When you play a G major scale starting on each note, you have "diatonic" 
major scale modes. Diatonic strictly defined means "two tones" but its 
usage in modern theory means "belonging to the scale." If you take these 
diatonic scale modes and line them up according to the cycle of fifths, you 
have "natural order." The natural order scale sequence not only shows the 
inherent harmonic function of a major scale but also has a song-like quality 
to it. It demonstrates how a major scale harmonizes itself. Many classical 
as well as jazz music inventions follow this pattern. - ie. Prelude in C 
(Johann Sebastian Bach) from "The Well-Tempered Clavier," (Bk. 1, ms.2-5) 
- ie. Jazz, Jerome Kern's "All the Things You are."

The Roman Numerals accompanying the chord symbols number the G Major scale
notes starting from G:


Diatonic Order:

I II III IV V VI VII I
GMaj - Am7 - Bm7 - CMaj - D7 - Em7 - F#m7-5 - GMaj


Natural Order:

I IV VII III VI II V I
GMaj - CMaj - F#m7-5 - Bm7 - Em7 - Am7 - D7 - GMaj



Natural Order Exercise:

Gmaj7 (I) Cmaj7 (IV) F#m7-5 (VII)

-------------0----------|-10----7----------0----|---------------0---------|
-------0-----------7----|------------7----------|----------0-----------7--|
-0--------5----9--------|---------------9----5--|-----0-------5----9------|
----7-------------------|-----------------------|-4------7----------------|
---------------------0--|----9-----0------------|-------------------------|

Bm7 (III) Em7 (VI) Am7 (II)

--9--------------0------|------------------0----|-7------------0----------|
-----10----7----------0-|-----------0---------5-|-------7------------0----|
--------------9----5----|-------0------5--------|----------9------5-------|
------------------------|-2--4----7-------------|----------------------7--|
--------0---------------|-----------------------|----0--------------------|

D7 (V) Gmaj7 (I) Cmaj7 (IV)

--------------------0---|----------0------------|----0--------------------|
---------------0--------|----7-----------0------|------------------12--13-|
----------0-------5-----|-------9-----5-------0-|---------11---14---------|
-0--2--4-----7----------|------------------7----|-10---14-----------------|
------------------------|--0--------------------|------------0------------|

F#m7-5 (VII) Bm7 (III) Em7 (VI)

-16----12---------------|------0----------------|-14---10----------------|
----------13-12---------|--------------------12-|----------12-------7----|
----------------14---11-|-0---------11----14----|-------------14-------9-|
------------------------|---10---14-------------|------------------------|
----14-------------0----|--------------0--------|----12-----------0------|

Am7 (II) D7 (V) Gmaj7 (I)

----------0-------------|-12----9-------------0-|-----------0-------------|
----0------------7---10-|---------10----7-------|------0------------7-----|
-------5-----9----------|------------------9----|-0-------5-----9---------|
-7----------------------|-----------------------|----7--------------------|
-------------------0----|----10-------0---------|----------------------0--|

Play the above exercise again starting with a *descending* G scale
reversing the ascending/descending order of the exercise.

Pat Cloud