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 * = artifical harmonic x = ghost note t = tap with right hand ps = pick scrape b = bend (steps are indicated over note) tr = trill The Music Shop BBS (619)423-4970 ===========================================================================