Circle of Fifths, alternate systems?

[ModuLR]

I have recently built an ableton live rack that is based on the circle of fifths. I made it with the hopes that it would assist me in quickly constructing elements that are musical to my ears. Thus far, it's been incredibly fun! It is centered around a korg nanopad vs. a traditional keyboard since I'm much more comfortable with 12 pads in 2 rows of 6. The mathematical relationship between the notes, and what pads I can combine is much easier for me than a traditional keyboard.

In any case, this has got me wondering... are there any other systems out there which are used to describe such relationships between notes? I'd be interested in building some racks based on those systems should they exist.

Suggestions?

[wrench45us]

You may get some ideas from this article

I come back to it now and again

http://www.jazzdoublebass.com/articles/ ... hp?id=Mg==

There's also quite a bit to be said for leading tone viidim7 substitution for V7 -- chromatic cycle

between the tritone substitutions and dim7 substitutions (chromatic cycles) there's quite a world that opens up from ii V I

it mostly centers around the flat 5 interval in all of the above (and 2 instances in a dim7) resolving inwardly or outwardly

[daz.diamond]

wouldn't call it a 'system' ... a minor sequence that repeates transposed by a minor third higher each time round - keeps coming back to where it started and each new loop can provide a jumping off point ...

[ModuLR]

You may get some ideas from this article

I come back to it now and again

http://www.jazzdoublebass.com/articles/ ... hp?id=Mg==

There's also quite a bit to be said for leading tone viidim7 substitution for V7 -- chromatic cycle

between the tritone substitutions and dim7 substitutions (chromatic cycles) there's quite a world that opens up from ii V I

it mostly centers around the flat 5 interval in all of the above (and 2 instances in a dim7) resolving inwardly or outwardly

That link is really helpful (still reading actually). I now realize that I was performing tritone substitutions without even knowing it. I just did it because I thought it sounded kinda nice. The way the rack worked out, pads that are directly above one another represent a tritone as described in the link. I pretty much know nothing about theory, but I do understand how to implement rules so I can kinda "code" my way thru. Feels like a system to me, tho to the trained it's probably insanely basic. Let the computer handles the rules, and I'll punch the pads until it sounds nice. There was another set of notes that sounded particularly nice (and could be substituted), but I'd have to look it up to figure out exactly what I was doing.

Thanks to you both for these bits of info. Any others?

[wrench45us]

If you continue into that article (p 7) it eventually does get to the alternate system known as the 'Giant Steps' sequence that Coltrane came up with

moving clockwise by major thirds and counter clockwise by minor 6ths

coding this in some ways may be really helpful way to get a hold of this

[VicDiesel]

wouldn't call it a 'system' ... a minor sequence that repeates transposed by a minor third higher each time round

Alternate major and minor thirds, and go up and down. Always keep one chord note from one chord to the next.

C-Em-Gm-Eb-B (actually Cb)-Ab-Fm-Dm-F-Db &c.

Bruckner did a lot of that stuff. And much better than I can come up with.

Victor.

[giggedy]

you can go through the Coltrane changes - up or down in 3rds.

[daniel-b]

Yes, that's the minor/major third cycle. You can also jump through the complete circle of fifths in 4ths, 5ths, and major 7ths. I made this little attempt a while a go, in twelve steps/chords through the circle...

12_akkorde.mp3

If you would like to read more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interval_cycle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coltrane_changes