Voice leading: how to move smoothly between chords

Voice leading is the path each note takes when the chord changes. In C major, Dm7, G7, Cmaj7 holds common tones and moves the other notes by a step: play D3 F3 A3 C4, then D3 F3 G3 B3, then C3 E3 G3 B3.

The chords and one voicing

Dm7 is D F A C. G7 is G B D F. Cmaj7 is C E G B. In C major those are ii, V, and I. D3 is the D below middle C, and middle C is C4. Play this with one finger per note, and keep a finger down when the next chord uses the same pitch:

Dm7    D3  F3  A3  C4
G7     D3  F3  G3  B3
Cmaj7  C3  E3  G3  B3

Where each voice goes

D3 holds from Dm7 into G7. In G7 that D is the fifth (G B D F). It then steps down a whole step to C3, the root of Cmaj7 (C E G B).

F3 holds from Dm7 into G7. It is the third of Dm7 and the seventh of G7. It then steps down a half step to E3, the third of Cmaj7.

A3 steps down a whole step to G3. A is the fifth of Dm7, and G is the root of G7. G3 then holds into Cmaj7, where G is the fifth.

C4 steps down a half step to B3. C is the seventh of Dm7, and B is the third of G7. B3 then holds into Cmaj7, where B is the seventh of the tonic. The names for these jobs are in harmonic function.

Contrary motion

Contrary motion is one voice rising while another falls. This voicing keeps F3 and moves the bass up a fourth on each change. G7 here is G, B, and F, with G doubled. The fifth, D, is left out so the bass can take the root and F3 can stay:

Dm7    D2  F3  A3  C4
G7     G2  F3  G3  B3
Cmaj7  C3  E3  G3  B3

D2 rises a fourth to G2, then G2 rises a fourth to C3. C4 falls a half step to B3, then B3 holds. F3 holds into G7, then falls a half step to E3. A3 falls a whole step to G3, then G3 holds. On the first change the bass rises and the top note falls. On the second change the bass rises and F3 falls, while B3 holds.

Inversions

Third inversion puts the seventh in the bass. First inversion puts the third in the bass. Play:

Dm7/C   C3  F3  A3  D4
G7/B    B2  F3  G3  D4
Cmaj7   C3  E3  G3  B3

Dm7/C is C F A D, the same four notes as D F A C, with C in the bass. G7/B is B F G D, the same four notes as G B D F, with B in the bass. The last chord is C E G B in root position, with C in the bass.

C3 moves down a half step to B2. F3 holds. A3 moves down a whole step to G3. D4 holds. On the next chord, B2 rises a half step to C3, and F3 falls a half step to E3, so the bass and that inner voice move in opposite directions. G3 holds. D4 moves down a minor third to B3.

In VOICING, INVERSION runs from Root through 1st and up to 6th. Use 3rd inversion on a seventh chord when you want the seventh in the bass, as C is the bass of Dm7/C. Use 1st inversion when you want the third in the bass, as B is the bass of G7/B.

A low third, and a fifth that slides

Play D2 F2 A2 C3, the first voicing down an octave. D2 to F2 is a minor third in a low register, and it sounds muddy. Put A and C back up at A3 and C4, or enable Low Interval Limits in VOICING so the lower voices stay farther apart. If the chord is still thick, widen Spacing in VOICING.

Play Dm as D3 A3 D4 F4 and G as G3 D4 G4 B4. The fifth D A moves onto the fifth G D. Play the common-tone voicing beside it, D3 F3 A3 C4 into D3 F3 G3 B3. A3 steps to G3, and F3 holds.

Turn the same moves on in the app

Turn Voice Lead on from the Dashboard or in VOICING. It keeps a shared note and sends the other notes on a short path. F3, held from Dm7 into G7 in the first voicing, is the shared note. Turn on SUSTAIN C.T. so that common tone connects across the block change.

Drag each voicing from PALETTE onto the progression timeline so the three blocks store these shapes. A Voicing track plays them from the progression plus the voicing settings. To begin from a generated draft and then repair one jumpy change, generate the blocks with the chord progression generator and replace the cadence with these three chords.

Paste the voicing into a DAW

On a Voicing track, choose Copy as MIDI from the track menu and paste into the DAW. Check the clip for F3 holding into the G7 bar and B3 holding into the Cmaj7 bar. Plugin routing and Virtual MIDI Device are in taking a progression to a DAW.