The I - IV - V - I sequence

Music Lesson: Coincidence, Calypso

The next piece, Coincidence, Calypso, uses three chords again.

Chords Overview

• Chords: One, four, and five
• Key: D
• Chords Played: D, G, and A

Bass Line

• The bass line will not be a walking bass line.
• It will have a more Latin or Calypso flavor and is based on the triad.

To play it in its simplest form, we'll do it with a metronome at 120 BPM.

Sequence Structure

• It's a four-bar sequence:
  • Bars 1 and 4: D chord
  • Bars 2 and 3: G and A chords respectively

Note: Make sure you play the correct number of bars on the D chord, don't leave out the last one, otherwise, it becomes a three-bar sequence. This is easily done!

Rhythm

The actual rhythm we're going to play is slightly different:

• Middle note is anticipated:
  • Play D on the 1,
  • Play F# on 2
• The rhythm pattern:
  • 1, 2 and 3 4
  • 1, 2 and 3 4

It's important to feel where that note is. You might want to put your metronome on.

Practicing

I'll slow it down to 100 BPM. This is the same as your foot tap, so get in the habit of tapping your foot on the beat.

• Don't be thrown by any offbeat notes:
  • 1, 2 and 3, 4.

Solo Sequence

For the solo sequence, we will not be playing that bass line, but the chords of the first eight bars are the same.

Chord Progression

Let's look at those chords as they are likely to be used in the solo as well:

• Progression: D, G, A, D
  • Inversions Used:
    • G in second inversion
    • A in first inversion

Inversions Notation

Incidentally, my notation for inversions:

• Root position: Circle R
• Second inversion: Circle 2
• First inversion: Circle 1

Alternative Voicings for Chords

As with major triad cycles, there are other ways of playing these chords:

• Inversions Example:
  • Start with first inversion, go to root position, second inversion, back to root position.
  • Starting on second inversion can take you slightly lower down the keyboard.

Try to get familiar with those shapes as an alternative to playing the bass line if you're playing with a bass player.

Voicings in the Tune

Another element that appears in the tune is its initial parallel six.

• Eight bars later: You'll find this voicing:
  • Chords: Sixth in the left hand, octave in the right.

The two chords:

• G over B: G triad with B in the bass
• D over A: D triad with A in the bass

Note: One of them is in the first inversion, while the other is in the second inversion.