Grounded Shell Voicing Method

Every chord in this method starts from a simple three-note triad built from the scale: a root, a third, and a fifth. These three notes can be stacked in different orders called inversions, that change which note sits on the bottom.

In root position, the root is on the bottom. In 1st inversion, the third moves to the bottom. In 2nd inversion, the fifth is on the bottom. The same three pitches, rearranged.

Your left hand plays only the outer two notes of the inversion — the bottom note and the top note — skipping the middle one entirely. This is called the shell. It outlines the chord clearly without crowding the middle register.

For a root-position triad, the shell is the root and the fifth. For a 1st-inversion triad, it is the third and the root. For 2nd inversion, the fifth and the third. The left hand always plays these two notes in the bass clef.

Your right hand fills in the note the left hand left out — the missing middle note of the inversion. This completes the triad across both hands and creates a clear, open voicing of the triad.

This is the heart of the method. The highest note in your right hand stays fixed on one scale degree for every chord in the progression. This anchored top voice acts as a thread that ties every chord together, giving the harmony a unique sense of color.

There are two positions to choose from:

1st Position (Dark) — The tonic of the key (scale degree 1) stays on top. This creates a warm, grounded sound.

2nd Position (Bright) — The fifth of the key (scale degree 5) stays on top. This creates a more open, lifted sound.

Your right hand now carries two notes: the missing chord tone below and the fixed top voice above.

Sometimes the missing chord tone and the fixed top voice turn out to be the same pitch. When this happens, your right hand simply plays one note instead of two. The chord is still complete — the notes just happen to line up. This is normal and expected in certain chord-and-inversion combinations.

When moving from one chord to the next, keep every voice as close as possible to where it was previously. No large jumps. Each finger shifts by the smallest available interval — a half step or whole step when possible. Combined with the fixed top voice, this creates smooth, connected harmony where each chord flows naturally into the next.

Below is a I – V – vi – IV progression. Notice how the top voice stays anchored, and the inner voices move to the next closest voicing.