)

ok

This is a very practical and easy system for playing a complete arrangement at
sight. You are playing a four voices ensamble with melody and bass in extremes
and harmony in interior voices, sounding your solo piano like a big band!
This is a nice and easy style for solo piano.

EXERCISE:
For dominion of this style you must do these exercises in all diatonic circles:
Left hand plays bass note and a seventh or a third upwards.
Right hand plays a third or a seventh. Use only fingers 1 or 2.
So you work with three comp voices and you will be prepared for playing in
sevenths and thirds axis by adding melody notes.
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I write here C, Db, circles.... Without writing the rest, try to play all the other
circles in the same way by ear.

I IV VII III VI II V I IV VII III VI II V I

I IV VII III VI II V I IV VII III VI II V I

EXERCISE: Fragment of

In syncope notes you must play chords also in syncopation.

Play very slowly, harmonizing it by yourself. When you finish and it sounds great,
please compare with solution that i wrote.
My solutions are not a dogma... If you find something different, analyse your own
solution... it may be o.k. One difference may be that you play bass and 3, and i
suggest bass and 7... Both solutions are right.
Never write voicings... Do an effort to play it at sight!
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SOLUTION:

EXERCISE: Fragment of

This song is very mentioned in this site.

Play it very slowly listening its harmonic process... and attend how your piano
sounds like a big band.
Some chords are in inversion: D7/A, Bb7/F, F#7/C# , there you have a chord
over a bass different from root, an inversion.
A nice presentation of the theme before improvisations.
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SOLUTION:

If You have sheet music, please complete it by yourself.

HARMONIC SHELLS:
Left hand comps as in sevenths and thirds axis and right hand works freely in
other styles. When we speak about harmonic shells we are refering only to left
hand comping.
If a melody is difficult or fast, you may comp it with harmonic shells. So you are
doing a three voices ensamble with melody and bass in extremes and a seventh or
third in the middle.

Art Tatum implemented shells with tenths and sevenths... He had very large
fingers. Bud Powell in forthies adapted this style to normal fingers doing the
same shells with thirds and sevenths.
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EXERCISE:
Practice with shells exercises seen in 7s & 3s axis.
Play left hand as you did in them... melody alone or in octaves with right.
This is a very practical and easy method to play at sight, producing a three
voices ensamble.

EXERCISE: Play all your favorite songs in shells and 7 & 3 axis.

I think baroque composer Vivaldi (1618 – 1741) was the first musician that used
harmonic shells as You may see in this fragment.

In this chapter we have learnt to play with 7s & 3s axis and with shells.
Two very easy and practical styles for building a complete arrangement at sight.
In next chapter we will learn other styles of melodic voicings, as closed blocks,
open blocks, Shearing or Theatre blocks, and Concert blocks.