Common Circular Patterns/Progressions
This section, we will cover common circular progressions that we hear in everyday music [Gospel or Secular]. These progressions/patterns are common, so beginners and intermediate level Musicians can relate with it and solidify their prowess.
This is where the fun begins.
We have learned notes, scales, intervals, finger placements, chords, inversions, voicings, common altered chords, diatonic chords, circular and linear movements, and how to transpose the knowledge to other keys. Now, we put them all together in pattern sets, so it begins to make more sense to us. This is where application of what we have learned start coming to play.
Alright, in patterns, there are 5 basic movements that cover the diatonic degrees completely:
7 – 3 – 6
3 – 6 – 2
6 – 2 – 5
2 – 5 – 1
5 – 1 – 4
If you spell them out together, you will have 7 – 3 – 6 – 2 – 5 – 1 – 4 [which was the circular way of arranging our note degrees from 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 as we discussed earlier in the section of circle of fifths].
There’s a more advanced approach to these patterns, a deeper involvement of these circles as it relates to family affairs within other keys, but that will not be treated in this series.
So, like I said earlier, there are 5 circular progressions basically, when we split them into 3 movements each. These circles are:
7 - 3 - 6, 3 - 6 - 2, 6 - 2 - 5, 2 - 5 - 1, 5 - 1 – 4
Permit me to use numbers. This will help us transpose the chords to other keys more quickly
So a common 7 - 3 - 6 movement will have you play a [7] minor 11 - [3] aug 7 #9 - [6] minor 11
So you can split your hands to play the 7 as B D F# /// A C# E
This is where the fun begins.
We have learned notes, scales, intervals, finger placements, chords, inversions, voicings, common altered chords, diatonic chords, circular and linear movements, and how to transpose the knowledge to other keys. Now, we put them all together in pattern sets, so it begins to make more sense to us. This is where application of what we have learned start coming to play.
Alright, in patterns, there are 5 basic movements that cover the diatonic degrees completely:
7 – 3 – 6
3 – 6 – 2
6 – 2 – 5
2 – 5 – 1
5 – 1 – 4
If you spell them out together, you will have 7 – 3 – 6 – 2 – 5 – 1 – 4 [which was the circular way of arranging our note degrees from 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 as we discussed earlier in the section of circle of fifths].
There’s a more advanced approach to these patterns, a deeper involvement of these circles as it relates to family affairs within other keys, but that will not be treated in this series.
So, like I said earlier, there are 5 circular progressions basically, when we split them into 3 movements each. These circles are:
7 - 3 - 6, 3 - 6 - 2, 6 - 2 - 5, 2 - 5 - 1, 5 - 1 – 4
Permit me to use numbers. This will help us transpose the chords to other keys more quickly
So a common 7 - 3 - 6 movement will have you play a [7] minor 11 - [3] aug 7 #9 - [6] minor 11
So you can split your hands to play the 7 as B D F# /// A C# E
Then, you can split your hands to play the 3 as E C D /// Ab C D G
And you split your hands to play the 6 as A E G /// G B C E
This is a common selection of chord choice on the 7 - 3 - 6. To translate these to other keys, simply ask yourself, what is the 7 - 3 - 6 of the new key I am trying to play? Then play the minor 11 - aug 7#9 (altered chord) - minor 11 as your chords on that key e.g. on the key of E, this will be D# minor 11 [as your 7] - G# aug 7#9 [as your 3] - C# minor 11 [as your 6]
Quickly, you will notice that I am not exactly making use of my diatonic chords to make a chord choice over the various degrees. This is because of harmonic coupling between various notes. Naturally, it will sound bland to just use the diatonic chords alone, so I make use of substitutes to decide the best options that will go with the chords. These are not the only options, but the most common of them. You see a minor used on the 7, an altered on the 3, and a minor on the 6. The 3 here acts as a passing chord to the 6. If you recall the section we dealt on combining linear and circular patterns, you will see that moving from the 7 to the 6 is normal, but infusing a 3 there makes it more mature and colorful. When that is done, a passing chord is usually the most common choice for the Musician. The 7 therefore loses its nature of being a half diminished and becomes a minor, which will lead better to the passing chord.
Quickly, you will notice that I am not exactly making use of my diatonic chords to make a chord choice over the various degrees. This is because of harmonic coupling between various notes. Naturally, it will sound bland to just use the diatonic chords alone, so I make use of substitutes to decide the best options that will go with the chords. These are not the only options, but the most common of them. You see a minor used on the 7, an altered on the 3, and a minor on the 6. The 3 here acts as a passing chord to the 6. If you recall the section we dealt on combining linear and circular patterns, you will see that moving from the 7 to the 6 is normal, but infusing a 3 there makes it more mature and colorful. When that is done, a passing chord is usually the most common choice for the Musician. The 7 therefore loses its nature of being a half diminished and becomes a minor, which will lead better to the passing chord.
Okay! For the next selection in our patterns list, 3 - 6 – 2
You can translate the same chords for this one as well: [3] minor 11 – [6] aug 7#9 – [2] minor 11
Into two handed chords:
3 = E G B /// D F# A
You can translate the same chords for this one as well: [3] minor 11 – [6] aug 7#9 – [2] minor 11
Into two handed chords:
3 = E G B /// D F# A
6 = A F G /// C# F G C
2 = D A C /// C E F A
Then the next chord movement on the list will be our 6 - 2 - 5
For this, the common movement of the 6 will be minor 11 – [2] Dominant 11 – [5] major add 9 basically.
6 = A E G /// G B C E
For this, the common movement of the 6 will be minor 11 – [2] Dominant 11 – [5] major add 9 basically.
6 = A E G /// G B C E
2 [D A C /// F# B C E]
5 [G D E /// D G A B]
Notice here that the chord choices have changed from the previous. This is due to the diatonic relevance of the degrees and the options for substitution. Remember also that these are the common movements we see around. There are more movements definitely, based on creativity and other principles, but our focus here in this series is the common ones. Those that are noticed in most of the songs we hear, and occur more frequently.
Then we have the 2 - 5 - 1
2 will be minor 11 - 5 will be dominant 11 - 1 will be major 9
2 = D A C /// C E F A
Then we have the 2 - 5 - 1
2 will be minor 11 - 5 will be dominant 11 - 1 will be major 9
2 = D A C /// C E F A
5 = G D F /// B E F A
1 = C G D /// B D E G
Then lastly, we have the 5 - 1 – 4
The 5 will be a minor 11 – 1 will be a dominant 13 – 4 will be a major 9
5 = G D F /// F A Bb D
The 5 will be a minor 11 – 1 will be a dominant 13 – 4 will be a major 9
5 = G D F /// F A Bb D
1 = C G Bb /// E A Bb D
4 = F C E /// C E F A
From our session on voicings, we can change the sound of these chords easily to create variety, but these are the common progressions and chord choices you hear everyday. Next we move to the advanced way of playing the common progressions.