Chords!

For voice leading, it also works pretty well to invert the chords, play in a single note melody, and then there are decent, often rootless, voicings that can join with the bass line.

From my private chart,
CM6 = Am7, Fmaj9, D(m)11,
CM6add4no5 = Dm9, Bbmaj7#11, Gsus13
Cmb6 = Abmaj7, Fm9
Cdim7 = D/F/Ab/B 7b9
Csus4b9#5= C#maj7, Bbm9, F#maj7#11

In practice I start with M6 or mb6 (17, 25), then try the others if something is unusually placed. I learned this trick from a sample pack where every chord sample was voiced as Am7 and Abmaj7, allows for much more interesting (“neo-soul”) harmonies than moving a minor chord around allows…

2 Likes