Advanced Circular Progressions
When we say advanced here, we are talking about a scenario where there is a Bass Guitar in the group playing the root of the progressions. This now gives the keyboardist room to explore more voicing and left hand chords.
We will be talking on how the chords would look like without the root on your left hand in this section.
NOTE: These chords can be played in any inversion of your choice [but be conscious of the melody of the song]. These are the most common sets you will hear, and it will prepare you for more advanced combinations in the future.
There is a common rule here surrounding each chord selection. To get the most out of your left and right hand, you will have to follow certain principles to navigate around your chord voicing properly.
So, what are these rules Harold? Here they are:
1. Eliminate the root on your left hand.
2. Carve out a four note chord on your left hand from the remaining notes after the root has been taken out. This chord will either be a Major 7, minor 7, or an 'altered quartal chord' {Major 7 b5}, whatever. This will be played in root or preferably 2nd inversion.
3. The right hand then plays a triad of the 5th degree of that new chord [5th of the main chord if it was altered].
Does that sound confusing? Here is an example:
1. Eliminate the root on your left hand:
In a chord like this having G Bb D F A C [G minor 11 chord], take out the G.
2. Carve out a four note chord on your left hand from the remaining notes after the root has been taken out. This chord will either be a Major 7, minor 7, or an 'altered quartal chord' {Major 7 b5}, whatever. This will be played in root or preferably 2nd inversion.
This will leave us with Bb D F A C [Bb Major 9 chord]. So carving out a 4 note chord will mean Bb D F A [Bb Major 7], played that way or arranged as F A Bb D.
3. The right hand then plays a triad of the 5th degree of that new chord [5th of the main chord if it was altered].
The 5th degree of Bb is F, so we will be playing an F Major triad on the right hand, in any inversion of choice [F A C].
Okay, now for real examples using the chord patterns we just dealt with in the common circular pattern section.
We begin with the 7 - 3 - 6 using the key of C as reference. Hope you still remember the qualities used on each of the degrees?
7 = A C# D F# /// A C# E
We will be talking on how the chords would look like without the root on your left hand in this section.
NOTE: These chords can be played in any inversion of your choice [but be conscious of the melody of the song]. These are the most common sets you will hear, and it will prepare you for more advanced combinations in the future.
There is a common rule here surrounding each chord selection. To get the most out of your left and right hand, you will have to follow certain principles to navigate around your chord voicing properly.
So, what are these rules Harold? Here they are:
1. Eliminate the root on your left hand.
2. Carve out a four note chord on your left hand from the remaining notes after the root has been taken out. This chord will either be a Major 7, minor 7, or an 'altered quartal chord' {Major 7 b5}, whatever. This will be played in root or preferably 2nd inversion.
3. The right hand then plays a triad of the 5th degree of that new chord [5th of the main chord if it was altered].
Does that sound confusing? Here is an example:
1. Eliminate the root on your left hand:
In a chord like this having G Bb D F A C [G minor 11 chord], take out the G.
2. Carve out a four note chord on your left hand from the remaining notes after the root has been taken out. This chord will either be a Major 7, minor 7, or an 'altered quartal chord' {Major 7 b5}, whatever. This will be played in root or preferably 2nd inversion.
This will leave us with Bb D F A C [Bb Major 9 chord]. So carving out a 4 note chord will mean Bb D F A [Bb Major 7], played that way or arranged as F A Bb D.
3. The right hand then plays a triad of the 5th degree of that new chord [5th of the main chord if it was altered].
The 5th degree of Bb is F, so we will be playing an F Major triad on the right hand, in any inversion of choice [F A C].
Okay, now for real examples using the chord patterns we just dealt with in the common circular pattern section.
We begin with the 7 - 3 - 6 using the key of C as reference. Hope you still remember the qualities used on each of the degrees?
7 = A C# D F# /// A C# E
3 = D G G# C /// E G C
6 = G B C E /// G B D
Okay, the next set of patterns is the 3 - 6 - 2.
3 = D F# G B /// D F# A
3 = D F# G B /// D F# A
6 = G C C# F /// A C F
This can also be played as: G C C# F /// C F G C
2 = C E F A /// C E G
Next on the list is the 6 - 2 - 5 progression.
6 = G B C E /// G B D
6 = G B C E /// G B D
2 = F# B C E /// F# B E
5 = G A B D /// B D G
The next set of patterns will be the 2 - 5 - 1
2 = C E F A /// C E G
2 = C E F A /// C E G
5 = B E F A /// B E A
1 = B D E G /// A D G
And the last on the list is the 5 - 1 - 4
5 = F A Bb D /// F A D
5 = F A Bb D /// F A D
1 = E A Bb D /// E G C
4 = E G A C /// E A C