Key of D Fingerstyle, Using Voice Leading!

Lesson #482 • Mar 31, 2022

In today’s lesson I want to share a 8 measure fingerstyle arrangement I was working on… and in doing so, stumbled upon the concept of voice leading. While this term was new to me, I realized at once it was something I was already using throughout this exercise. As I teach you how to play this short piece, I’ll also shine a light on a handful of areas where voice leading is being employed.

Video timestamps:

0:00 Overview
1:16 Chord Finger Positions
5:42 Voice Leading Examples #1-3
12:45 Voice Leading Example #4
17:19 Fingerpicking Pattern

Instructional PDF 2 pages

Lesson Discussion

What is Voice Leading?

Let me toss out a few definitions from other folks! From Berklee Online:

The term “voice leading” refers to the way in which individual voices move from chord to chord. The best voice leading occurs when all individual voices move smoothly. You can achieve this by moving between chords using the same note or moving up or down by a step in the inner voices of the chord, whenever possible.

Or from Dummies.com:

On the guitar, voice leading is the technique of writing smooth transitions from one chord to another, using common tones between chords and stepwise motion between their different pitches. Voice leading allows composers to take advantage of relationships between chords when connecting them in order to create more melodic lines.

And here’s the original video that turned me on this topic, from Signals Music Studio:

First, a few technique lessons in case you’re rusty with your fingerstyle playing:

Travis Picking vs. "Normal" Fingerstyle

★ Instructional PDF

D Chord Stretches: Ring or Pinky Finger?

★ Instructional PDF

And also, here’s a few lessons where the idea of a melodic voice is baked into fingerstyle arrangements I’d put together. I am not sure if these technically count as voice leading in a pure sense? But to me, the main idea is still there. That is, there’s a melodic through-line that is weaved into the chord progression.

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Key of D Fingerstyle, Using Voice Leading!

Instructional PDF 2 pages

Lesson Discussion

What is Voice Leading?

Related Lessons

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Browse Related Lessons

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Fingerstyle & Travis Picking

Blues Starter Kit

Reading Music for Guitarists

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Beginner Chord Guide

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Using a Capo

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CAGED Essentials

Fun & Helpful Tools I've Made

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Recent Lessons