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Key
1 Finger number & placement on string
x Do not play this string
Open string - play string with no fingers
1 1 1 Place finger flat across (barre) the strings
R
C
Using this chart choose any major key and work
out chords I, IV and V in that key, then find the
F G
a min
3 relative minor chords and play around with
d min e min
moving between these 6 chords - they should all
work really well together. For example in the key Bb D
of C, try using C major, F major, G major, a minor, g min b min
d minor & e minor. You could also use these for
transposing within a composition because these
would be the most popular new keys to move to
and then when you are in your new key then you Eb c min Circle of Fifths f# min A
will get your new set of I, IV & V.
Ab f min c# min E
bb / a# min ab / g# min
Db B
eb / d# min
C# Cb
Gb F#
The circle of fifths is also very useful if you are using a lot of chord V to chord I chord progressions (or even dominant
7th chords), because if you are playing a chord I, then all you have to do to find the chord V is move forward one
(clockwise) on the circle. For example if you were playing a chord I in D Major, so a D chord, then to find your chord
V, move forward one around the circle to A, this would be your chord V. This also works vice versa. If you are on a
chord V and want to find chord I simply move back one on the circle, so if you were playing a B chord and this was
your chord V, then to find chord I move back one in the circle to E.
ii
V C
It is also really easy to find a ii-V-I chord
progression (this is a very common chord F G
progression). If you take any 3 notes next to each a min
other, then take the last one and work d min e min
anti-clockwise then they are the 3 chords for your I
ii-V-I progression, with the last chord (chord I) Bb b min
D
being your key. This example is the ii-V-I
g min
progression for Bb major:
Ab f min c# min E
bb / a# min ab / g# min
Db B
eb / d# min
C# Cb
R Gb F#
1
C 4
There are many patterns, sequences and F G
relationships in the circle of fifths. Lets take the a min
major pentatonic scale. If you are working out the d min e min
major pentatonic scale from the major scale the 2
construction is 1, 2, 3, 5, 6.so to work out Bb b min
D
C major pentatonic, we would use C major and g min
use the construction just mentioned which gives
us the scale - C, D, E, G, A - now lets look at
this on the circle: Eb c min Circle of Fifths f# min A 5
Ab f min c# min E
3
bb / a# min ab / g# min
Db B
eb / d# min
C# Cb
Gb F#
C 1
Now you know the pattern you can simply F G
transpose this by using the same pattern, but a min
starting on the new tonic (1st) note. So lets try d min e min
using the same pattern to work out G major 4
pentatonic: Bb b min
D
g min
Ab f min c# min E
5
bb / a# min ab / g# min
Db B
eb / d# min
C# Cb
Gb F# 3
3
5 C 1
So lets apply this pattern to g minor pentatonic: F G
a min
2 d min e min
This gives us G, Bb, C, D, F for the g minor 4
pentatonic scale. Bb b min
D
g min
Ab f min c# min E
bb / a# min ab / g# min
Db B
eb / d# min
C# Cb
Gb F#
Note: The minor pentatonic scale contains the same notes as its relative major pentatonic, but starting on the
minor key note. For example:
Ab f min c# min E
3
bb / a# min ab / g# min
Db B
eb / d# min
C# Cb
Gb F# 7
6
2 C 3
Now lets use the same F G
pattern, but starting on a new a min
note - Eb major. If you use the d min e min
same pattern this gives you the
5 7
scale Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C, D, Eb Bb b min
D
which is correct for the key of g min
Eb major.
Ab f min c# min E
4
bb / a# min ab / g# min
Db B
eb / d# min
C# Cb
Gb F#
f min c# min
6
bb / a# min ab / g# min
eb / d# min 7
3
Look at this pattern on the circle and now lets use the
same pattern, but starting on a new note - F# minor. If 6 a min
you use the same pattern this gives you the scale F#, d min e min
G#, A, B, C#, D, F (which actually should be E#), F#.
g min b min 4
1
c min Circle of Fifths f# min
8
7 f min c# min
5
bb / a# min ab / g# min
eb / d# min 2
You will notice here the 7th note is F when it should be the raised 7th E# (in scales there should be one of every
letter name). E# is actually the same pitch as F, so for playing purposes will sound the same (this is an enharmonic
equivalent), but for written purposes if you were writing out the scale it should be E#. You may come across this
sometimes using the circle of fifths.
C
F G
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