A and B rootless voicings
Jazz pianists in the 1950's attempted to find more colorful ways to voice chords as a departure from the stride styles
of the 1930's and the shell voicing approach of the beboppers in the 1940's. These more modern pianists found that
the roots of the chords could be eliminated altogether if a bassist in the rhythms section provided the roots. These
voicings are often called "rootless voicings" simply because they eliminate the root from the chord.
Rootless voicings are often divided into two categories; "A" voicings and "B" voicings. "A" voicings are simply the
3,5,7,and 9 of the chord. "B" voicings are the 2nd inversion of the "A" voicings, ascending from the 7th: 7,9,3, and 5.
A voicings
&c www b wwww w b b b wwww w
b b www b b www
ROOTLESS VOICINGS
w
9
7
5
3
?c w
C M a j9 C9 C d im9
w w w w
C m in 9 C ø9
ROOT
B voicings
& www www b www b b b wwww b b wwww
5
w bw bw
3
9
?w
7
w w w w
C M a j9 C9 C min 9 C ø9 C d im9
These voicings are frequently played in the left-hand alone, as an accompaniment to the pianist's right-hand melody and
improvisation The general range consideration is between the Db below middle C to the G above middle C.
C M a j9 C9 C m in 9 C ø9 C d im9
www b wwww b www b b b wwww bb wwww
? w bw
wwww w w b b b wwww b b www
C M a j9 C9 C m in 9 C ø9 C d im9
? b www b b www w
Here are the "A" and "B" voicings transposed for the five basic 9th chords, through all 12 keys. Note that some
of the voicings appear outside the desirable range.
www n www n www b b n wwww bb wwww
G Ma j9 G9 G min 9 G ø9 G d im9
?# w w bw
G Ma j9 G9 G m in 9 G ø9 G d im9
?# wwww w
n www
w
n b www b n b wwww b b wwww
www n www n ww b n n wwww w
D M a j9 D9 D m in 9 D ø9 D d im9
? ## w w n ww n b www
D m in 9 D ø9 D d im9
D Ma j9 D9
? ## wwww w
n www
w
n n www n n b wwww n b www
w
www n www n www b n n wwww bn wwww
A Ma j9 A9 A min 9 A ø9 A d im9
? ### w w nw
wwww w w n n b wwww n b wwww
A m in 9
n www n n www
A Ma j9 A9 A ø9 A d im9
? ###
www n www n www b n n wwww bn wwww
E M a j9 E9 E m in 9 E ø9 E d im9
? #### w w nw
E9 E m in 9 E ø9
wwww ww nn wwww n n b wwww n b wwww
E Ma j9 E d im9
? #### w
n w
ww n wwww nn wwww w w
n n n www
B M a j9 B9 B min 9 B ø9 B d im9
? #### ww nn www
#
wwww w
n www
w
n n www n n n wwww n n wwww
B M a j9 B9 B min 9 B ø9 B d im9
? ####
#
# # # # #
www n wwww nn wwww n n n wwww nn wwww
F Ma j9 F 9 F m in 9 F ø9 F d im9
? #### # w
#
# # # # #
wwww w w n n n wwww n n wwww
F M a j9 F 9 F min 9 F ø9 F d im9
? #### #
# n www n n www
b b b b #
www b www b www ∫ b b wwww #w
n n www
D M a j9 D 9 D min 9 D ø9 C d im9
? bb b w w bw
bb
b b b b #
wwww w w b b ∫ wwww
D Ma j9 D 9 D m in 9 D ø9 C d im9
? bb
bbb b www b b www n # n wwww
b b b b #
ww b www b www w
n #n wwww
A M a j9 A 9 A min 9 A ø9 G d im9
? bb b
b ww w bw ∫ b b www
b b b b #
wwww w
b www
w
b b www b b ∫ wwww n # n wwww
A M a j9 A 9 A m in 9 A ø9 G d im9
? bb
bb
b b b b #
www b www b www ∫ b b wwww n ## wwww
E Ma j9 E 9 E m in 9 E ø9 D d im9
? b w w bw
bb
b b b b #
wwww w w b b ∫ wwww
E m in 9 E ø9 D d im9
# # n wwww
E M a j9 E 9
? b
bb b www b b www
b b b b b
www b www b www b b b wwww ww
B M a j9 B 9 B m in 9 B ø9 B d im9
? b w w bw b
b ww
b
b b b b b
wwww w
b www
w
b b www b b b wwww b b wwww
B Ma j9 B 9 B m in 9 B ø9 B d im9
? bb
www b wwww b www b b b wwww b www
w bw b w
F M a j9 F9 F min 9 F ø9 F d im9
?b
wwww w w b b b wwww b b www
F9 F m in 9 F ø9 F d im9
b www b b www
F M a j9
?b w
Other types of 9th chords can be achieved by eliminating their root, as in these "A" voicings below:
w ww ww w ww
& www b ww b ww # www b ww
b
?w
6 6
C min 9 C min M a j9 C M a j9 + 5 C d imM a j9
w w w w
C9
Other types of alterations can be accomodated by replacing a chord tone with it's alteration, and/or by eliminating the fifth
chord factor and replacing it with a higher extension as in the "A" and "B" voicings below.
C7( 9 ) b C 7 (+ 9 b 1 3 ) C13 #
C7( 11) C9sus4
& b b wwww b b # wwww b wwww w
# b www b wwww
& b www bw ww ww
bw # b www b ww b # wwww b ww
The ii9 V9-I9 chord progression is a great exercize, especially when alternating "A" and "B" voicings. All keys are
provided below
˙˙˙˙ ˙˙˙ wwww
G9 C M a j9 D m9 G9 C M a j9
˙˙˙
D m9
?˙ ˙˙˙˙ ww
ww ˙
A B A B A B
˙˙˙ ˙˙˙˙ ˙˙˙ wwww
D9 G Ma j9
˙˙˙˙ ww
Am9 D9 G M a j9 Am9
?# ˙ ww ˙
˙˙˙
A9 D M a j9
˙˙˙˙ www
Em9 Em9 A9 D M a j9
? ## ˙ w ˙˙˙˙ ˙˙
˙˙ wwww
˙˙˙ ˙˙˙˙ ˙˙˙ wwww
Bm9 E9 A M a j9 Bm9 E9 A M a j9
? ## # ˙ ˙˙˙˙ ww
ww ˙
# #
˙˙
˙˙˙˙ www
E Ma j9 F m9 B9
? # # # # ˙˙ ˙˙˙˙ ˙˙˙
F m9 B9 E M a j9
w ˙ wwww
# # # #
˙˙˙˙ ˙˙˙ wwww
F 9 B M a j9
˙
F 9 B M a j9 C m9
˙˙˙˙ ww
C m9
? # # # # ˙˙˙ ww ˙
#
# # # # # #
˙˙˙˙ ˙˙˙
C 9 F Ma j9
wwww
G m9 C 9 F M a j9 G m9
? # # # # # ˙˙˙ ˙˙˙˙ ww
ww ˙
# ˙
b b b b b b
˙˙˙ ˙˙˙˙ ww
E m9 A 9 D M a j9
˙˙˙˙ ˙˙
E m9 A 9 D M a j9
? bb ˙ ww ˙˙ wwww
bbb
b b b b b b
˙˙˙˙ ˙˙˙ wwww
B m9 E 9 A M a j9
? b b ˙˙˙˙
E 9 A M a j9
˙˙˙˙ ww
B m9
ww ˙
bb
b b b b
˙˙˙ ˙˙˙˙ www
Fm9 B 9 E M a j9 Fm9 B 9 E Ma j9
? bb ˙ w ˙˙˙˙ ˙˙
˙˙ wwww
b
b b
˙˙ ˙˙˙˙ ˙˙˙ wwww
C m9 F9 B M a j9
˙˙˙˙ ww
C m9 F9 B M a j9
? b b ˙˙ ww ˙
˙˙˙ ˙˙˙˙ www
Gm9 C9 F Ma j9 C9
˙˙˙˙ ˙˙
Gm9 F Ma j9
?b ˙ w ˙˙ wwww
