More Chord Exercises and Cycle of Fifths

Chord sequences and exercises. Do the following on each sequence.

Play the chords in left hand. Use the chord chart to identify the notes. Play the chords near to the middle C register.

Firstly play all the chords in root position, that is with the name of the chord as the bottom note.

Then play all the chords in second inversion, that is with the fifth of the chord as the bottom note. ( C7 would be G Bb C E reading from the bottom note.)

When you have learnt to do this you are ready to make a smooth left hand part for the cycle of fifths.

Start with C7 in second inversion around middle C, next is F7 in root position, the top note will move down a semitone. Next Bb7 will be second inversion, Eb7 in root position. Carry on like this alternating between root position and second inversion. Each chord will be slightly lower than the previous one so if the sound starts to get a bit muddy move up to an alternate position. Here are the first four bars.

                        C7                        F7                    Bb7                   Eb7

You should also learn all these chord positions in the right hand.
 
 

1. Cycle of fifths

a)   /C7 /F7 /Bb7 /Eb7 /Ab7 /Db7 /Gb7 /B7 /E7 /A7 /D7 /G7 /

b)   /Cm7 /F7 /Bbm7 /Eb7 /Abm7 /Db7 /Gbm7 /B7 /Em7 /A7 /Dm7 /G7  /

c)   /C7 /Fm7 /Bb7 /Ebm7 /Ab7 /Dbm7 /Gb7 /Bm7 /E7 /Am7 /D7 /Gm7  /
 

2. Blues in F

/ F7    / Bb7    /F7     /F7     / Bb7   /Bb7   /F7    / D7   / Gm7    / C7     / F7 D7 / G7 C7/

This is a more complex blues sequence than the simple blues in C which was in the beginners lesson 1. But it is still 12 bars long and retains the main features of the blues chord pattern.

There is advice on how to create the left hand part on Chord exercise F blues

Then transpose the blues into C and Bb and G
 

3. I got Rhythm

/ Bb  G7 / Cm7 F7 / Dm7 G7 / Cm7 F7 / Bb7   / Eb7 Eo 7 / Bb G7 / Cm7  F7 /
/ Bb  G7 / Cm7 F7 / Dm7 G7 / Cm7 F7 / Bb7   / Eb7 Eo 7 / Bb F7 / Bb          /
/ D7        / D7        / G7         / G7         / C7      / C7           / F7       / F7         /
/ Bb  G7 / Cm7 F7 / Dm7 G7 / Cm7 F7 / Bb7   / Eb7 Eo 7 / Bb G7 / Cm7  F7 /

Notice how many instances of cycle of fifths patterns there are in this sequence :-

 G7 / Cm7 F7 /
 Dm7 G7 / Cm7 F7 / Bb7
/ D7        / D7        / G7         / G7         / C7      / C7           / F7       / F7         /

Try doing a left hand part for this too.

I talk about left hand chords a lot here but you do need to know all these chords in both hands.

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