Jazz Chord Voicings: minor 7 chords

Minor 7 chords can be notated as Cm7, Cmin7, or C-7.

Method 1:
I love this voicing because it is so EASY!!
Play a minor chord (CEbG)
Add a minor 3 on top of it (CEbGBb)
Invert it once (EbGBbC)
Raise the Root (C) one whole step (EbGBbD). Your Root just became a 9th.
This chord SOUNDS like a Major 7 chord, but it's really called a minor 9 chord. If you can figure up a minor 3rd from your Root and build a Root position M7 chord, that gives you a very nice sounding minor 7 chord.
I have been using this voicing with C-7, Db-7, E-7, Eb-7 and D-7.

Method 2:
Play a minor chord (ACE)
Add a minor 3rd on top of it (ACEG)
Put your top note on the bottom (B Position) (GACE)
Raise the 5th (A) a whole step (GBCE). Your 5th just became a 6th, and you have an A-13 chord, that functions nicely for an A-7.
I ave been using this voicing with A-7, G-7, Ab-7, Bb-7, B-7, and F#-7.

Method 3:
This method seems so easy that it is almost like cheating, because it more or less stays in Root Position.
Play a minor chord (FAbC)
Add the minor 3rd on top (FAbCEb)
Raise the Root (F) one whole step (GAbCEb). Now you don't have a root in your chord anymore. It just became F-9, but you can use it as F-7.

Jazz Chord Voicings: Major 7 Chords

Now that you know all your basic 7 chords, it's time to learn your Major 7 chords. Some symbols for a C Major 7 chord are C(triangle)7, CM7, or Cmaj7.

There are a few acceptable ways to come up with a Major 7 chord, and you can decide which works best for you depending on how it fits in your hand, which one you can remember most easily, and how it fits best in the song you are playing, the range of the inversion (remember, you have to stay between D below middle C and A above middle C), and most importantly, which sound you like best!

Method 1:
Play a Major Chord (CEG)
Add a Major 3rd on top of it (CEGB)
Invert it once to A Position (EGBC)
Raise the Root (C) a whole step (EGBD). This turns your root into a 9th.
Lower your 7th (B) a whole step (EGAD). This turns your 7th into a 6th, but we're going to call it a 13th now. So what you have WORKS like a Major 7 chord (even though there is technically no root or 7th in it!), but it's really a C 9 13 chord. In a jazz book, the 13 would be written above the 9 in the chord symbol.
I am using method 1 for CM7, DM7, EM7, DbM7, and EbM7

Method 2:
Play a Major chord (FAC)
Add a major 3rd on top of it (FACE)
Take the top note and put it on the bottom (EFAC)
Raise the Root (F) a whole step (EGAC). This turns your Root into a 9th.
Raise the 5th (C) a whole step (EGAD). This turns your 5th into a 6th, but again, we'll call it a 13. Again, this WORKS like a Major 7 chord, even though there is technically no root or 7th in it, but it's really an F 9 13 chord. Did you notice that it is spelled just like the CM7? I don't know why these two chords are spelled the same even though they can be used in different ways. But that's one less chord to learn.
I'm using method 2 with FM7, F#M7, AbM7, GM7, and AM7

Method 3:
Play a Major chord (BbDF)
Add a Major 3rd on top (BbDFA)
Invert it once into A Position (DFABb)
Raise the 5th one whole step (DGABb). This makes your 5th a 13th.
Raise your Root one whole step (DGAC). This makes your Root a 9th.
Again, this chord has no root or 7th, but it WORKS like a Major 7 chord. It is technically a Major 9 13 chord.
I am using method 3 with BbM7 and BM7.

Figure out which inversions will fit in your D-A range, and again, choose which sound you like best within that range.