All voicing styles

Drop 2 Voicings

Both Hands·Intermediate·Difficulty 3/5

What it is

Start with a close position chord, then take the second note from the top and drop it down one octave. The result is a wider, more open voicing that spans both hands. Drop 2 voicings are the bread and butter of jazz guitar but equally powerful on piano for right-hand comping or chord melody.

How to build it

Take any close position voicing [1, 2, 3, 4 from bottom]. Drop note 3 (2nd from top) down an octave. Result: [3-12, 1, 2, 4]. Four inversions possible.

When to use it

For right-hand voicings over a left-hand bass note. In chord melody arrangements. When you want a wider, more transparent sound than close position. Drop 2 gives you four inversions per chord — practice all four to cover the full keyboard range.

Examples

Dm7Drop 2
A3D4F4C5
G7Drop 2
D4G4B4F5
Try a ii-V-I with this style

Standards that work well with this style

Related voicing styles