4-Part Jazz Harmony > Drop Notes     



Drop Notes

All chords can be "widened" by dropping one or more chord members by one or more octaves. 

There are 6 possible options:

•    No Drops: this is the "close" position - the notes are as close as they can get.

•    Drop 2: the 2^nd voice from the top is dropped one octave.

•    Drop 3: the 3^rd  voice from the top is dropped one octave.

•    Drop 2 - Drop 3: little used

•    Drop 3 - Drop 2 below: the 3^rd  voice is dropped one octave, and the 2^nd voice is    dropped 2 octaves.

•    Drop 2 - Drop 4: the 2^nd and 4^th voices from the top are dropped one octave. See    Example 1 (pdf).

Note: Drop 1 is the equivalent of an inverted "No Drop".

          Drop 4 is equivalent to a "No Drop" with the lowest voice down one octave.

          Drop 1 - Drop 3 is equivalent to an inversion of Drop 2.

          Drop 1 - Drop 4 is equivalent to an inversion of Drop 3.

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