Skip to content

Lesson 1 of 6

Shell voicings

Free preview

A shell voicing is a seventh chord stripped down to three notes: the root, the third and the seventh. The third tells you major or minor, the seventh tells you maj7, 7 or m7. Leaving out the fifth keeps the sound clean and light, which is why jazz guitarists comp with shells all the time.

The first exercise uses shells with the root on the A string (C chords, third position); the second has the root on the low E string (G chords, third position).

Fingering

  • A-string shells: root on the A string, third on the D string, seventh on the G string.
  • E-string shells: root on the low E, seventh on the D string, third on the G string. Skip the A string and let a fretting finger touch it lightly to mute it.
  • Watch which finger moves: Cmaj7 to C7 lowers only the seventh; C7 to Cm7 lowers only the third.

Strum with downstrokes, four even beats per bar. It should sound warm and compact, not like a big open chord.

The most common mistake is letting muted strings ring. Strum only the three strings you need, or keep spare fingers lightly on the others.

Practice slowly and name each chord before you play it.

Exercises

A-string shells: Cmaj7, C7, Cm7

60 → 120 bpm
  1. Bar 1
    1. A string, fret 3 + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 4
    2. A string, fret 3 + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 4
    3. A string, fret 3 + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 4
    4. A string, fret 3 + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 4
  2. Bar 2
    1. A string, fret 3 + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 3
    2. A string, fret 3 + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 3
    3. A string, fret 3 + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 3
    4. A string, fret 3 + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 3
  3. Bar 3
    1. A string, fret 3 + D string, fret 1 + G string, fret 3
    2. A string, fret 3 + D string, fret 1 + G string, fret 3
    3. A string, fret 3 + D string, fret 1 + G string, fret 3
    4. A string, fret 3 + D string, fret 1 + G string, fret 3
  4. Bar 4
    1. A string, fret 3 + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 3
    2. A string, fret 3 + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 3
    3. A string, fret 3 + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 3
    4. A string, fret 3 + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 3

Clean 3 times in a row? Raise the tempo by 5 bpm.

E-string shells: Gmaj7, G7, Gm7

60 → 120 bpm
  1. Bar 1
    1. low E string, fret 3 + D string, fret 4 + G string, fret 4
    2. low E string, fret 3 + D string, fret 4 + G string, fret 4
    3. low E string, fret 3 + D string, fret 4 + G string, fret 4
    4. low E string, fret 3 + D string, fret 4 + G string, fret 4
  2. Bar 2
    1. low E string, fret 3 + D string, fret 3 + G string, fret 4
    2. low E string, fret 3 + D string, fret 3 + G string, fret 4
    3. low E string, fret 3 + D string, fret 3 + G string, fret 4
    4. low E string, fret 3 + D string, fret 3 + G string, fret 4
  3. Bar 3
    1. low E string, fret 3 + D string, fret 3 + G string, fret 3
    2. low E string, fret 3 + D string, fret 3 + G string, fret 3
    3. low E string, fret 3 + D string, fret 3 + G string, fret 3
    4. low E string, fret 3 + D string, fret 3 + G string, fret 3
  4. Bar 4
    1. low E string, fret 3 + D string, fret 3 + G string, fret 4
    2. low E string, fret 3 + D string, fret 3 + G string, fret 4
    3. low E string, fret 3 + D string, fret 3 + G string, fret 4
    4. low E string, fret 3 + D string, fret 3 + G string, fret 4

Clean 3 times in a row? Raise the tempo by 5 bpm.

Dominant shells: C7, F7, C7, G7

60 → 120 bpm
  1. Bar 1
    1. A string, fret 3 + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 3
    2. A string, fret 3 + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 3
    3. A string, fret 3 + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 3
    4. A string, fret 3 + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 3
  2. Bar 2
    1. low E string, fret 1 + D string, fret 1 + G string, fret 2
    2. low E string, fret 1 + D string, fret 1 + G string, fret 2
    3. low E string, fret 1 + D string, fret 1 + G string, fret 2
    4. low E string, fret 1 + D string, fret 1 + G string, fret 2
  3. Bar 3
    1. A string, fret 3 + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 3
    2. A string, fret 3 + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 3
    3. A string, fret 3 + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 3
    4. A string, fret 3 + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 3
  4. Bar 4
    1. low E string, fret 3 + D string, fret 3 + G string, fret 4
    2. low E string, fret 3 + D string, fret 3 + G string, fret 4
    3. low E string, fret 3 + D string, fret 3 + G string, fret 4
    4. low E string, fret 3 + D string, fret 3 + G string, fret 4

Clean 3 times in a row? Raise the tempo by 5 bpm.

Checkpoint

Move on when you can do all of these.

  • Change shells at 120 bpm without a gap, 4 loops
  • Point to the root, third and seventh in every shape
Sign in to save your progress and clean takes.