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From: letostak@netcom.com (Judy Letostak)
Subject: Cycle of Fifths (lesson)
Date: Tue, 27 Jun 1995 18:39:00 -0700 (PDT)
Cycle of Fifths
Judy Letostak letostak@netcom.com
Someone reqested info on the cycle of fifths. I'm really not sure
of it's purpose other than (what my teacher had me do with them) for
exercises on learing my scales in all positions and being able to switch
keys (all keys) when only using one position on the fretboard. If anyone
can tell me the real purpose of this, please do.
Here is the cycle of fifths:
Major Minor (relative to the major scale)
C A
F D
Bb G
Eb C
Ab F
Db Bb
G E
D B
A F#
E C#
B G#
F# D#
(this is supposed to be in a circle, but that's hard to do on a
computer) :(
If you record the cycle using major chords on a tape, 4-counts for each
chord. Record it a few times, so you don't have to rewind the tape all
the time. Starting at the open position, play Cmajor scale over Cmaj
chord, then Fmajor scale, then Bb major...Then you move up to the second
position and do the same thing, you should actually record the cycle five
times once for each position on the neck. This is really hard to do at
first, find the root note for each chord and go from there, you can usually
pick out scales by intervals.
Don't play the scale per se but play a line or a melody, if you're feeling
ambitious, try playing the same melody but just changing keys as you go
through the cycle. :)
You won't be able to play by switching positions, becuase you'll be in one
position, so you'll have to use your ears and try to figure out, by intervals
how to switch the melody, to fit into the right key.
Here's an example:
1st (open) position
C F Bb
|------------------------|---------------3p1--0-----|-------3--1--------
|---------------3p1--0---|--------3--1-----------3--|--3-----------1----
|--------2--0----------2-|---2----------------------|-----------------3-
|--2---------------------|--------------------------|-------------------
|------------------------|--------------------------|-------------------
|------------------------|--------------------------|-------------------
---------|
---------|
---2--0--|
---------|
---------|
---------|
I know this is cheesy, it's only an example. But I played the same
melody, basing it on scale degrees, but I changed it to adapt to the
chord changes.
Don't pass this one up just because it sounds hard (and it is hard). It's
a good exercise for learing scales in all positions. When you get this
down, you'll be able to change keys without changing your position.
Work out ahead of time, the different scales in one position. Then try
it with the tape, but only do one position at first, you'll overwhelm
yourself and give up. When you get that down cold, move on to the
second position and so on.
Ok, I'm going to start you off, I'd hate to see anyone give this up
because, I flaked out and wasn't clear about all this...I do that
sometimes.
C F Bb
|----------------------|-------------------1--|-------------------------|
|-------------------1--|-------------1--3-----|-------------------------|
|-------------0--2-----|----0--2--3-----------|----------------0--2--3--|
|----0--2--3-----------|-3--------------------|-------0--1--3-----------|
|-3--------------------|----------------------|-1--3--------------------|
|----------------------|----------------------|-------------------------|
Eb Ab Db
|-------------------------|----------------1--3--4--|----------------------|
|----------------1--3--4--|-------1--2--4-----------|------------------1--2|
|-------0--1--3-----------|-1--3--------------------|-------------1--3-----|
|-1--3--------------------|-------------------------|----1--3--4-----------|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|-4--------------------|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|
G D A
|-------------------------|------------------------|--------------------
|-------------------------|----------------0--2--3-|--------------------
|----------------------0--|----------0--2----------|--------------------
|-------------0--2--4-----|-0--2--4----------------|----------0--2--4---
|----0--2--3--------------|------------------------|-0--2--4------------
|-3-----------------------|------------------------|--------------------
E B
---------|----------------------0--|--------------------------------------|
---------|-------------0--2--4-----|----------------------0---------------|
--1--2---|-------1--2--------------|----------------1--3------------------|
---------|-2--4--------------------|-------1--2--4------------------------|
---------|-------------------------|-2--4---------------------------------|
---------|-------------------------|--------------------------------------|
F#
|--------------------1--2--|
|-----------0--2--4--------|
|-----1--3-----------------|
|--4-----------------------|
|--------------------------|
|--------------------------|
You can figure out the other 4 positions of these scales.
You CAN play just the scale, but I recommend improvising or using a
melody, it's more fun that way, not the same old boring scales :)
And, if you don't know the notes of the scales, or the idea behind
scale degrees, see below.
scale degrees I-VIII (1-8)
I II III IV V VI VII VIII
=============================================================
C D E F G A B C
F G A Bb C D E F
Bb C D Eb F G A Bb
Eb F G Ab Bb C D Eb
Ab Bb C Db Eb F G Ab
Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb C Db
G A B C D E F# G
D E F# G A B C# D
A B C# D E F# G# A
E F# G# A B C# D# E
B C# D# E F# G# A# B
F# G# A# B C# D# E# F#
===============================================================
maj min min maj maj min dim maj
I II III IV V VI VII VII
VIII=is just an octave above the root note. i.e. C-C just an
octave higher. (1-8)
I is the first note of scale
the maj min things on the bottom are the names of the chords in
referrence to the scale degrees. They're not law, just what all
the theory books say. But, rules are meant to be broken.
==========================================================================
Legend:
.......
\slide down /slide up bf = bend full (one step)
h = hammeron rb = release bend
p = pulloff ~ = vibrato