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By Rich
Scott
Below is the circle of fifths (also referred to as cycle of fifths, chords, or keys) that shows the most logical, natural movement of one chord to another in Western music. Each of the twelve letters is arranged like numbers on a clock representing the root notes of a chord of some quality (major, minor, or dominant seventh). As you move counterclockwise around the circle, each chord root descends in an interval of a perfect fifth (three and a half whole steps). Moving clockwise, each chord root descends in an interval of a perfect fourth (two and a half whole steps). This series of chords demonstrates the strong tendency or pull of the “V” (dominant) to “I” (tonic) chord. This is the strongest chord movement, or cadence in Western music. Moving counterclockwise through the circle of fifths is often referred to as backcycling. Some of the best songs ever
written have been created using cycles of descending fifths such as the
“Am7-Dm7-G7-Cmaj7” progression that moves through the circle until
ultimately arriving at the tonic.
The circle of fifths can be used to create chord progressions by starting with any chord on the circle and moving in either direction using as many or as few consecutive chord roots as you like to produce a new chord sequence. Circle progressions often begin with the “I” (tonic) chord before proceeding through the circle of fifths. The resulting chords can be major, minor or dominant seventh qualities (or any combination) that can be further embellished, altered, or substituted. For example, if you start with “E” and move counterclockwise to “C” you create the “E-A-D-G-C” chord sequence. Then, by designating a major, minor, or dominant seventh chord quality to each root note you can create the “E7-A7-D7-G7-C” and “Em-Am-Dm-G7-C” progressions. You can also start the sequence with the “C” (tonic) before proceeding through the circle of fifths creating the “C-E7-A7-D7-G7-C” progression. Although many of the progressions you will explore in this book including the basic (C-F), classic rock (C-Bb-F-C), folk (C-G), jazz (Dm7-G7-C), ragtime (C-A7-D7-G7), and standard (C-Am7-Dm7-G7) utilize chord sequences based on circle of fifths movement, generally only cycles of four or more chords from the circle of fifths in succession are referred to as circle (circular or circle of fifths) progressions. The possible progression
combinations that can be created using the circle of fifths are almost
endless and are found in classical music as well as in jazz and popular
songs. Descending
Fifths In this section you will look
at six chord progressions that move counterclockwise around the circle in
descending fifths. Play through each progression example and thoroughly
understand how it was created before moving on to the next progression.
Although these examples are presented in the key of C or Am, they should
be transposed (see “Appendix”), played, and studied in other keys.
An example of this type of
cycle that uses secondary dominant sevenths is the verse progression to
the Chordettes’ 1954 hit Mister Sandman shown below. A secondary
dominant is a chord that serves as the “V” of another. For example, in
the “B7-E7-A7-D7-G7-C” progression the “B7” is the “V” of the
“E7” chord and the “E7” is the “V” of the “A7” chord.
Similarly, the “A7” is the “V” of the “D7” chord and the
“D7” is the “V” of the “G7” chord.
An example of the second cycle
type that uses both primary and secondary chords is the A section to the
1965 standard The Shadow Of Your Smile shown below.
The box below shows other
examples of this type of progression. Most of the progressions begin with
the “C” (“I”) chord before proceeding through the circle. Notice
the relative major/minor substitution for the “Dm” chord in the Yesterday
example. Although the last three examples are not true circle
progressions, they are circle-based sequences.
Both progressions start with the tonic then move counterclockwise from “B” to “F” creating a series of “II-V” movements that temporarily pass through several tonalities. In Confirmation, the progression moves down a half step to break the cycle and end the section with a circle progression turnaround. In Blues For Alice, the progression continues to “Bb” then follows the standard blues sequence. The first four bars of both progressions can be thought of as a sophisticated backcycled substitution for four bars of the “C” chord. See the separate “Blues Progressions” chapter for a discussion of backcycled blues during the bebop era. Confirmation
Blues For Alice
Again, the first type is called a cycle of dominant seventh chords. An example of this type of cycle that uses secondary dominant sevenths is the verse progression to the 1925 standard Five Foot Two, Eyes Of Blue shown below. This sequence is also the standard eight-bar ragtime progression.
An example of the second cycle
type that uses both primary and secondary chords is the last four bars of
the chorus progression to the Beatles’ 1964 hit Can’t Buy Me Love
shown below that leads into the opening “C” chord in the verse.
The box below shows other examples of this type of circle progression. “E-A-D-G” cycles are often used as turnarounds and “E-A-D-G-C” cycles are frequently used as endings (see the separate “Turnarounds” and Endings” chapters). The Windmills of Your Mind is an example of a minor circle progression. Notice the descending
chromatic bass line on the One Note Samba example and the parallel
major/minor substitution on the last example.
An example of this type of
cycle that uses secondary dominant sevenths is the verse progression to
Blood, Sweat & Tears 1969 hit Spinning Wheel shown below.
An example of the second cycle type that uses both primary and secondary chords is the sixteen-bar A section to Jerome Kern’s 1939 All The Things You Are shown below. This is an example of a minor circle progression that descends in fifths from the “Am7” chord through the “Fmaj7” chord then descends an augmented fourth (a tritone of three whole steps) from “Fmaj7” to the “B7” chord in order to break the cycle and end with the “Emaj7” (dominant) chord in bars seven and eight. Then, Kern makes a parallel major/minor substitution (“Em7” for “Emaj7”) and again descends in fifths from the “Em7” chord through the “Cmaj7” chord then again descends an augmented fourth from the “Cmaj7” to the “F#7” chord in order to break the cycle again and end with the “Bmaj7” chord in bar fifteen. All songwriters should become
familiar with this jazz/standard progression.
The box below shows other examples of this type of progression. Notice the use of the augmented fourth technique discussed above on Fly Me To The Moon and You Never Give Me Your Money examples to break the cycle and end the progression. Also note the use of the
mediant substitution (“Em7” for “Cmaj7”) in the Even The Nights
Are Better example.
The definitive example of this
type of cycle is the A section to Roger Williams’ 1955 hit Autumn
Leaves shown below. Note again how the progression descends an
augmented fourth from the “Fmaj7” to the “Bm7b5” chord in order to
ultimately return to the “Am” (tonic) chord.
The box below shows other examples of this type of circle progression. Again, notice the use of the
augmented fourth technique discussed above on Yesterday When I Was
Young and Still Got The Blues examples to break the cycle and
end the progression. Also, note that the Laugh, Laugh example
continues to follow circle movement through a total of six changes.
An example of the first type of cycle is the chorus progression to Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway’s 1972 hit Where Is The Love shown below. Notice that this progression
contains the same three borrowed chords found in classic rock progressions
and moves down a half step from the “Abmaj7” to break the cycle and
end the progression on the “G7sus4” (dominant) chord.
An example of the second cycle type that uses both primary and secondary chords is the opening verse progression to the Christopher Cross 1981 hit Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do) shown below. This progression continues to
the “Db” then moves down an augmented fourth from the “Db” to
“G7” (dominant) chord to break the cycle and return to the “C”
(tonic) chord.
Other examples of this type of
progression include the “F-Bb-Eb-Ab” intro progression to the Doors’
1967 hit Light My Fire that moves up a half step from the “Ab”
to the “A” chord to lead into the “Am” (parallel minor) at the
beginning of the verse and the “C-F-Bb-Eb” verse progression to the
Beatles’ 1967 Lovely Rita.
This cycle travels clockwise
from “Ab” to “C.” An example of this type of cycle is the verse
progression to Wings’ 1977 hit Maybe I’m Amazed shown below.
Notice that this progression contains the three borrowed chords found in
classic rock progressions and an interesting bass line.
Other examples of this type of
progression include the “Ab-Eb-Bb-F-C” verse progression to the
Leaves’ 1966 hit Hey Joe (see the separate “Blues
Progressions” chapter), the chorus progression to deep Purple’s 1968
hit Hush, and the chorus progression to the 1975 Time Warp
from the “Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
This cycle travels clockwise
from “Eb” to “C.” An example of this type of cycle is the chorus
progression to the Rolling Stones 1968 hit Jumpin’ Jack Flash
shown below.
Other examples of this type of
progression include the “C-Eb-Bb-F” verse progression to Neil
Young’s 1972 Old Man and the “C-[D]-Eb-Bb-F-Fsus4-C” chorus
progression to Lenny Kravitz’ 1998 Fly Away.
This cycle travels clockwise
from “Bb” to “G.” An example of this type of cycle is the bridge
progression to the Grass Roots’ 1967 hit Midnight Confession
shown below.
Another example of this type
of progression is the “C-Bb-F-C-G” chorus progression to the
Beatles’ 1967 Lovely Rita. Songwriter’s
Notebook
The verse progression to my Shelter
From The Storm is shown below. This circle progression descends an
augmented fourth from the “Fmaj7” to the “Bm7sus” chord to break
the cycle and end on the “E” (dominant) chord. The lyrics are “If I
could touch your heart, if I could make you smile, if I could turn your
nighttime into sunshine once in a while.”
Beatles’ Progression
Substitute Progression
First of all, you should take
some time to memorize the circle of fifths provided at the beginning of
this chapter.
Here’s how Gloria Gaynor did
it to create the verse progression to her 1979 I Will Survive.
Notice that this progression travels counterclockwise from “A” to
“F” then applies the augmented fourth technique to break the cycle.
This progression uses the
shorter diatonic cycle shown below. It is similar to the circle of fifths
except that the non-diatonic chords (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, and Gb) are removed.
Notice that the movement from “F” to “B” is an augmented fourth.
(3) Transform the
circle progression shown below into a descending chromatic bass line
progression by replacing the “A7” and “G7” chords with their
respective tritone substitutions (see the “Appendix”).
Here’s how I did it.
Here’s how I did it.
Here’s how I did it.
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B-E-A-D-G-C Cycle
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