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Resolving around the circle

3K views 11 replies 7 participants last post by  SaxPunter 
#1 ·
A while back, someone posted some patterns, or arpeggios or something that resolved around the circle in a never-ending way. Does anyone know what exercise that might have been?


Cheers
 
#2 ·
Yes it's commonly called the cycle of 5ths because you play the chord/arpeggio/scale of the dominant 5th of tonic to which it resolves. Because there are 12 degrees of the scale it's often shown as a clockface.

C -> F -> Bb -> Eb -> Ab -> Db -> Gb -> B -> E -> A -> D -> G -> C et cetera ad infinitum
 
#3 ·
G'day Nige,

David baker had a few of these in his Bebop books and if I recall rightly, Bert Ligon has a few in his "Comprehensive Technique for Jazz Musicians" book. Give me a short while and I'll dig through the rubble and see if I can't help you out.
 
#6 ·
Thanks mate... Actually I bought his other book "connecting chords with linear harmony" ages ago, you've just reminded me of that ! It was over my head a bit but maybe it's time to have another crack... Onya Drew!
 
#4 ·
I understand how the circle works, someone posted a pattern exercise that resolved as it went around and I'm at a point where I'd like to add that sort of exercise to my practice routine. What I'm looking to do is nail all major minor and dominant arpeggios and associated scales. I'm so close to being able to bring voice leading between changes into solos and I need more exercises to solidify the different chord flavours
 
#5 ·
That's exactly the patterns I'm talking about. I'll dig 'em up don't worry.
 
#10 ·
#11 ·
Also, you can make up your own after doing a few like the one Pete supplied above. Take any chord or phrase and move it around the cycle, looking for the smoothest transition.

A really basic one for chord arpeggios is to move up one 7th chord and back down the next one in the cycle. So for dominant chords starting on C7 it would be (sorry, don't know how to put properly noted music in here):

up (C7): C E G Bb
down (F7): A F Eb C
up (Bb7): Bb D F Ab
down (Eb7): G Eb Db Bb

etc, around the complete cycle. Then reverse and start by going up on F7.

Note each chord voice leads on the 7th or 3rd for each change. You can do this with major and minor chords also of course.

This is a very basic exercise, but it gets you focused on the chord tones and voice leading, for a start. I like the one Pete has above, as it gets a little more melodic but accomplishes the same thing.
 
#12 ·
Thanks all - this is the kinda stuff I was after, gold!
 
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