Open vs. Close Voicing
Same three notes, two very different sounds — it all comes down to how tightly (or widely) you space them.
Close voicing: as tight as possible
A close voicing stacks a chord's tones as tightly as they'll go, all within a single octave. A C major triad in close voicing is simply C-E-G, one right after another. It's compact, easy to play, and the default way most people first learn to build a chord.
Open voicing: give it room
An open voicing takes those same three notes and spreads them across more than an octave — typically by moving the middle voice up or down an octave. C-E-G becomes C-G-E (with the E now sitting a ninth above the C instead of a third). The chord tones haven't changed, only their spacing — but open voicings sound fuller and less muddy, especially down low, which is why they're a staple of piano left-hand accompaniment and orchestral writing.
Common questions
What is close voicing?
A chord with its tones stacked as tightly as possible, all within a single octave.
What is open voicing?
The same chord tones spread across more than an octave, typically by moving an inner voice to a different octave.
Why use an open voicing instead of close?
Open voicings sound fuller and less muddy, especially in a low register, giving each note room to resonate.
Where is open voicing used most?
Piano left-hand accompaniment and orchestral writing, where tightly-packed low chords tend to sound thick and unclear.
Voice chords your own way
Melody Monkey's Songwriting Studio lets you rearrange any chord's spacing and hear it instantly.
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