Evans Reductions - Three Note Voicings!

Bill Evans is credited for having codied rootless A/B voicings, wherein the lowest voice is a 3 (or 7) which then resolves to a 7 (or 3). Theres a fair amount written about it. These are two tight for a guitarist. I began trying to isolate my needs in a three-note voicing instead, as tightly as possible. First, the simplest cycle, on three sets of three strings. These are A/B voicings on a II-V-I cadence. The criteria for note selection is that the 3 and 7 appear in all cases except the tonic chord which sometimes replaces the 7 with a 6. When the third note is selected, the root is rejected if possible. It makes the unit less exible, less ambivalent. It appears in only one voicing below. In the usual progression from II to V, the 3rd becomes the 7th, while the 7th drops a half-step to become the 3rd. In this set, the third note remains in place (9=13, R=5, 5=R). In the next series, this third note also descends a half step with the descending 7. It then allows interpretation as a form of bII7 chord for those who considers the analysis informative. The IIm7 can easily be a II7 as well, making the progression the greatly loved endless loop (bridge, "I Got Rhythm" et al).

Evans Reductions - Three Note Voicings!

The next series begins with the the same fingerings and positions. In progression, the 3rd remains while both the other notes descend. In the first cadence the 9 descends to the #5 of the dominant chord. In the next, the root descends to the b5. The next three descend to b9's. It's important to think of these not as chords, per se, but as a collection of separate voices moving to specific targets, unlike our general use of guitar chords Beginning at Bar 25 we meddle with the resolution to tonic. The first now resolves to Maj7, the second to a 6th. The next two resolve to a 9th and the last resolves upwardly to a higher inversion of the tonic (sans 3). At Bar 31 we continue to move two voices down, but in the next highest inversion. Then resolve downward logically, as before. The first cadence is comparable to merging the first half of bar 13 with the last half of 16, though with two voices descending. I continue this with the next two examples. The last two examples drop to a lower inversion before resolving upwardly, at Bar 34, and resolving down at Bar 35.

Evans Reductions - Three Note Voicings!

On some occasions a voicing will be configured as an assemblage of minor thirds, for example Bar 2/Chord 2, or Bar 3/Chord 2. In such cases we can treat them like diminished chords, and invert them by moving them up or down a minor third to resolve in its new locale. I demonstrate this at Bar 37 playing both inversions, and at Bar 38 using the inversion alone. No longer a demonstration of "most-elegant" voice leading options, at this point the consideration is "getting somewhere more comfortable" whether the driver is the physical limitations of the neck, or the desire to make way for the melody. The same thing can be done with more direct inversions moving between the various sets of 3strings illustrated in Bars 1 through 17. Examples of this are presented at Bars 39 and 40. Bar 39 begins cadence by dropping the 7th a half-step, moves to a lower inversion of the chord, continues progression by flatting the 9th and concludes resolution at tonic. Bar 40 begins at one location, moves to a lower inversion, the 7th descends, we move to a higher inversion, then resolve to tonic.