Topmusicanswers
What are shell voicings for guitar?
"Shell voicings" are a family of chord shapes found on the lower strings of the guitar, which include only the essential tones (1, 3 and 7) of each chord. These voicings were pioneered by guitarists like Freddie Green and Django Reinhardt, and are a staple of traditional jazz guitar playing.
What are shell voicings used for?
Shell voicings are better known as 3-note chords (or guide tone chords), they are made up of the most essential notes (root, third and seventh) that define a chord (the fifth is omitted). They are very useful for beginner guitarists who want to explore basic guitar comping rhythms.
What does Shell voicing mean?
A shell voicing is a chord which contains only the root, third, and seventh. Players will often only use two notes, the root and third, or the root and seventh. Because the fifth of a chord is not significant in differentiating minor or major chord, it is omitted in a shell voicing chord.
