Learning Chords more questions.

[rlefebvr]

Apart from going up and down the keyboard and playing fifths is there other ways of getting these into your head.  (major chords are o.k. Working on minors right now)

No looking for a quick fix, but maybe other technics that could help.

Right now my way of learning is
1.  scale, arpege, chord up and down keyboard.
2. Circle of fifth.

[ted]

Going around the circle repeating the same thing is okay at the very start but your mind will soon need much more than this, intellectually and emotionally. Precisely copying the same notes in twelve positions is  deadly dull musically. It also leads to the perception of harmony as static chord blocks, which is destructive of musical interest.

You can build yourself up in an infinity of ways, the best of which you must find for yourself. Chords are not isolated entities, with an existence independent of rhythm, melody and other ideas. They are part of the overall dynamic, the life of music and, for me at any rate, even an exercise must have musical life.

Once these first excursions into going around the key circle are under your belt, commence adding phrases and changes - a chord change says vastly more than one chord does - start to let your mind and ear run free. Perhaps you might cease repeating precisely and allow variation as you go around the circle in order to springboard new thoughts and patterns - always dynamic though, never static.