Harmonically speaking, the closer key signatures are on the wheel, the closer the keys are to each
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other. The opposite is true, the farther away the key signatures are from each other the more
dissonant they are. Try this – Play a chord progression of G-C-D. Now play a chord progression
of G – C# - D. Hear the dissonance ? Downright ugly. So, the wheel can be a handy tool when
writing music. When you want dissonance it can be found. Right there - across the wheel!
You can also find a staple of many jazz chord structures – the ii – V – I change in neighboring
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slices on the wheel. Am is relative of C and the ii of G, skip a slice to the right to find the D chord
(the V of G) and then back one to the left to G (the I of G).
Want to play the Hendrix Classic “Hey Joe” ?. Start on C and go around to the right until you get
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to E. The progression is C – G – D – A – E. Want to play it in Bb ? Start on Bb and go around to
the right until you get to A.
Parting tip
To be a good musician it is imperative to be able think of chordal and melodic structures in terms of
their relationships (i.e. D is the V of G). This will allow many things – the ability to play charts in any
key, the ability to communicate chord changes quickly to other musicians by holding up fingers, and
other key skills. In short - the ability to think and communicate musically.
With this said, try to recreate the wheel without looking at it. Construct it going clockwise in fifths,
construct it going counter-clockwise in fourths.
Enjoy !
Circle of Fifths
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Printed: 10/12/2011
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