| Beginning Bass 14: Diatonic Chords in the Cycle of 4ths By Roy Vogt Bass Instructor, Belmont University |
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Continuing in our exploration of diatonic 7th chords, I've gone to a Golden Oldie chord progression here. In fact, it's a REALLY Old Golden Oldie. This progression goes back to the time of J.S. Bach in the Baroque Era.
Simply put, we're taking the diatonic progression (I-ii-iii-IV-V-vi-viim7b5-I) and moving it in a progression called the cycle of 4ths. The roots are moving in 4ths, but we're staying in the progression. Thus the pattern is:
I-IV-viim7b5-iii-vi-ii-V-I
In the key of G that would be:
Gmaj7-Cmaj7-F#m7b5-Bm7-Em7-Am7-D7-Gmaj7
Chord Tone Study 1 (PDF, 32k)
In F:
Fmaj7-Bbmaj7-Em7b5-Am7-Dm7-Gm7-C7-Fmaj7
Chord Tone Study 2 (PDF, 32k)
Finally in Ab:
Abmaj7-Dbmaj7-Gm7b5-Cm7-Fm7-Bbm7-Eb7-Abmaj7
Chord Tone Study 3 (PDF, 32k)
Cycle Drill (PDF, 11k)
Cycle Drill with bass (MP3, 6M)
Cycle Drill no bass (MP3, 6M)
I've written these out in standard notation. Take your time learning them, and then try the cycle exercise I've written out. I've played it straight the first time through and then started playing around with rhythms and the order of notes (improvising). Have fun and take your time with this one!
Peace and Low Notes,
Roy C. Vogt
Nashville Bassist
Bass Instructor, Belmont University, Nashville, TN
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