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By
Per Danielsson
Accompanying on the piano is actually the same as being an arranger, except that the deci-
sions have to be made quickly. There is a constant balance of adapting, following, supporting and
sometimes taking charge that needs to be mastered. Successful “on the spot” arranging is depend-
ent on taste, skill, and command of chord choices, all of which can be practiced. In this month’s arti-
cle, I’ll show a very useful technique for moving chords around using different positions.
A common problem with young jazz pianists is the lack of flexibility in chord movement. This
greatly limits the ability to provide a smooth and tasteful accompaniment. There are different ways of
moving chords around when you are comping.
1. Chromatic movement - Moving chords up and down chromatically, and also approaching a
chord from a half step above or below.
2. Substitutions - The use of tri-tone substitutions works great, especially with dominant chords.
3. Change in voicing - Using different voicings for the same quality chords.
4. Drop 2 voicing - The drop 2 technique is an old technique that arrangers have used since the
early Ellington days. It’s extremely useful when arranging for large ensembles, and a saxophone
section especially sounds great when harmonized this way. When it comes to guitar and piano the
drop 2 provides great flexibility and the ability to move a chord up and down without changing its
quality.
How it works: Say for an example that you have a close position voicing consisting of four notes.
Simply take the second note from the top and move it down an octave. It’s a small change but it
opens the voicing up and gives it a much fuller sound.
& bb œœ œœ
œ
œœ
œœ œœ
œœ
œœ œœœ ˙ œœ œœ œœ œœ
œ
œ
œ œœ
˙˙˙
˙˙
Drop 2 œœ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œœ
? b ∑ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ ˙
b ˙ œ ˙
œ
Block Chords
b c œœ œœœœ œœœ œœ
œ
& b œ œœ ∑ œœœ œœœœ œœœ œœœœ ∑
œ œ
B b Maj7 F 7(#11) B b 9
6
F 7 Drop 2 F 7s us
b œœ œ ˙˙ œ œ œ
&b œ œœ œ œœ Ó œœ
œ œœ œœ œœ œ œ ˙˙
œ œ ˙˙ œ œ œ n œœ
œ
? b b œœ œ œ
Œ ˙
˙ Ó Ó œ œ œœ œ ˙˙
˙
œ
Block Chords
bb œ œœœ ∑ œœœ œœ œœœ œœ Œ Ó
& œœœœ œœœœ œœœ œ œ œœ œ œœ œœœ
œ
The following example has a melodic top line. Notice that sometimes the eighth note on the
off beat are part of the block chord. A nice tension to the sound is created when you off-set the
chord.
Practice this progression in several keys. Soon you’ll notice how useful this drop 2 technique
is and how it helps create a smoother comping style.
D m7 ()
G7 b9 C m7 ()
F7 b9
B b Maj7
œœ œ œ œ œ G 9s us C Maj7
œ
F 9s us
C Maj7 C Maj7
ww w œ œœ œ œ
w ww œœ œœ œ
& w w œ œœ œœ
œ
œœ
œ œ œœ œœ
œ
œ
œœ
Drop 2
œ œ œ œ
? ∑ ∑ ∑
G7 G7 C Maj7
ww w œ œ œ œ
& ww ww œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œœ œ
w œ œœ œ œœ wwww
Drop 2
œ œ œ œ
? ∑ ∑ œ œ œ œ w
w
www
D m7
ww
D m7
œœ œ œœ œ œ
G 9s us C Maj9
w ww œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œœ
& œ œ œ œœ œ w w
Drop 2
ww ww
œ œ œ œ
? ∑ ∑ ∑ w w
w
w
Keep in mind that you can basically take any block chord and create a drop 2 voicing from it.
The next step is to add a note to the block chord and then drop the 2nd note and the 4th note. This
will greatly expand this technique. However, get the basic concept of the drop 2 under your fingers
first.
Good Luck,
Per Danielsson