05/28/2025
I’ve arranged "Over The Rainbow” using my basic 2+2 chord voicing method for piano.
The 2+2 chord voicing approach is a practical system for pianists to develop the skill of spontaneously forming clean, effective chord voicings from lead sheets. It keeps things simple by assigning each hand a clear role. The left hand provides the harmonic foundation, usually playing the root and either the 7th or the 3rd (occasionally the 5th, especially on tonic chords). The right-hand thumb fills in the missing essential chord tone—either the 3rd or 7th, whichever isn’t already covered by the left hand—while the remaining fingers in the right hand play the melody above.
This setup promotes smooth voice leading, creates a balanced sound, and works well in both solo and group settings. When it’s time to solo, a pianist can continue using the left hand as in the arrangement—alternating between root and 7th or root and 3rd voicings—to provide a strong foundation to improvise over. As players grow more comfortable with 2+2 chord voicings, they can enrich their harmony with additional notes, increase left-hand rhythmic motion, and incorporate melodic embellishments to develop their own style.
While most of my arrangements use the 2+2 chord arranging method, some explore alternative textures, including Broadway bass left-hand style, Latin patterns, stride techniques, walking bass lines, and arpeggio-based left-hand patterns.
Please check out my 1,200 “2+2” Jazz Piano Arrangements of Standards and 50 Tutorials at www.Patreon.com/HarryLikas
I was the technical editor for Mark Levine’s “The Jazz Theory Book” and a contributor to “The Jazz Piano Book.”
12/09/2024