The Infinite Circle of V⁷ (particularly for EC)

[Robby-ie]

I've been having fun modulating counterclockwise/anticlockwise through the circle of fifths with dominant 7 chords. C7 -> F7 -> Bb7 -> etc.

 

I typed out the chords & arpeggio patterns I've been playing. I am aware that the notation is cumbersome, but the idea is to start on the fundamental, arpeggiate all the way up and back down until you land on the lowest 3rd that leads to the next fundamental (one semitone up).

 

The cycle is:

C - F -Bb - Eb - Ab - C# - F# - B - E - A - D - G ↺

 

The music never resolves, so, if you play it right, you'll never play another piece of music again (or do anything at all, for that matter).

unlimited_V7.pdf

Edited March 31 by Robby
clarity

[Matt Heumann]

On second thought, you may want to stay away from those lemon twist espressos............

[Ken_Coles]

Also known in some jazz and blues circles as the Cycle of Fourths. They've been accused of doing things backwards before this. 😎

 

Ken

[David Barnert]

6 hours ago, Robby said:

I've been having fun modulating backwards through the circle of fifths

  ...

The cycle is:

C - F -Bb - Eb - Ab - C# - F# - B - E - A - D - G ↺

 

That’s actually forward through the circle of fifths. Any interval and its inversion add to nine, so fourths are just inverted fifths (just as sixths are inverted thirds). The cycle is descending 5ths as well as ascending 4ths. And this is how the circle is generally used: from one chord to the next a 5th below (or a 4th above). For instance, go from I to VI and find your way back along the circle of fifths: I VI II V I (G E A D G).

[Robby-ie]

3 hours ago, David Barnert said:

 

That’s actually forward through the circle of fifths. Any interval and its inversion add to nine, so fourths are just inverted fifths (just as sixths are inverted thirds). The cycle is descending 5ths as well as ascending 4ths. And this is how the circle is generally used: from one chord to the next a 5th below (or a 4th above). For instance, go from I to VI and find your way back along the circle of fifths: I VI II V I (G E A D G).

Yes.. I should have described the motion as counterclockwise/anticlockwise.

[Robby-ie]

7 hours ago, Matt Heumann said:

On second thought, you may want to stay away from those lemon twist espressos............

No.

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

It is seems more  a hidden code like one of those they may send into outer space..expect maybe an extra terrestrial response to get back soon?😊

[Isaiah]

I'm curious, what fingering you're using for the 4 note chords at the beginning of each line?

[Robby-ie]

31 minutes ago, Isaiah said:

I'm curious, what fingering you're using for the 4 note chords at the beginning of each line?

Generally 1,2,3,4. For this exercise, I only play the arpeggios. I only wrote those out for visualization.

[Isaiah]

Ah, makes sense