Dr. Dick’s Chord Weaving Level 1

Chord Weaving facilitates chord switching by exploring all possible combination of chords.

This exercise assumes knowledge of chord forms in all keys. If those are not ready, refer to the “Learning Chords” section of the method.

Part 1. Circle of Fifths

First, play through the major chords in the order of the circle of fifths.

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

Then begin “weaving” in the C chord.

Alternate the C chord with the circle chords sequentially, repeating each four times.

(CCCCCCCC)	CGCGCGCG	CDCDCDCD	CACACACA	CECECECE	CBCBCBCB
CF#CF#CF#CF#	CC#CC#CC#CC#	CAbCAbCAbCAb	CEbCEbCEbCEb	CBbCBbCBbCBb	CFCFCFCF

When the circle is complete, reverse the order and repeat.

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

This pattern is the circle of fourths. The circles of fifths and fourths ingrain many of the common chord changes found in Western music.

Then, weave the G chord (the next chord in the circle) with all the other chords in order, beginning with C and working around the circle.

GCGCGCGC	(GGGGGGGG)	GDGDGDGD	GAGAGAGA	GEGEGEGE	GBGBGBGB
GF#GF#GF#GF#	GC#GC#GC#GC#	GAbGAbGAbGAb	GEbGEbGEbGEb	GBbGBbGBbGBb	GFGFGFGF

Then, weave the D chord (the next chord in the circle) with all the other chords in order, beginning with C and working around the circle.

DCDCDCDC	DGDGDGDG	(DDDDDDDD)	DADADADA	DEDEDEDE	DBDBDBDB
DF#DF#DF#DF#	GC#GC#GC#GC#	DAbDAbDAbDAb	DEbDEbDEbDEb	DBbDBbDBbDBb	DFDFDFDF

Continue this pattern substituting chords from the circle of fifths in order.

(Repeats have been omitted to save space, but still do them.)

ACAG	ADAA	AEAB	AF#AC#	AAbAEb	ABbAF
ECEG	EDEA	EEEB	EF#EC#	EAbEEb	EBbEF
BCBG	BDBA	BEBB	BF#BC#	BAbBEb	BBbBF
F#CF#G	F#DF#A	F#EF#B	F#F#F#C#	F#AbF#Eb	F#BbF#F
C#CC#G	C#DC#A	C#EC#B	C#F#C#C#	C#AbC#Eb	C#BbC#F
AbCAbG	AbDAbA	AbEAbB	AbF#AbC#	AbAbAbEb	AbBbAbF
EbCEbG	EbDEbA	EbEEbB	EbF#EbC#	EbAbEbEb	EbBbEbF
BbCBbG	BbDBbA	BbEBbB	BbF#BbC#	BbAbBbEb	BbBbBbF
FCFG	FDFA	FEFB	FF#FC#	FAbFEb	FBbFF

Use a metronome and only proceed as fast as clean chord changes allow.

All patterns are in the support file, “Chord Weaving.xlsx” on http://patternobsession.richardrepp.com

Part 2. Adding minor chords.

Repeat the same pattern with minor chords weaved unto with the circle of fifths.

Begin with A minor weaved in.

AmCAmG AmDAmA AmEAmB AmF#AmC# AmAbAmEb AmBbAmF

Then continue weaving in chords in this order.

F#m

C#m

Abm

Ebm

Bbm

AmCAmG	AmDAmA	AmEAmB	AmF#AmC#	AmAbAmEb	AmBbAmF
EmCEmG	EmDEmA	EmEEmB	EmF#EmC#	EmAbEmEb	EmBbEmF
BmCBmG	BmDBmA	BmEBmB	BmF#BmC#	BmAbBmEb	BmBbBmF
F#mCF#mG	F#mDF#mA	F#mEF#mB	F#mF#F#mC#	F#mAbF#mEb	F#mBbF#mF
C#mCC#mG	C#mDC#mA	C#mEC#mB	C#mF#C#mC#	C#mAbC#mEb	C#mBbC#mF
AbmCAbmG	AbmDAbmA	AbmEAbmB	AbmF#AbmC#	AbmAbAbmEb	AbmBbAbmF
EbmCEbmG	EbmDEbmA	EbmEEbmB	EbmF#EbmC#	EbmAbEbmEb	EbmBbEbmF
BbmCBbmG	BbmDBbmA	BbmEBbmB	BbmF#BbmC#	BbmAbBbmEb	BbmBbBbmF
FmCFmG	FmDFmA	FmEFmB	FmF#FmC#	FmAbFmEb	FmBbFmF
CmCCmG	CmDCmA	CmECmB	CmF#CmC#	CmAbCmEb	CmBbCmF
GmCGmG	GmDGmA	GmEGmB	GmF#GmC#	GmAbGmEb	GmBbGmF
DmCDmG	DmDDmA	DmEDmB	DmF#DmC#	DmAbDmEb	DmBbDmF

Part 3. Adding Chords

Weave seventh chords, minor seventh, major seventh, diminished, and augmented chords into the circle of fifths.

C7 G7 D7 A7 E7 B7 F#7 C#7 Ab7 Eb7 Bb7 F7

Am7 Em7 Bm7 F#m7 C#m7 Abm7 Ebm7 Bbm7 Fm7 Cm7 Gm7 Dm7

CM7 GM7 DM7 AM7 EM7 BM7 F#M7 C#M7 AbM7 EbM7 BbM7 FM7

Co Go Do Ao Eo Bo F#o C#o Abo Ebo Bbo Fo

C+ G+ D+ A+ E+ B+ F#+ C#+ Ab+ Eb+ Bb+ F+

All of these patterns are in the Chord Weaving Table on the web site http://patternobsession.richardrepp.com

Part 4. Minor circle of fifths

The following pattern is the circle of fifth, but with minor chords.

F#m

C#m

Abm

Ebm

Bbm

Substitute the minor circle of fifths for the circle in previos parts.

We have already weaved major and minor chords, so begin with weaving

A minor into the minor circle of fifths.

AmAm AmEm AmBm AmF#m AmC#m AmAbm AmEbm AmBbm AmFm AmCm AmGm AmDm

Then weave in chords sequentially as in step 1 follow the same procedures used in Step 1.

EmAm	EmEm	EmBm	EmF#m	EmC#m	EmAbm	EmEbm	EmBbm	EmFm	EmCm	EmGm	EmDm
BmAm	BmEm	BmBm	BmF#m	BmC#m	BmAbm	BmEbm	BmBbm	BmFm	BmCm	BmGm	BmDm
F#mAm	F#mEm	F#mBm	F#mF#m	F#mC#m	F#mAbm	F#mEbm	F#mBbm	F#mFm	F#mCm	F#mGm	F#mDm
C#mAm	C#mEm	C#mBm	C#mF#m	C#mC#m	C#mAbm	C#mEbm	C#mBbm	C#mFm	C#mCm	C#mGm	C#mDm
AbmAm	AbmEm	AbmBm	AbmF#m	AbmC#m	AbmAbm	AbmEbm	AbmBbm	AbmFm	AbmCm	AbmGm	AbmDm
EbmAm	EbmEm	EbmBm	EbmF#m	EbmC#m	EbmAbm	EbmEbm	EbmBbm	EbmFm	EbmCm	EbmGm	EbmDm
BbmAm	BbmEm	BbmBm	BbmF#m	BbmC#m	BbmAbm	BbmEbm	BbmBbm	BbmFm	BbmCm	BbmGm	BbmDm
FmAm	FmEm	FmBm	FmF#m	FmC#m	FmAbm	FmEbm	FmBbm	FmFm	FmCm	FmGm	FmDm
CmAm	CmEm	CmBm	CmF#m	CmC#m	CmAbm	CmEbm	CmBbm	CmFm	CmCm	CmGm	CmDm
GmAm	GmEm	GmBm	GmF#m	GmC#m	GmAbm	GmEbm	GmBbm	GmFm	GmCm	GmGm	GmDm
DmAm	DmEm	DmBm	DmF#m	DmC#m	DmAbm	DmEbm	DmBbm	DmFm	DmCm	DmGm	DmDm

Then weave in the seventh chords into the minor circle.

C7Am	C7Em	C7Bm	C7F#m	C7C#m	C7Abm	C7Ebm	C7Bbm	C7Fm	C7Cm	C7Gm	C7Dm
G7Am	G7Em	G7Bm	G7F#m	G7C#m	G7Abm	G7Ebm	G7Bbm	G7Fm	G7Cm	G7Gm	G7Dm
D7Am	D7Em	D7Bm	D7F#m	D7C#m	D7Abm	D7Ebm	D7Bbm	D7Fm	D7Cm	D7Gm	D7Dm
A7Am	A7Em	A7Bm	A7F#m	A7C#m	A7Abm	A7Ebm	A7Bbm	A7Fm	A7Cm	A7Gm	A7Dm
E7Am	E7Em	E7Bm	E7F#m	E7C#m	E7Abm	E7Ebm	E7Bbm	E7Fm	E7Cm	E7Gm	E7Dm
B7Am	B7Em	B7Bm	B7F#m	B7C#m	B7Abm	B7Ebm	B7Bbm	B7Fm	B7Cm	B7Gm	B7Dm
F#7Am	F#7Em	F#7Bm	F#7F#m	F#7C#m	F#7Abm	F#7Ebm	F#7Bbm	F#7Fm	F#7Cm	F#7Gm	F#7Dm
C#7Am	C#7Em	C#7Bm	C#7F#m	C#7C#m	C#7Abm	C#7Ebm	C#7Bbm	C#7Fm	C#7Cm	C#7Gm	C#7Dm
Ab7Am	Ab7Em	Ab7Bm	Ab7F#m	Ab7C#m	Ab7Abm	Ab7Ebm	Ab7Bbm	Ab7Fm	Ab7Cm	Ab7Gm	Ab7Dm
Eb7Am	Eb7Em	Eb7Bm	Eb7F#m	Eb7C#m	Eb7Abm	Eb7Ebm	Eb7Bbm	Eb7Fm	Eb7Cm	Eb7Gm	Eb7Dm
Bb7Am	Bb7Em	Bb7Bm	Bb7F#m	Bb7C#m	Bb7Abm	Bb7Ebm	Bb7Bbm	Bb7Fm	Bb7Cm	Bb7Gm	Bb7Dm
F7Am	F7Em	F7Bm	F7F#m	F7C#m	F7Abm	F7Ebm	F7Bbm	F7Fm	F7Cm	F7Gm	F7Dm

Now weave minor seventh, major seventh, diminished, and augmented chords as in Part 3.

Am7 Em7 Bm7 F#m7 C#m7 Abm7 Ebm7 Bbm7 Fm7 Cm7 Gm7 Dm7

CM7 GM7 DM7 AM7 EM7 BM7 F#M7 C#M7 AbM7 EbM7 BbM7 FM7

Co Go Do Ao Eo Bo F#o C#o Abo Ebo Bbo Fo

C+ G+ D+ A+ E+ B+ F#+ C#+ Ab+ Eb+ Bb+ F+

All of these patterns are in the Chord Weaving Table on the web site http://patternobsession.richardrepp.com

(Continued…)

Part 5. Other circles of fifths

Now use the remaining chords as circles of fifths.

Use circles of fifths based on Seventh, Minor seventh, Major seventh, Diminished and Augmented chords, with the other chords woven through.

C7 G7 D7 A7 E7 B7 F#7 C#7 Ab7 Eb7 Bb7 F7

Am7 Em7 Bm7 F#m7 C#m7 Abm7 Ebm7 Bbm7 Fm7 Cm7 Gm7 Dm7

CM7 GM7 DM7 AM7 EM7 BM7 F#M7 C#M7 AbM7 EbM7 BbM7 FM7

Co Go Do Ao Eo Bo F#o C#o Abo Ebo Bbo Fo

C+ G+ D+ A+ E+ B+ F#+ C#+ Ab+ Eb+ Bb+ F+

This section begins with seventh chords as the circle and seventh chords weaved in.

C7C7	C7G7	C7D7	C7A7	C7E7	C7B7	C7F#7	C7C#7	C7Ab7	C7Eb7	C7Bb7	C7F7
G7C7	G7G7	G7D7	G7A7	G7E7	G7B7	G7F#7	G7C#7	G7Ab7	G7Eb7	G7Bb7	G7F7
D7C7	D7G7	D7D7	D7A7	D7E7	D7B7	D7F#7	D7C#7	D7Ab7	D7Eb7	D7Bb7	D7F7
A7C7	A7G7	A7D7	A7A7	A7E7	A7B7	A7F#7	A7C#7	A7Ab7	A7Eb7	A7Bb7	A7F7
E7C7	E7G7	E7D7	E7A7	E7E7	E7B7	E7F#7	E7C#7	E7Ab7	E7Eb7	E7Bb7	E7F7
B7C7	B7G7	B7D7	B7A7	B7E7	B7B7	B7F#7	B7C#7	B7Ab7	B7Eb7	B7Bb7	B7F7
F#7C7	F#7G7	F#7D7	F#7A7	F#7E7	F#7B7	F#7F#7	F#7C#7	F#7Ab7	F#7Eb7	F#7Bb7	F#7F7
C#7C7	C#7G7	C#7D7	C#7A7	C#7E7	C#7B7	C#7F#7	C#7C#7	C#7Ab7	C#7Eb7	C#7Bb7	C#7F7
Ab7C7	Ab7G7	Ab7D7	Ab7A7	Ab7E7	Ab7B7	Ab7F#7	Ab7C#7	Ab7Ab7	Ab7Eb7	Ab7Bb7	Ab7F7
Eb7C7	Eb7G7	Eb7D7	Eb7A7	Eb7E7	Eb7B7	Eb7F#7	Eb7C#7	Eb7Ab7	Eb7Eb7	Eb7Bb7	Eb7F7
Bb7C7	Bb7G7	Bb7D7	Bb7A7	Bb7E7	Bb7B7	Bb7F#7	Bb7C#7	Bb7Ab7	Bb7Eb7	Bb7Bb7	Bb7F7
F7C7	F7G7	F7D7	F7A7	F7E7	F7B7	F7F#7	F7C#7	F7Ab7	F7Eb7	F7Bb7	F7F7

Then weave in minor seventh, major seventh, diminished and augmented chords.

Circle	Seventh	Seventh	Seventh	Seventh	Seventh
Weaved	Seventh	Minor seventh	Major Seventh	Diminished	Augmented

Work through the remaining chords as base for circles of fifths and weaves. Each group has one fewer weaving.


Circle	Minor seventh	Minor seventh	Minor seventh	Minor seventh
Weaved	Minor seventh	Major Seventh	Diminished	Augmented

Circle	Major Seventh	Major Seventh	Major Seventh
Weaved	Major Seventh	Diminished	Augmented

Circle	Diminished	Diminished
Weaved	Diminished	Augmented

Circle	Augmented
Weaved	Augmented

All of these patterns are in the Chord Weaving Table on the web site http://patternobsession.richardrepp.com