Songs that use the Circle of Fifths progression
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 เม.ย. 2024
- Also, if you're thinking right now, "Isn't Am to Dm a perfect fourth, not a perfect fifth?"... well, I've made an extra addendum video to explain just that: • Is this a Perfect 5th ... 🎼😀
📌 In case you're wondering why there is a harsh cut in the middle of this video, it's because there was previously a sponsored segment there which was removed due to the sponsor ceasing trading.
The Circle of Fifths is one of the most important concepts for understanding music theory. Whether it's notes in a melody, key centers in a modulation or chords in a chord progression, the Circle of Fifths can shine some light onto why certain musical relationships sound more harmonious than others.
And, an extra special thanks goes to Douglas Lind, Vidad Flowers, Ivan Pang, Waylon Fairbanks, Jon Dye, Austin Russell, Christopher Ryan, Toot & Paul Peijzel, the channel’s Patreon saints! 😇
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON: / davidbennettpiano 🎹
0:00 the Circle of 5ths progression
1:43 why fifths?
5:50 anti-clockwise Vs clockwise
7:16 Light My Fire by The Doors
8:43 why not constant perfect 5ths?
14:18 Patreon
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If you're thinking right now, "Isn't Am to Dm a perfect fourth, not a perfect fifth?"... well, I've made an extra addendum video to explain just that: th-cam.com/video/PknOTF84_WQ/w-d-xo.html 🎼😀
Thanks.
so true!
And that is precisely why you need that offset chord, the diminished, the flat 3, whatever, to get back "home."
for those of us who grew up hearing primarily western music, we're accustomed to certain relationships between tones and chords. If you go from C to F, that's a fifth... but only if C is the V. Like you point out after playing your composition, it never feels really resolved because it sounds like there's a new tonal center with each chord change. V to I. If, on the other hand, C is your I chord... well, like you said, then you're moving by a fourth. V to I is resolved; but I to IV is (traditionally) not.
Which is ultimately what's so compelling about such a progression. String enough together and you've got a sequence of changes that are perfect cadences and an unresolved tension at the same time.
Very cool lesson.....but how you gonna use jimi hendrix's hey Joe and then play some one ELSE play and sing it!?! TF?
@@towlie337 if he plays Jimmy' s version then most likely TH-cam will block the video
playing all the chords in the circle of fifths feels like creating a dramatic climax that can never end
That is exactly the issue with playing it as is. Every chord is essentially the same transition so there’s no way to differentiate which one is which
That is so true which is why i have a guilty pleasure for alot of these songs
Eventually comes off as twee.
Try to do it clockwise with only minor chords instead of mayors. If you grouping them by three for example in a time signature of 3/4 or 9/8, you will end up on the starting chord by a less awkward way. It's all about your melody and/or countermelody to make this circle satisfying. ;)
On the top of that, you can create a four bar chordprogression that is fitting into the classic 4-8-12 bars trend.
Yes - Awaken
The circle of 5ths is something I use a lot as a DJ.
Knowing what key your tracks are in helps greatly when blending melodies.
Hey that's a clever idea...
No shit sherlock
Musicians never die they just decompose.
Good one!🤣
why did I laugh 😭😭😭
So that's what that awful stench is. Thank god, I thought I was dying
Saw what you did there.
They’re decomposing composers ,there’s less of ‘em evry year….
That change from F to Bdim always has a powerful pull on me in music!
As a guitarist that has played by ear quite well for over two decades. I would like to say, I have learned more theory from your videos in the last few months than I have since playing. I know most of what you cover, but I have never been able to put a name on what I was intuitively doing by ear. I have watched other videos but you put things in the most digestible way. If the student has not learned, then the teacher has not taught anything. Thank you and keep up the great work. You are doing great!
That's a very nice comment, and David deserves the acknowledgement. I agree with what you say. I studied piano from age 4 till about 12 and then foolishly allowed it to fold when my tutor died. Like you, I have all this musical knowledge floating around in my head and can usually tell where a piece of music is heading, like sentences music has to make sense. You're also doing great as well as a student, remember you can lead a horse to water but can't make it drink.
Yeah as a guitar player I was looking for this exactly but didn't know how to word it
theory is bogus
Similar story here haha, ive been playing piano for a while and have a teacher and everything and school but ive learnt so much more theory here than there
@@MikehMike01 ur probably tone deaf
I have to say it because it’s incredible, the circle of fifth works exactly like a chromatic circle, the way colors fit together in a painting or any visual artwork. Like three colors next to each others are going to look good because they have a color in common (like orange contains both red and yellow so those three colors fit well), and two colors at the opposite of this circle create a contrast that makes them look good as well when together.
I think that's it!
I always likened the circle of fifths to the colour wheel.
You should check out the Adam Neely talk on Ableton's channel if you want a deep dive in the correlation between color and pitch!
Jimi Hendrix spoke of how he visualized sound and tones as
color hues do in relation to one another on the colorwheel. We
know he was great but.... wow!
He played by ear, yet was able-
to visualize sound, in his mind.
Synesthesia is cool.
Also note that the diminished fifth is *exactly* 180 degrees opposite the chord it came from -- much like the complimentary colour on a colour wheel. That's why it doesn't sound dissonant, but instead provides a moment of tension which can then naturally resolve through the momentum along the rest of the circle.
I took guitar and banjo lessons for over a decade and nobody ever explained it like this. I also took music theory for 1 quarter in high school and HATED it. You have a gift.
The pre-existing song that you couldn't find that uses the entire circle is indeed Yes's "Awaken". Please check it out.
And no, Rick Wakeman and co. didn't lose track of their tonal centre at all. But it *is* meant to be a forever-ascending sequence, so the feel is indeed as you say.
Glad you mentioned that song!
Nice! I’ll check it out now!
@@DavidBennettPiano More Yes please (pun intended)
@@DavidBennettPiano We Yes fans obviously want you to listen to and love the whole song, but you can hear the full circle at around 10:35 here th-cam.com/video/59feSG8U5EQ/w-d-xo.html . Starts on E and goes counter-clockwise.
Beat me to it. What a fantastic piece of music. Yes at their/its best.
Wouldn't be a David Bennett video without a Beatles example. You Never Give Me Your Money is one of my favorite Beatles' songs. Everything from the Abbey Road B side is just a freakin' masterpiece.
It sure is a fabulous album.
thanks i was wondering what the name of that song was
Except Sun King
@@randomchannel1566 really? I think it's really good.
@@johntousseau9380 I feel like it's a waste of time compared to what comes next
I've been dipping in and out of music theory for nearly 60 years and thought lockdown would give me a chance to focus on "getting" it. Well that failed, but today, your video has made the penny drop. Your clear presentation, and use of particular favourite songs has really helped move me on. Thank you so much.
Been struggling with bass for over 40 years, found TH-cam videos on the circle of fifths only recently but none are as good as this as far as demonstrating it to a music/tab/cord illiterate.
I knew I liked playing hey Joe tho, now I know why and also why I like the Beatles medley so much.
Thank you for explaining it in such an easy to understand way, now I might get somewhere.
Chord*
Dave Brubeck’s “In Your Own Sweet Way” takes the circle of fifths all the way from A to B, omitting just the final E that leads back to A. They’re all 7th chords: A7-D7-G7-C7-F7-Bb7-Eb7-Ab7-Db7-Gb7-B7. And it’s not an exercise. It’s a beautiful song.
Been playing music for 20 years. I thought the circle of 5ths was a method for remembering your sharps and flats. I didn’t realize you could play it. And I have played three of those songs he mentioned.
But oh the circle of fifths gets much much deeper than this fragment
There is a incredible video on TH-cam that blows my mind I will post it here for you if I can find it
What do you play?
Ya me too. I’ll
Have to play this now
This is by far the best video on the circle of fifths I’ve seen. Thank you explaining it so well.
Wow, thank you!
FINALLY! I understand WHY and not just HOW!! Thanks David! You are an exemplary instructor!
Thank you!!
An endless circle of fifths felt to me like the harmonic equivalent of a Shepard Tone! :D
oh wow it would. all the chords interlock into each other 😯
Yes it’s making me quite anxious not having a resolution to that progression.
I was going to write the exact same thing!
Omg same bro I stg I feel so not good after listening to him go on on with that 😵💫😵💫 :( so unsatisfying
6:52 I actually love the C to E transition. Sounds like something Philip Glass would do
I got a Muse vibe off of that
Something Coltrane would do. (Giant steps.)
He said it was stark and I was ready for something unpleasant, sounded really good
That C to E chord structure , major to major or even dominant major third interval is used all over the place in country, rock n roll, older pop & even blues. Has a very distinctive sound. Once you learn the sound shape can be recognized easily.
I think Elton John use this chord progression in Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
I knew everything you were telling us today. But I could never tell it that way. That's why I am happy that you bring this fascinating topic in such an easily understandable way, so that many people understand how wonderful music theory can be.
You just clicked baited me into learning the circle of fifths the best way anyone has thought me thank you.
your videos have really been helping me get a grip of music theory, it really helps me understand why my favorite songs sound so good! (and also helps me realize why the beatles were so important)
Thank you! 😀😀
Superb video and explanation/demonstration. "Autumn Leaves" is another that has a cool use of the Circle of Fifths as well. I will often run through various chord arpeggios thought the circle going counter clockwise as it is so common in many jazz standards, at least so I've noticed! Thank you! 🙏🙏🙏
Autumn Leaves is a great example! As is All The Things You Are which is another classic jazz standard😀
Yeah I thought his classical example was Autumn leaves for a second. My unlearned self would've assumed that example progression is just the key of C with a secondary dominant.
The 2nd guitar solo on “A man I’ll never be” from Boston’s 2nd album goes through a full round of the circle of fifths and resolves back into its key. It’s beautiful.
The verse of Burt Bacharach / Christopher Cross’s “Arthur’s Theme” uses the circle of fifths progression, but with a twist-there is a Bb major chord instead of a B diminished. The resulting progression has a bit of an Aeolian sound, but retains a satisfying turnaround to the starting point
Here's some examples in C major (off-tonic, IV-ii-V-I):
Rocky Raccoon (The Beatles)
Saturday in the Park (Chicago)
Lovefool (The Cardigans)
Also "Perfect Day" by Lou Reed (i-IV-VII-III-Vi-iv-V)
& "Virtual Insanity" by Jamiroquai (7-bar verse: i-IV7-VII7-III7-VI7-vi-V7)
There's also the possibility to swap the Bdim with a B flat, making the F a perfect fifth and the B flat a diminished fifth, like in "She's always a woman" by Billy Joel or "Hello" by Lionel Richie
Yeah I love that! I think that is also done in “Windmills of your mind” by Noel Harrison
"Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" by Christopher Cross also does that.
Big dog big turd “stinkin mornin” also does it
@@bigdog2432 I don't think I've heard that one before.
Elton John, "Funeral for a Friend", does this!
Your piece there at the end demonstrating the full circle of fifths was like the most unsatisfying thing ever because it just kept going and there was no end lol. So cool and what a great video on this subject.
That was fascinating. As a lifelong Yes fan I instantly recognized the progressions of a chunk of their epic "Awaken", from 13:43 until about 14:00 here. 👍🏻👍🏻
Any other Yes fans hear it?
Yes! Awaken starts on E
I've been sharing "Awaken" as a circle of fifths example for a few decades now. They use it in several places, the most prominent being the "Workings of man" section, and then the "Masters of" section into the great climactic part right before the choir comes in. Another familiar piece that uses it is Genesis "Firth Of Fifth", which they humorously refer to in that son's title as they make a play on words on Firth Of Forth, which is an estuary in Scotland.
The Strokes use all 12 major chords using the circle of fifths on the outro of “15 Minutes” You should definitely check it out
All I think about is Stick It To The Man from School of Rock :')
Going around forever in 5ths might be the perfect idea for composing a soundtrack for an exploration game
Fantastic video. After years of listening these songs are basically in my DNA. Perfect method of illustrating not just the sound but the feel of the notes as they relate to each other and the ear. Well done.
The transition part of A Day in The Life vamps around the circle of 5ths twice from C all the way to E.
Nice example!
Man, that nearly minute-and-a-half passage starting at 12:35 was flippin' _gorgeous._ For some reason, doing laps around the 'Circle' produces (in me anyway) a sort of "hope springs eternal" feeling - like, a new day is suddenly dawning with each chord change, as you realize you're not quite where you _thought_ you were, tonally. Like being continually surprised and delighted. Does anyone else feel that? Wow.
Haha it kind of drives me crazy. It's like the shepard tone of chord progressions and never feels like it resolves!
It would work perfectly for a "We're training/prepping for plot-height mission"-scene in a movie... PROVIDED that once the final nail is in/the last push-up has been pushed/the critical gadget has been acquired, then the bloody thing resolves with a V->I so we can all get a sense of accomplishment! :P
For me its constantly resolving, and the home key just keeps changing.
it isn’t very pretty, listen to basically any vivaldi piece for a great example of actual beautiful c of fifths
Way too construed
This video has finally explained the "Circle of Fifths" in a way that I actually comprehend it. Thank you.👍
This was not only interesting and held my attention but it taught me more about music and composition than I have ever learnt. You are a good teacher, a better compliment I cannot say.
Gary Moore's trademark ballad sound is typically based around Circle of Fifths progressions. Still Got the Blues, Spanish Guitar, The Loner, Parisian Walkways, One Day. Typically he'd write a structured melody on top and then cut loose and shred all over the cycle later on in the song.
Yes they all sound extremely similar
i love still got the blues
my god this is so well put together. the examples are so helpful, the commentary is so insightful… this might be my favourite video of yours yet haha. alsooo earth wind and fire’s after the love is gone is a fantastic example of beautiful P5s too!
Thank you! That means a lot 😀
"Awaken" by Yes uses all 12 chords from the circle as follows: E, A/C#, D/A, G, C/E, F/C, Bb, Eb/G, Ab/Eb, Db, Gb/Bb, B/F#. It repeats multiple times and as you point out feels very ambiguous in regards to key.
THIS IS THE MOST HELPFUL look at this topic that I have ever encountered.
This was such an excellent presentation. That so many diverse songs all use the same progression is refreshing, but also challenging when attempting to compose music. It is easy to fall into a comforting pattern and end up simply re-inventing a familiar song.
Recently I've been inspired by the B section of the song "Everyday" performed by Buddy Holly. It's a true circle of fifths shortcutted by a tritone substitution: Eb -> Ab -> Db -> Gb -> Cb -> Bb -> Eb. Not only because of the marvelous Cb in a pop song, but it's such an elegant construction for a simple song form. I'd be interested in other songs like this, since it's close to your ideal of going "all the way around" with the strong resolution on each change back to the root.
What a spectacular song that. Buddy Holly is a legendary songwriter
Guy I worked with back in the 70s/80s. Everyday was his theme song. Opened each show with it. I played hammond c3 in it & later left hand key bass also. Ironically, when I first learned the song I had never heard it by Buddy. Rock n roll songs in that era didn't get much exposure. Later when I heard it done by Buddy I still remember my comment that our version rocked way harder. I did a hammond solo in the bell sounding part and carried through the chorus, circle part. A great song. Buddy was indeed one of the greatest. Check out his version of "Early in the morning"
Excellent video on the Circle of Fifths Chord Progressions! I am looking forward to sharing this with my piano students. I never tire of watching and learning from your vast knowledge of music. Even when it’s a bit over my head, I just hang in there and keep replaying until I eventually get it. 👍 And I would like to mention that one of my favorite things about you is your comment section where you so obviously take the extra time to respond to your viewers to help them further understand your topics. That is dedication and I appreciate your effort and energy. It is so rewarding. I feel so fortunate to have found you and your music channel. Take care and I will be on the lookout for your next video. (I am thoroughly excited to be one of your subscribers!)
Thank you for this video, as a music teacher, whom was self taught all his life; theory has always been the door hardest for me unlock. This will be a constant watch to help understand this theory. Thank you.
Good vid, as always, man! Even though I've heard of this circle of fifth thing before in my music school, you've shed more light to it, and it made me look at all this stuff in a different perspective for a little, and you've used all the songs that I thought would make a nice tutorial in this topic, which is cool and spooky 😅 been playing all those songs in and out and you never know how things are related to each other until you try to make connections. :) Thanks for your content man!
5:23 - I kinda.. dig the “chaotic” chord motion haha.
Do you know a band called Cardiacs? some of their songs sounds like this Edit: For exemple "Wind and rain is cold" have this feeling i think
Then John Coltrane - Giant Steps is for you.
Plenty of music both popular and experimental uses chord movement like that, it doesn’t even necessarily sound chaotic especially if justified by the melody, arrangement, & voice leading.
Either approach to harmony can be appropriate, depending on your aesthetic goals!
So do I! That chord motion could easily be a Kate Bush song like Wuthering Heights, for example
Very interesting! I guess the human mind is wired to look for patterns, and with 12 consecutive chords, no matter how pleasant they sound together, the brain struggles to spot the pattern. This is probably why the most popular music today all use 4/4 or maybe 3/4 or 6/8 time signatures and fairly predictable chord progressions limited to maximum of 4 progressions. Four is a bit of a magic number in terms of how much the brain can comfortably keep in the short term memory. Thanks for making these videos!
Not just that, but grouping things in pairs makes it easier to have question/answer patterns. Measure 2 is the answer of measure 1 and measure 4 is the answer if measure 3. And at the same time measures 3 and 4 together are the answers to measures 1 and 2 together.
Fantastic video. You put together a lot of concepts for composition in just over 15 minutes, and with real world examples. Thanks for putting this together!
I find moving between unrelated chords gives that grungy feel to songs. In combination with a cool vocal melody it makes for beautifully unique ambiances.
Agreed. I actually made a song with chords that aren't typically together, and I immediately got a grungy cound
I have learned to be weary when the words "unpleasant" or "bad" is used in music theory videos (and classes), because of how much our tastes are based on our culture.
The progression you played at the beginning instantly brought to mind the introduction and chorus of Could It be Magic (based on Chopin's Prelude in C Minor). I checked the chords and it doesn't quite fit but it sounded so similar.
EXACTLY the song(s) I was thinking of! Too many younger people of today haven't been exposed to Manilow's great skill for weaving Classical techniques with Pop style because he was so rudely written off by Rock critics and fans of edgier music.
@@atomicchanteuse5095 Yeah my mum was a fan so I grew up with it. But I believe Take That did a version of it when Robbie Williams was still with them so I thought perhaps younger people might be more familiar with it through them.
@@feliciab2 Unfortunately, Take That was a One-Hit-Wonder group here in the US. Solo Robbie did better here than with the group! But, I digress...
I am only now learning music theory at 39 after happily avoiding it when I was a teen learning piano, but this is very interesting. I guess I now learned about myself that I really enjoy some chaotic jumps around the circle of fifths!
This is so refreshing. I was just looking around for some inspiration to get back on my piano...and here you are... thank you for each word and satisfying note and cords you showed us and played today... thank you
I’m a guitar player and this is probably the greatest tip I’ve ever heard. Thank you for providing. You’re incredibly talented and a great teacher.
This is literally the perfect video and the perfect timing! I am presenting a lesson on circle of fifths in a few days, and these examples are exactly what I need! Thank you very much
Thank you!
"literally"
You should be awarded a noble prize for education.... ive learned so much from you. A new lesson always. makes my day. I've been playing music for many years and this is the best explenation of the circle of fiths I've ever seen. Thank you, You rock!
Very fine vid, you're a great tutor! i never actively made use of the circle of fifths, but i'm sure to give it more attention now.
What i found striking in your piece going full circle, is that after the 4th chord i got some sense of searching, and after the 8th chord i was certain something should come to break this circle. See how influenced one is by all classical hits (i.e. the songs you mentioned in the intro) from the radio (yeah, being from the pre-tv age).
Never any resolution for the endless circle of fifths song. Maddening to listen to.
The diminished fifth interval “trick” is also simply to stay within a key.
Exactly. All of Am Dm, G, C, F, Bdim, and E are technically within the key of A minor. The only "change" you end up with there is the change of modes from natural minor to harmonic on that final E.
Yeah, but the dominant (thus major) V chord is almost “in key” given its ubiquity and naturalness.
Yes, and this makes the so-called circle of fifth just a half-circle with a short cut along the diameter ;-)
Exactly. It’s also moving in fourths but semantics I guess
Yes, this proves that you can define a scale (including harmonic minor) by moving from fiths, exept for a diminished one. All chords resulting define a same scale major and minor, and travel all neighbour tonalities: from C/a to 1# and 1b.
Another gem. The composition around the CoF was almost disturbing. I kept waiting for a tonic to let me know I was home. It never came.
It’s weird isn’t it! It sounds harmonious and pleasing and yet disoriented!
These illustrations are clutch; maybe it's just the way I learn, but your ability to show what you're talking about is a game changer for me, nice work...
Thank you so much for this video! It was so fascinating seeing the circle of fifths used in real time. This video has helped me so much with touching base and understanding an introduction to music theory.
'Hold Me Tight' by Paul McCartney/Wings (not the Beatles song of the same name) does 11 steps round the chord cycle. Starting at the D chord at the end of the verse it's then anticlockwise steps all the way through the chorus leading to A by the start of the next verse. So D to A the long way round.
I’m so glad you mentioned this! The is a monumental achievement by Paul! Fittingly he sings “I’ve waited all my life for you!”
I always thought the diminished chord was to keep it in key: Am Dm G C F Bdim Am
It simply exists in the key.
It's probably my 5th time watching this video. I get more out of it every time. You teach wonderfully and so clearly.
I subscribed a few years ago and I look forward to your releases.
Honestly, I have watched a number of your videos back to back. Why have I go to 41 years old with no one explaining things about the music I loved and was playing in a way that I could understand. Your videos have unlocked a lot that seemed like it was coded. Legendary stuff
Absolutely great to have a video that featured a lot of your actual piano playing akin to Adam Neely/Charles Cornell, this really adds a lot to your videos and I hope you keep it up!
Thanks!
The song "Awaken" by Yes, from the album "Going for the One," is a song that uses a progression that goes through the entire circle of fifths. (And it's a wonderful, magical, mystical song.)
Widely thought of as their masterpiece.
@@MuzixMaker Indeed, along with Close to the Edge. Have you seen the version of Awaken performed by Jon Anderson with an Icelandic band called Todmobile? If not, look it up on TH-cam; you won't regret it!
“I came here to say this, but knew in my heart it already been said.” 🙏🏻
And that album DID reach number "One" on the charts!
Perfectly explained. Thank you! I was struggling to get the concept for the longest time, but you simplified it for anyone.
This is the most useful video i've seen about circle of 5th's. I've been stuck creating music lately. But this veido and II, V I, have been a game changer. Thanks so much David!
Im an intermediate guitarist .. i love different genres of music n i always played songs composed according to the circle of fifth but i never got to know the name of this beautifull relaxing lovely chord progression i was playing till lately when i came across this video .. thanks buddy
Mike Oldfield's epic Incantations album was built around the circle of Fifths. He also used the circle on the tracks Guilty, First Excursion and the start of Punkadiddle. Tubular Bells Side 2 might also be partially partially built on the circle.
I was missing this class for almost 15 years. God bless you mate and thank you so much !!
I was trying to learn what the circle is about in the past but this video made it much more clearer. Big thanks my friend!
One of the most profound uses of the Circle is the song Awaken by Yes. It's a real masterpiece of melodic construction and dynamism. I do believe they are also using Fibonacci in the quiet organ and harp section in the middle of the song as well. All that, in one amazing piece of music!
The most incredible and uplifting piece I ever heard 🙏
YES "Awaken" is my favorite piece of music of all time.
My favourite song that uses that progression is Yoiyami no Uta by sound horizon, it's so epic
What's Fibonacci? Apart from the spiral
I would love to see you make a collaboration with Charles Cornell. You both have given me hundreds of hours of fascinating music theory content and you explain them so clearly. Maybe you can do an analysis of Hans Zimmer's movie scores.
I’d love to collab with Charles. He and I have chatted before on Zoom and he’s a lovely man!
They have very different styles. That could just turn out weird.
He passed away in 2017. I'd say he was the best vocalist in rock. Freddie Mercury was good too and Robert Plant was similar in tone and range.
Buenísimo! David, sos de lo mejor que puede hallarse en TH-cam, en relación con los conceptos de la música. Gracias!
Been learning the Viola and these videos have really helped refresh my memory from when I studied music at school as a teenager. It’s really clicking into place
When I made a piece that used God chords, I remembered that I used the Circle of Fifths and tracked chords that are as far away from each other as possible to make some epic transitions. It's a really useful tool. I am mystified why some people still don't know how to apply the Circle of Fifths.
Great video! I can think of one hit song from the 1980s, "Never Gonna Let You Go" by Sergio Mendes, that heavily uses the Circle of Fifths progression in its, but was almost constantly changing key signatures (I think it had 26 in total?), making it a very unique example. Rick Beato did a video on it a while back.
going fully in 5ths just makes the progression feel eternal. Never understood properly this concept until now. Amazing explanation. Subbed!
I briefly studied jazz in undergrad and didn’t realize how beautiful and exciting of a tool the circle of 5ths is until now. Thanks for this video!!
That's really well explained. Thank you. You have got me thinking on how to work a cut down circle into a composition.
Thank you! Go for it!
This is used also in one of the openings ("Melissa") from the original Fullmetal Alchemist anime :D
I always thought of it as the "Handel's Passacaglia chord progression"
It shows that Tension is the most important part of the song...
When you apply that tension and how you do it is up to the composer.
Wow,... Amazing I love your channel and I learn so much. Thank you.
I’ve been playing guitar for 55 years and I just now get it. Somehow this got through. Thanks very much for this.
What a gifted teacher, presenter, producer, and musician. Thank you, Muses, for sending us David!
Thanks Dell! And thanks for your support!
I have a great example of a total circle of fifths progression! Mike Oldfield (of Tubular Bells fame) uses it for a beautiful 2-minute section of his symphonic-rock work "Incantations" from 1978, beginning around 19 minutes in. I transcribed a lot of this piece in the 1980s in order to broaden my musical horizons from my classical-piano background.
The circle of fifth is that device you learn and instantly feel like a super hero
I’m amazed how sweet your playing about the full circle of fifth’s was … very well done 👍
This video broadened my musical horizon a lot. You are a teacher, thank you very much from Perú
Este video abrió mi horizonte musical, eres un verdadero maestro. Muchas gracias desde Perú
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🇵🇪👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Love this video. Interesting that the "at random" chords include G, Eb and B, which rearranged between the Eb and B have a major third (or augmented fifth) tonal center relationship that is used quite a bit in modern jazz. And they form an equilateral triangle around the circle.
I thank you, I love you . For the 1st time, I get what the circle of fiths about. I've known about it for years and just did not get it and you're intuitive detail Explanation helps me understand it. I truly understand now. I used to say what's it even for.
And yet again you've instantly improved my music theory understanding tremendously. Thanks.
Love this video, super insightful! If anyone’s really interested in this stuff like I am, you should check out a Circle of Fifths with the relative minors. The progression he showed about 5:30ish is a little different than the real progression. (For example: It should actually start at the top of the circle, since Am has no sharps or flats). Anyways love the video this is so cool!
The globalist by muse has a very nice chord progression similar to this:
A/C#, Dm, G, C, F, Bb, E/G#, Am, G/B, C
Also, a lot of muse songs do this too, but varied like Unintended, Unnatural Selection and Soaked.
I've been trying to understand the circle of fifths for years now and you finally made it click. Also for any guitarists out there, to find the circle of fifths use a 2 note power chords like 3rd fret with is C and G. From the G start a new power chord which is G and D, continue the pattern and you've got it.
I never understood this concept until you laid it out perfectly. Learning theory by example is such an effective method. Thank you for your brilliant videos mate.
thanks to my father,I took guitar lessons when I was 14 back in the early 70s. I took lessons for about 6 months until the circle of 5ths came up from my musical teacher in the back of a guitar shop. I stopped because I could not comprehend the circle of fifths. even till today, I've seen countless videos on TH-cam trying to explain it. but I must say this, this is the only video out of all of them that has made any sense to me. thank you very much
Real McCoy's "Another Night" and Ace of Base's "Beautiful Life" use the first part of that for their general chord progression, but "Beautiful Life" really fleshes it out more. In much of the song it uses the top line but it either skips the last chord or directly after the last chord it drops down to seventh chord in the cycle (Cm-Fm-Bb-Eb-G, and sometimes Cm-Fm-Bb-Gsus4-G), and then there are different changes in the bridge to break out of the cycle. It has a very cool chord progression.
There's many songs that use the first half of the circle. "Killing Me Softly" is another.
Whoaaaa... I didn't know you can arrange music like you do colors. This video has been hanging on the right column for a few weeks. So glad I decided to watch it.