Lesson Goal: To develop fluency playing four-note scale cells for the workhorse ii7-V7-IM7 chord progression…
Patterns in the key of C Major…
Notice how the chromatic notes fill in each four-note cell and provide smooth voice-leading.
Straight rendition…
Using your ears and knowledge of scales and chord structure, “transpose” this pattern to all spellings in three musically-useful patterns:
- Chromatically Ascending: C > Db > D > Eb > E > F > Gb > G > Ab > A > Bb > B > C.
- Chromatically Descending: C > B > Bb > A > Ab > G > Gb > F > E > Eb > D > Db > C.
- Cycle of Dominants: C > F > Bb > Eb > Ab > Db > Gb > B > E > A > D > G > C.
Doing so will develop an enormous chord vocabulary that you will know by ear, intellect, eye, and muscle… laying a rock solid foundation for fluent improvisation.