An excellent way to begin expanding your chord knowledge (beyond open chords and bar-chords) is the study of four-string seventh chords and inversions.
The most essential forms for beginning or intermediate jazz guitarists are Drop 2 & Drop 3 shapes on the following string sets:
Drop 2:
Drop 3:
It’s crucial to put these into a musical context as soon as possible.
Try playing through some jazz standards using these shapes.
Be careful to keep common tones and move to the closest voicings as you navigate chord progressions.
THE DROP VOICING BOOK FOR GUITAR: A Complete Guide to Drop 2, Drop 3, Drop 2&3 and Drop 2&4 Chord Voicings & Inversions

“A superb piece of work, which deserves ample success and lasting impact.” – Ricardo Iznaola
THE DROP VOICING BOOK FOR GUITAR is a comprehensive text covering the logic behind “drop” voicings and their application to harmonic progressions and voice-leading. This ground-breaking resource investigates/includes:
- How “drop” voicings are formed, and their application to the guitar
- Four types of drop voicings on nine string sets
- The art of spacing or voicing chords
- Six “core” 6th & 7th chord qualities
- How to derive voicings from elemental forms
- How to move beyond mere memorization and recitation of shapes and voice-lead harmonic textures spontaneously
- Nine comprehensive studies on the Autumn Leaves chord progression
- Reductive techniques to tailor density & register to ensemble/context
- Using chordal knowledge to improvise harmonically-specific melodies
- Harmonizing melodies: “chord-melody” playing
- Extended tertian harmony
- Substitution & superimposition theory and techniques
- Alteration techniques to create an enormous palette of additional chord qualities
- Free audio downloads
- TAB, standard notation, diagrams, and comprehensive charts for practice and reference
Price: $21.99
Available exclusively from Amazon.com. Please click here to view samples and purchase on Amazon.com
2 replies on “7th Chord Inversions: (Drop 2 & Drop 3 on The Five Essential String Sets)”
Thank you for your comment!
LikeLike
Thhanks for a great read
LikeLiked by 1 person