The Basics | Walking Bass Lines | IIm7-V7-Imaj7 | Circle of 5ths | Simple Blues

What is the Circle of 5ths!!

When you do this you become more intimate with the keyboard.

You will be AMAZED at how much more confident you feel after doing this for a few months.

In Gospel and Jazz, we go backwards on the circle, beginning with C and moving to F, etc. You can improvise on this progression around the circle for a long time and it wouldn't get boring because of all the key changes.

C-E-G-B | F-A-C-E | Bb-D-F-A | Eb-G-Bb-D | Ab-C-Eb-G | Db-F-Ab-C
Gb-Bb-Db-F | B-D#-F#-A# | E-G#-B-D# | A-C#-E-G# | D-F#-A-C#| G-B-D-F#

One of the most basic chords used in Gospel is the Major 7th.

Practice playing major 7th chords all around the circle with both hands together.

That will give you a great start!  Midi Link  to listen to how it sounds.

Note that the major 7th chords are made by combining the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th scale steps of a major scale. Below is the C major scale.

You can see how the chord is built.

It's important to practice all your chords in both hands. This will greatly expand your
ability to play.

It's better for you to figure out your own chords as you move around the circle of fifths because your brain starts thinking in terms of intervals.

BUT I'm going to write out everything for you because I know that some of you may not have the confidence to push yourself that far yet.

Just think, OK I'm going to play a major 7th chord....hmmm...that would be 1,3,5, and 7 on a major scale. OH, Hey! I'll just think of it as a plain old major chord, like C-E-G skip 1 1/2 steps and add B! (OR, here's a little trick.......The major 7th note is always the LAST note before the octave. In other words, in the key of C, it's the B note. In the key of F, it would be the E......Does that make sense?)

OK, here's the left hand playing the major 7th chords around the circle of 5ths.  Midi Link to listen to the circle in the left hand. (Remember we move backwards around the circle.)