Chord Voicing in EDM

We recently talked about the most popular chord progressions in EDM and how to build them. This approach, while useful, is based on familiar paths: chords that’ve proven time and time again that they work well together.

But what if you wanted to create something unique, chords and progressions that strike a nerve for their uniqueness and emotional impact? That’s where chord voicing comes in.

In this article, we’ll break down what chord voicing is and show you how to use it to make your chords and melodies sound more expressive and unique. While we’ll mostly focus on EDM, this article should help any producer who wants to expand their sonic palette.

What Chord Voicing Means

Chord voicing means arranging the notes of a chord in different octaves and positions.

For instance, a C major chord always has C, E, and G as the root, third and fifth notes. It doesn’t matter in which order you play them: as long as you have these three notes, you have a C chord.

The interesting part is that the way you arrange these notes can completely change how the chord feels and sounds.

This knowledge should unlock plenty of possibilities for your production, because you can personalize a chord to make it fit your piece. You can make it as big and immersive, or as tight and focused, as you like, simply by rearranging the core notes that define the chord.

Different Types of Voicings

Musicians have used voicing to personalize their chords in countless ways, but there are some recurring patterns you can use, depending on the type of effect you’re looking for.

Closed Voicings

This is the type of voicing you’re probably most familiar with. Closed voicings keep all the chord notes within one octave, which creates a tight and compact sound.

In dance music, closed voicings are great because they stay in a narrow frequency range, so they fit well in busy mixes without clashing with other elements. As a result, they tend to stand out when used as plucks and midrange synth chords.

Open Voicings

Open voicings are the opposite: you spread your chord notes over several octaves, adding space between them; instead of playing C-E-G in one octave, you can cover two or three octaves using the same three notes.

The effect this creates is an airy and more immersive sound that works magnificently when you want to create atmosphere.

Open voicings work because the wider gaps between notes make the chords feel bigger and deeper. Bear in mind that if you use the low register (bass notes) and are playing by yourself, the lowest note has to be the root note.

Getting open voicings right is not that simple, especially if there are many elements in your mix. So try the following:

  • Place roots and fifths in the low end.
  • Spread thirds, sevenths and other extensions into higher octaves.
  • Leave enough room for the bass.
  • Focus on how your chord interacts with the rest of the mix in the mid and high registers. Does it enhance your melody or overshadows it?

Rootless Voicings

Rootless voicing is when you leave out the root note and use only the other notes, like the third, fifth or seventh; with a C major chord, you could play just E and G and let the bass or kick suggest the root. That’s still a C major chord!

This method is popular in EDM because it frees up space in the low end. Without the root in the lower notes, your bass and kick can fill that space organically, while your chords add color in the mid and high register.

Inversions

There’s a lot of confusion when it comes to inversion vs voicing, but in fact the former is part of the latter. Inversions change which note is at the bottom of the chord; for instance, a C major chord in root position has C on the bottom, but in first inversion it’s E-G-C, and in second inversion it’s G-C-E.

Inversions are great because they help connect chords that are seemingly distant. If you go from C major to A minor, instead of moving from C-E-G to A-C-E, you can play A minor as C-E-A, so that two notes stay the same and the transition is smoother. It expands the potential of your chord progressions.

Final Tips: Voicing For Different Contexts

Drops

  • Drops should be galvanizing, so use wide open voicings with the root note clear in the bass.
  • Spread your chords over three or four octaves and emphasize the low end. You can also double the root note in lower octaves to give it more weight.
  • Use closed voicings in the mid-range to give punch.
  • Use open voicings in the highs to add variety and excitement.

Breakdowns

Breakdowns are immersive, so use rootless and open voicings to create a mesmerizing atmosphere:

  • Remove the root note and let your chords float, with a little extra weight in the low end.
  • Play chords only in the mid and upper ranges to create space in the low end.
  • Use inversions to diversify the melodic changes between chords.
  • Use a combination of different voicings across the frequency range to create the buildup: a main pad with open voicing, a soft pluck with rootless voicing and/or a high shimmer layer.

Frequency Management

Each type of voicing has its way of affecting the mix. Open voicings are naturally more complex to handle because they affect most of the audio spectrum, but all types of chords need the appropriate space in the mix to truly shine.

For this, your DAW’s spectrum analyzer is your best friend. Look for places where your chords build up energy and make adjustments using EQ. You can always double some notes or use tighter voicings in the mid-range if your chords sound thin.

Another useful tool is high-pass filtering, because you can filter out extra low frequencies from your chord synths to make the bass stand out.

Finally, make the most of your stereo field. Open voicings will make your mix wider, while closed voicings are more centered and give more focus and punch to a melody. Find a way to make these voicings work in unison, and you’ll have a hit in your hands.

Want to give it a go right away? Head over to the Sample Focus library, where you can find endless melodies, pads, soundscapes and chord progressions to make your song as diverse and engaging as it can be.