Cycle of Fifths

Music Lesson Recap: Chords in the Key of C

Introduction So to recap, and this time I'm going to put us in the key of C because we're in familiar territory there.

Building Triads on the C Scale

Here's my scale of C. If I build a triad on each degree of that scale, recall that a triad is the root, the third, and the fifth above the root note of that particular scale degree.

Example: C Triad

• C Triad:
  • Root: C
  • Third: E
  • Fifth: G

You'll recognize this as part of the shape of a cowboy C chord, but here I'm just dealing with the three-note chord.

Moving to D Triad

Now if I move up to the next degree of the scale, which is a D:

• The third above D in the scale is an F (as there's no F sharp in the C scale).
• I can't play that F and the D on the same string, so I'll move the D to the fifth string.

D Minor Triad:

• Root: D
• Third: F
• Fifth: A

You'll notice that in a major scale, the ii chord (two chord) is minor, not major. If it was major, that wouldn't sound right; it's just not a natural, familiar sound to our ears.

Triads on Scale Degrees

E Minor Triad

• E Minor:
  • Root: E
  • Third: G
  • Fifth: B

F Major Triad

• F Major:
  • Root: F
  • Third: A
  • Fifth: C

G Major Triad (V Chord)

• G Major:
  • Root: G
  • Third: B
  • Fifth: D

A Minor Triad (vi Chord)

• A Minor:
  • Root: A
  • Third: C
  • Fifth: E

B Diminished Triad (vii° Chord)

• B Diminished:
  • Root: B
  • Third: D
  • Diminished Fifth: F

Diminished Chord Characteristics

Normally, you would expect the fifth to be a perfect fifth above a B (which would be F sharp). However, since there's no F sharp in the C scale, the fifth is an F natural.

• When you reduce a fifth by a half step, it is diminished.

Diminished Triad Technicality:

• Think of this as a diminished triad: minor third, diminished fifth.

Adding Sevenths to Triads

As you build a seventh above it, consider this:

• On the C chord, the seventh is a major seventh.

If you stack two major thirds, you get that sweetness:

• C Major 7: C, E, G, B

D Minor 7 Chord

Here's a D minor 7th chord:

• Root: D
• Third: F
• Fifth: A
• Minor Seventh: C

You might actually voice it like this, putting the F on top for a more familiar sound:

• Voiced as: D, A, C, F

E Minor 7 Chord

Now, let's take E minor again. Adding the seventh gives you:

• Voiced as: E, G, B, D

F Major 7 Chord

• F Major 7: Root: F, Third: A, Fifth: C, Seventh: E

G7 Chord (V7)

• G7:
  • Root: G
  • Third: B
  • Fifth: D
  • Minor Seventh: F

A Minor 7th Chord

• A Minor 7: Root: A, Minor Third: C, Fifth: E, Minor Seventh: G

B Minor 7b5 Chord

• B Minor 7b5:
  • Root: B
  • Diminished Fifth: F
  • Minor Seventh: A

The Dominant Relationship

The most important and fundamental relationship is between the V chord and the I chord:

• For example, G7 to C (in the key of C), or E7 to A (in the key of A).

V to I Cadence

• G going to C or D going to G is a strong progression, known as a perfect cadence.

Explanation of the Strength

The G chord's chord resolution involves:

• The root moving to the tonic.
• The third of G (B) becomes the tonic of C as it resolves.

This creates church harmony progressions, a familiar sound built on the V to I relationship.

Cycle of Fifths Progression

To illustrate:

• D minor to G to C is a strong 2-5-1 progression.

Strong Relationships

Now, if I make an E chord major:

• The V chord is always major in the key of A minor.

Example Progression

1. B minor 7b5
2. E7
3. A minor
4. D minor
5. G7
6. C

As you cycle through these relationships, you can create satisfying progressions.

Wrapping Up

This setup provides strong structural relationships, which set a roadmap for how chords fit together. In the next segment, we'll add a picking pattern and explore some fingerstyle techniques!