| The last
few issues have covered the primary chords and some of the
secondary chords. I call them "the fam", and "the cousins".
Later we'll meet "the neighbors' and "the strangers", but in
this issue I would like for you to learn the "Circle of 4ths".
The "Circle of
4ths" is also sometimes known as the "Circle of 5th", or the
"Circle of Keys", or the "Chord Progression Circle". All of
these titles are accurate -- they are just looking at reality
from a different angle.
Chords
"want" to move like this. Chords "want" to move up a 4th. They
don't always move that way, but they "want" to.
Why?
I have a
theory, but I can't prove it. It think it's because when you
add a 7th to any of these chords, the 7th "wants to go home"
to it's natural-born key. For example, the G7 chord is made up
of 4 notes -- G, B, D, and F. All of them are members of the G
scale except one -- the 7th, F. F is out of it's natural
surroundings, and wants to go home to a key that it's a part
of, and the closest key is C. So G7 "wants" to move to C,
because the F is homesick.
If that idea
confuses you, forget it. It's not important that you
understand WHY, just that you understand that it DOES.
So here's
the "Circle of 4ths" -- the way chords want to move:
C F Bb Eb Ab
Db Gb B E A D G
But more
important is to get this circle in your brain, so you can
visualize it.
We'll
continue learning more about the circle of 4th next issue.
(Meanwhile, check out "How
To Use The Circle of 4ths To Create Great Chord Progressions!"
- a video course. The circle of 4th
progresses through all 12 keys, and in it lies the secret of
chord progressions. You'll learn how to move from major 7ths
to minor 7ths; from suspensions to resolutions; an you'll
learn how easy it is to develop your improvisations simply by
breaking up the noes of the chord progressions within the
circle. A printed copy of the circle of 4ths is included with
this course, naturally. |
