Understanding the Let It Snow Chord Progression with Jazz Voicings

"Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" is a beloved winter tune, often played and arranged in jazz circles especially during the holiday season. Its chord progression is both familiar and versatile, allowing musicians to explore rich jazz harmonies through tasteful voicings and substitutions. This page will guide you through the fundamental chord progression of Let It Snow and demonstrate how to apply jazz voicings to bring the tune to life.

The Basic Chord Progression

The song is usually in the key of C major (though its commonly played in Bb or other keys depending on the performer). For the purpose of explanation, we will analyze and voice the tune in C major. The progression is a classic popular standard pattern that combines diatonic movement and dominant-function chords to build energy and color.

Here's the basic progression for the first 8 bars of the A section:

And the second 8 bars:

This is a common jazz standard form featuring a strong II-V-I motion in C Major that helps define the harmonic framework of the song.

Jazz Harmonic Concepts in Let It Snow

Jazz musicians often embellish the basic chords with extended and altered tones to enhance harmonic interest. Below are some key concepts applied to Let It Snow:

• Use of Seventh Chords: Basic triads are replaced by seventh chords like Cmaj7, Am7, Dm7, and G7 to expand the harmony.
• II-V-I Progressions: The classic Dm7G7Cmaj7 sequence is the core harmonic motion for many bars.
• Chord Extensions: Adding 9ths, 11ths, and 13ths to create richer voicings.
• Altered Dominants: Substituting dominant chords with altered tones (b9, #9, #11, b13) for tension and release.
• Passing Chords and Substitutions: Incorporating tritone substitutions and chromatic passing chords for color.

Typical Jazz Voicings for Let It Snow Chords

Below are some suggested voicings for the chords used in Let It Snow that exemplify a smooth, warm jazz sound on piano or guitar.

Cmaj7 Voicings

Cmaj7 is the tonic major 7 chord, foundational and stable. Try:

• Root Position (RH): E (3), G (5), B (7), C (root) For example on piano: C (LH), E, G, B (RH)
• Drop 2 voicing: Gmaj7 voicing using notes B (7), C (root), E (3), G (5) Often played as 3-7-1-5
• Drop 3 voicing: E(3), G(5), B(7), D(9) Adding the 9th (D) for a lush sound

Am7 Voicings

Minor 7 chord acting as the vi degree:

• E (5), G (b7), A (root), C (3) Basic minor 7 voicing
• Adding the 9th (B) for texture: A-C-E-G-B
• Often voiced as root (A), minor 3rd (C), 7th (G), and 9th (B)

Dm7 Voicings

The ii chord in the key of C major:

• D (root), F (b3), A (5), C (b7)
• Adding the 9th (E) for warmth: D-F-A-C-E
• Drop 2 or drop 3 voicings suit piano or guitar

G7 Voicings

The V7 chord leading back to Cmaj7:

• G (root), B (3), D (5), F (b7) basic dominant 7 chord
• Include tensions such as 9 (A), #9 (A# / Bb), 13 (E)
• Altered dominant voicing example: G-B-D-F-Ab (b9)
• Tritone substitution: Db7 instead of G7 for chromatic approach to Cmaj7

Em7 and A7 Voicings in Bar 9-10

This is a quick secondary ii-V chord progression targeting Dm7:

• Em7: E-G-B-D (root, b3, 5, b7), add 9th (F#) for color.
• A7: A-C#-E-G (root, 3, 5, b7), altered tensions: b9 (Bb), #9 (B#), 13 (F#) if desired.

Putting It Together: Sample Chord Voicings for the First 4 Bars (Piano)

LH (Bass)  | RH (Chord voicing)-----------------------------------------------------C          | E - G - B - D    (Cmaj9)A          | G - C - E - B    (Am7)D          | F - A - C - E    (Dm9)G          | F - B - D - E    (G13 altered)    

This example shows how one can add 9ths and 13ths to the basic chords for a jazzier sound. The G13 altered chord provides tension that resolves smoothly back to Cmaj7.

Chord Substitutions and Passing Chords

Jazz musicians love to spice up progressions with substitutions including:

• Tritone substitution: Replace G7 with Db7 to give a chromatic, surprising color. The progression moves: Dm7 - Db7 - Cmaj7 instead of Dm7 - G7 - Cmaj7.
• Passing diminished chords: Insert a chord like Bdim7 between Am7 and Dm7 for smooth voice leading.
• Chromatic approach chords: Use chords a half step above or below target chord to create a tension and release effect.

Example with Tritone Substitution and Extensions (Bars 3-4)

Dm7     | Db7#11F A C E | C Gb Bb Eb(Dm9)  | (Db7 altered with #11)    

By substituting G7 with Db7#11, you get a fresh outside sound that makes the resolution to Cmaj7 more colorful and jazzy.

Common Jazz Voicing Fingerings for Guitar

Here are example chord shapes for guitar to help incorporate these jazz sounds:

• Cmaj7: x32000 or 8 10 9 9 8 8
• Am7: x02010 or 5 5 5 5 5 5
• Dm7: xx0211 or 5 5 7 5 6 5
• G7: 320001 or 3 5 3 4 3 3 (with b9 tension)
• Db7 (tritone sub): x4344x or 9 11 9 10 9 9

How to Practice Jazz Voicings for Let It Snow

1. Start simple: Play chord tones in root position to get familiarity.
2. Add color tones: Add 7ths, 9ths, and 13ths.
3. Try chord inversions: Practice drop 2 and drop 3 voicings to improve voice leading.
4. Explore substitutions: Integrate tritone subs and diminished passing chords.
5. Listen and transcribe: Listen to jazz recordings of Let It Snow and analyze the chord voicings used.

Recommended Recordings for Reference

Listening to great jazz interpretations of Let It Snow can inspire your approach to voicing:

• Frank Sinatra Let It Snow (classic vocal jazz feel)
• Bill Evans Trio Let It Snow (piano trio jazz voicings)
• Ella Fitzgerald & Joe Pass Let It Snow (guitar and voice interplay)

Conclusion

The chord progression of Let It Snow offers a fertile ground for jazz voicing exploration. By extending chords, applying substitutions, and creatively voicing harmonies, musicians can transform a familiar holiday tune into an expressive jazz performance. Whether on piano, guitar, or any harmonic instrument, understanding the relationship between the chords and their extensions will enrich your playing and deepen your appreciation of this timeless classic.