How To Use Secondary Dominants, Diminished 7ths and Cycle of 5ths

In this episode I discuss the theory and practical use of Secondary Dominant Chords, Secondary Diminished Seventh Chords and the Cycle of 5ths. Here are the Secondary Dominants in a Major Key:
V7/ii V7/iii V7/IV V7/V V7/vi
Here's the Secondary Diminished Seventh Chords in a Major Key
vii dim7/ii vii dim7/iii vii dim7/IV vii dim7/V vii dim7/vi
The Cycle:
C7 F7 Bb7 Eb7 Ab7 Db7 F#7 B7 E7 A7 D7 G7
Links To Follow:
If you are interested in purchasing The Beato Book please with me at [e-mail]
KZbin - / rickbeato
Facebook - / rickbeatoproduction
Instagram - / rickbeato1
Twitter - @rickbeato
www.nuryl.com
www.rickbeato.com

[@brianjosephmedia1086]

I tried to watch this 2 days ago and I swear to God I thought he was spitting ramdom chord names to prank us. I've been 2 days studying about secondary dominants and now, pausing a lot and repeating it all makes sense. It's amazing.

[@kasiaitomekfotografia5621]

Haha! Good one! Thank you for giving us hope it's possible to figure it out! :)

[@lucas.n]

just like me! i've been watching this second by second and taking notes for 2 days. damn. but yeah, now it makes sense.

[@zachary963]

I learned a lot of this about two years ago.... takes time but once you get it down it just opens everything up

[@peanutbutter1998]

Brian Joseph Music me too bro. I thought this would be an easy one. But after pausing and stuff, I think I am getting what he is saying.

[@bobsmith1754]

He's just a bad teacher. Teaches people like he's teaching himself and he knows everything already.

[@arthurwilson1966]

These videos of Rick's contain some of the most essential and practically useful training that I've ever come across. Truly exceptional. Thanks for sharing your extensive knowledge, Rick.

[@Arkenboutmusic]

Rick just explained half a semester of music theory In less than 20 minutes.

[@drdre4397]

I'm glad that's the case because it took me a few watches and a lot of practice to even understand what he's talking about.

[@seancurran6727]

Yeah, that's why I turned it off. He was going way too fast. I guess I could hit the pause button a lot, but I was also waiting to hear some progression where I'd say, I gotta learn that one, and it didn't happen.

[@healthprogressllc3370]

Yep

[@Noitisnt-ns7mo]

If Rick called fire in a burning theater, I would die.@@drdre4397

[@Noitisnt-ns7mo]

He is an illustrated case, for me, where someone with too much knowledge is tougher to understand than a new arrival. I always learned better from a co-student. I like David Bennett much better.@@seancurran6727

[@gamian_skillard1333]

Within 2 minutes my mind became scrambled eggs

[@activecordslaplante8510]

David Howe me too what.

[@joseortiz-fw7by]

You can get there last year I probably couldn’t make sense of this whole video but nowadays I feel like I can keep up. Learn everyday😎😎😎

[@GnomeChomsky9999]

Watch it 40 times!

[@tom47720]

😂 me too

[@heyou429]

My eyes glaze over as soon as I start seeing all the # and b

[@heyou429]

My teacher told me that vii and V chords are basically interchangeable. As Rick shows here, one is just an inversion of the other. Once you accept that and then also can remember which chords belong to a key (e g. diminished chords are technically ii rather than vii when in minor key),, this lesson just makes sense. And once it makes sense, you can attempt to climb a *little* closer and a *little* more inward to Rick's level with the detailed explanations. Thanks for never quitting on us, Rick!

[@richardsamples5863]

Someone buy this man a BEER, I was always confused on the concept of the secondary diminished until you explained it so well! May the gods bless you.

[@TobyHack-thguitarist]

maybe even a whole case of beer ;)

[@handsomedagger]

Oh ... I was looking for the lid of Pandora's box. Thanks for this Rick, it went beyond clearing things up! Just need to be able to actually play now.

[@rodrigoetchebarne9569]

WARNING! This video contains great information. Amazing Channel man! Thanks!

[@streetwiseguitar5113]

How many people actually NEED this video? LOTS of 'em!

[@juicebox86]

you operate on a whole different level than most. you're just too damn smart for the average chucklehead such as myself. I do appreciate your encyclopedic knowledge.

[@GeorgeSPAMTindle]

This is possibly my favourite KZbin video that I have ever seen so far, by anyone. No doubt there is something out there that Rick has done that will make me change my mind, but for now this is my favourite. My head's a bit of a mess right now, but a few more views should sort that out. Thanks Rick.

[@unstabilizer]

Thank you so much for all these great informative lessons Rick! You're absolutely superb!

[@crimfan]

That guitar tone is ridiculous. Love those P-90s with a bit of clipping.

[@GnomeChomsky9999]

That is the real lesson of the video.

[@jimmymurphy7789]

OOOOH - Boy, I WANT that-there Yeller Git-Tar !!!

[@mikegambino8396]

Thank you for the great explanation. I finally fully understand the use of the diminished scale in the blues, and why it works. Years of Robben Ford fogging has lifted.

[@sagarkapoor9892]

Hi, first of all, your channel is amazing. I can't afford a teacher so all my learning happens on youtube and other sources on the internet. Thank you for sharing such valuable information. Second, I have a doubt regarding the role of the b9 note in the secondary dominant. Why the b9 and not 9. Or you are altering the V chord for it to sound ''jazzy'? Thanks. :)

[@RickBeato]

Typically in classical music you're dealing with seventh chords resolving triads. In jazz you're dealing with seventh chords resolving to seventh chords. In minor keys that note is naturally flatted to create the tension to be resolved from the flat nine of the dominant chord to the fifth of the minor chord. If you look at the Bach example, he's using an 87 flat nine which resolves the D minor. That was common practice in the 1700s. Having a natural ninth on the cord is very weak because there's no half step between the ninth of the dominant chord and the fifth of the minor chord it's resolving too.

[@sagarkapoor9892]

thanks. This clarifies a lot. :)

[@priteshpawade6698]

Sagar sahi bola bhai

[@teddydunn3513]

@@RickBeato can u make a video about extended just intonation (microtonality)?

[@michaelgall5276]

Ah ha. 7b9 chords and half-whole scales are starting to make more sense now. Need to go revisit some Robyn Ford. Thx. Nice explanations.

[@markjohnson9485]

Great lesson, I'm always amazed by your musical knowledge!!! Thank you for everything Rick

[@sidspacewalker]

Me: Okay, fine, let me learn some music theory. ** clicks video** Rick: Play 5 7 of 9 3 of 2 12 of 16 of 3.1415 7 of 2. diminished.

[@ph8768]

Ha that made me laugh but just use the pause button and bite off a bit at a time

[@carguy3460]

The way these are edited, it looks like Rick just totally loses his $%# like 100 times throughout the filming and just cuts it off right before each totally uncontrolled freak out! That said, awesome content! This is all great, thanks!

[@RickBeato]

Haha I do!!!!

[@rudolphdandelion6840]

Me in my mind: "Yes, yes, yes ye.. no. no nO NO! " *Paused the video and start reading comments*

[@reggiebellamy7112]

Very helpful lessons Rick! I am following many of you lessons (especially your demonstrations on guitar). Please keep it 'em coming!!!! Thanks - Reggie

[@doncamilo8210]

Great lesson as always !

[@jimmyguitarhk]

thank you for your excellent lesson, superb tutor..clearly explained 4 complicated theories(actually cycle of 4th more than 5th)in just 20 minutes is not an easy job.u demonstrated with easy understanding examples are very helpful. love your other lessons too!

[@jimknopf0766]

that goes pretty fast through the garden of music paradise. Wish, I would have learned all this earlier. It's never too late.

[@LouisSerieusement]

[@farosonico]

Love your channel! my only complaint is i rather should be working and applying what i learn from you but i can not stop watching...

[@yoavyenon]

Oldie but goodie. Production value is secondary to content quality, and your content is always top grade Rick. I send many students to revisit these videos. Kind regards

[@adriatic.vineyards]

Nah, they're equal in terms of importance

[@JohnKesselChannel]

Great lesson, sir. Thank you!

[@AnthonyShaw-ty9pi]

Great video!! Excellent lesson. Tons of info👍🎩👌

[@floouk]

I have a lot of respect for you Rick and I enjoy your videos, especially the "What Makes This Song Great." There is a shedload of information conveyed here at breakneck speed. Many people who watch this who don't understand secondary dominants are going to get totally lost. Demonstrate a little - explain much.

[@danielmanahan692]

great stuff Rick sorry there is a bug in KZbin that doesn't allow some of us users to reply to posts. Yes I love John Williams (in the Country thread) had to reply here so you don't think i am ignoring you. youtube bug. and thanks for the link. saw that one before. Williams is a hero to a lot of us. I find writing memorable melodies my specialty, very easy. and what I really appreciate is your awesome work on chord progressions. something I don't like in country, but love in jazz.

[@stevekellar1403]

AH, RICK , YOU CHALLENGE US ALL MAN ! THANKS !

[@lionelcampos9868]

Excellent Rick......

[@dago6410]

Music equivalent of watching a video on physics/maths when not being a student of these subjects :D love it even tho i undestand each tenth word :D

[@philosoraptor6355]

Sr. you are gold! subscribed...

[@sierradelta07]

I can't get over the beauty of the tone when he played the A7 b9. That's a jazz chord right there. Now I need to go back to the start to see what I missed.

[@ridgerunner4943]

I really need to know this. I am stuck just below this pinnacle of wisdom. Its a double-black diamond of music theory!

[@xyzyzx1253]

Check out “new jazz” on KZbin! His stuff and practicing his stuff really pushed me over the edge in understanding what’s going on! Also just sitting with a circle of fifths and practicing what new jazz has to say with a piano/keyboard makes it a lot easier to understand the harmony / melody relationship, because you can just keep one chord going and play over the top. That or you get a “freeze” pedal to play over the top of “frozen” chords :) It’s really straight forward! When thinking about the circle of fifths as a circle of brightening and darkening, and really getting a feel for what playing the same phrase, over a chord, But transposed by fifths or 4ths, you really really get a feel for how music / tonality functions! To understand harmony, think about intervals and transposition of those intervals by fifths and fourths. Transposing by 4ths darkens the sound, (in comparison to the root note) And Transposing by 5ths brightens the sound (in comparison to the root note) Check out new jazz, he makes this so easy and practical to work out!!

[@analyticequals]

Man thank you Mr. Beato. Modally this is eye opening. This seems like a really great way to modulate.

[@pixelatedparcel]

Craig Holmes Hey, man. secondary dominant chords can't really be explained by means of modal interchange, though they also belong to the category of concepts that explain relationships between nondiatonic chords. Expressed differently, the use of a secondary dominant is not to modulate to a different key center, it is to spice up a progression while remaining in the key center by introducing a V7 from a different key whose function is to increase the sense of anticipation of the diatonic chord immediately following it and which it resolves to. This technique (secondary dominant resolving to a diatonic chord) can be used in both major and minor tonalities with any diatonic chord except the diminished as it is too dissonant to resolve to. Hope this enlightens a bit, even if after one year...

[@Jason-bg7jc]

Hey Rick I got to this chapter in the Beato Book and was confused so I went looking and found this video. Thanks for help!

[@CandyFleetRL]

The "Chords for Songwriters" part? That's where I'm at. There was no explanation so I had to do some googling.

[@mosesramirez6330]

Killer piano solo at 17:29!

[@thatpaulschofield]

Subscribed for this and the kid with the crazy ear!

[@PeterGuyMyrand1]

Excellent lesson. I was in bed when I came across this lesson, and I had to get my guitar out. Going to bed is now on hold.

[@jonnyvega9918]

Excellent, Maestro!!! ... I wish you upload the solo you play, teacher! Jejejeje :) Take care

[@HunterTom3006]

great lesson buddy

[@JRandallS]

The way I've always thought about Secondary Dominants is that they are passing tones on the way to your target. For instance playing from a C chord to an Am chord, you throw in an E7 on the way, because E7 is the Dominant chord of the target chord Am. Now Rick you didn't say it this way, but it seemed you used it this way. Is that how you are thinking about these Secondary Dominants?

[@paulmichaelsmith3207]

Old post but excellent point. A very simple way to implement and hip the change.

[@bobbob-mq9nu]

hi Rick see people watch these videos...great info thanks...lol

[@Yupppi]

Great application of that cycle of fifths in the outro of Tenacious D's Master Exploder.

[@jonathanallen2560]

I once tried to teach guitar basics to my cousin and I think I had the same problem of just throwing too much stuff I was excited about at her. She needed to know open chords I wanted to talk about the relationships between all the scales and modes

[@mwj5368]

It's strange as he lost me about 15 seconds in or less and I ended up listening more to what he was playing than what he was saying. I know it means structure to music but must be fore for advanced troubadours. In a way I'm glad I never took music theory after listening to this, yet very nice of Rick to take his precious time to help others. Very nice sound quality and images very clear. Thanks!

[@THINK178]

I love this

[@lionelcampos9868]

Great 👍 lesson Rick......

[@binodpun7041]

Oh my god u are great man

[@HammerGruvin1]

Really dig the ear training aspect of cycling through 5ths...but I wonder what an interpretation relative to a music staff looks like..."it's probably in the Beato Book"....

[@gulaki]

learnt much! \m/

[@ggus8512]

A lot to digest at first for many of us. But I just want to say that even if we pick one segment of the video at a time and work on that for awhile, there are tons of really musical sounds we can create and have fun doing it.

[@TheAtheistworld]

Super lessons, mate. Could u do a lesson about secondary lV subdominants?? There’s so little info about that around....everybody talks about sec dom, not sec subdom.. thnx❤

[@Amazology]

Thanks boss :)

[@jeffnpat]

OK, so I absolutely love what is going on, but also wonder - what is your signal chain? That sounds like the jazz sound I am looking for....

[@ZabalaGuitarrak]

what about the Mixolidian b6 for soloing over the V7/ii , Mixolidian b9b13 for V7/iii ...

[@joshcharlat850]

When one is a beginner and trying to absorb music theory (which is talking about grammar...I teach English to Italians), the synonyms of music theory really make it difficult. I'm SUCH A SLOW LEARNER, but I have an excellent ear. I'm forcing myself to keep engaged with music's grammar, but it is incredibly slow to come.

[@toonew24]

Great video but I think there’s an error with the captions at around 9:09 to 9:17. It lists something like Am7 E7b9 Am7 D7b9 GMaj7. However, subsequently, Rick states and shows this passage as Dm7 (ii7) A7 (V7/ii7) G7 alt(V7b5b9) CMaj9#11 (IMaj9#11).

[@WillKriski]

Great lesson. The chords on the screen were wrong at 9:10 should be Dm9 to A7#5 then Dm9 to G7#5 to Cadd9 or similar alterations, but you were right when speaking of them.

[@irishmuso7129]

Yes, that threw me for a moment - I was wondering what inversions he was using until I realised the chord names on screen were wrong. But the tutorial itself was beyond excellent. What a guy!

[@AgustinCaniglia1992]

when you play V/iii, then when you resolve to the iii chord does it have a major 9th? It seems to be... although originally the iii chord has a flat 9th. Then if you play the vi chord it seems to have the major 6 (instead of flat 6th) and only when you reach the ii chord you lower that note and play it minor (instead of major). It doesn't happen if you play the V/ii though, in the sense that its major 6th is still played. Or am I absolutely wrong or what do you think about it?

[@carlreynolds1111]

Curious can you add secondary Dominants to the court scale if you’re in a mode

[@allantaylor420]

Thx!

[@scalesconfrey5739]

Incidentally, would the fact that V7b9 has all the same notes as viidim7 be related to the practice of using "rootless" voicings for chords? Excellent presentation, btw! Also: 11:47 **the lick has entered the chat**

[@MrBillyJames]

Great lesson, and is that a 50's ( `56? perhaps?) Les Paul Jr you happen to have there? A Beaut.

[@mannoplanet]

Great stuff! But got a bit confusing in the middle. Were you changing keys without telling us? Name what the root is please.

[@NebulousWyatt]

Did you use a guitar because finding 4ths and 5th on it is super easy?

[@merttalay9702]

Rick modern playing in blues with sus arpeggios I saw the same technique that Kenny Barron Brad Mehldau and Aydın esen video of you.Kind of more modern sound and sounds less traditional.isn t it?

[@joshnesses]

Ha subscribed, no idea what he’s saying but I know 100% I’ll be back when I get better

[@th3giv3r]

But there's a difference between "V of x" and "V7 of x" chord, or is there not? This is where the terminology is important for those inclined to understand functions of chords, but not yet completely versed in terms that are possibly interchangeable or taken as "given."

[@noisyneil]

hey rick. love to know if you had any particular method for learning the neck. the guitar's a particularly awkward instrument due to repeated notes and limitations on fingering possibilities. are you constantly aware of every note you're playing or is your approach different to when you're playing piano and all the notes are laid out nice and neatly? :-)

[@RickBeato]

You are right that the guitar is tricky because the same note can be found an average of 2.8 places but to answer your question, yes I am aware of every note I'm playing on both instruments.

[@ChuckHaney]

CAGED. Don't listen to the haters. CAGED is the best way to see chords and their related scales and arpeggios.

[@coajrmusic]

The bridge of Caravan uses a 4-chord Dom. cycle that's fun to improv over....it's basically Sweet Georgia Brown...

[@pogus49455]

So I'm assuming circle of fifths and cycle of fifths are 2 different things. My initial thought was "that is the circle of fourths" but you are cycling through the V's resolving I's which then become the next V. So instead of thinking of it as intervals, you're thinking of its relationship to the next chord, right? Btw love the channel, #IWantToBeLikeRickBeato

[@RickBeato]

+Rolando Revilla correct I'm thinking of relationship to the next chord. Thanks!

[@Kevinschart]

i don't know squat about music theory but I appreciate Rick's teaching style...His videos are not for beginners, nor are his explanations. But what he gives you is a very specific topic of conversation. Almost like a university professor, he's challenging you to go off and research the topic on your own, AND THEN come back and watch his video. No beginner hand holding, or superfluous theory that you won't be able to apply to music analysis or writing. Just practical teaching and application.

[@jimmymurphy7789]

Rick: "Well, that's all for Now..." Us: "Well, that's enuff for US !" TYVM

[@lougaru2445]

Nobody else was blown away by the blues cycle starting from half step up the root?

[@JRandallS]

I was digging it. My guitar professor told me something about that, its in my notes somewhere...

[@SatyrProds]

I think a good idea is to check out Racounters You don't understand me. Progression goes something like that Bm A E7. Em is deffinetly not a V. And Em is changed to E7.

[@Dolores5000]

Love

[@sathyanarayanancontour]

I din't know how the 20 minutes went👍👌👌

[@Johnnykarate216]

Is this same principle applied to minor keys where 1,3,4,5,6, and 7 have secondary dominants?

[@jonc8561]

Is that a Neve strip I see?

[@justinmclean9275]

Help me out - why does the D7 at 6:08 have a flat 9?

[@cliffworks748]

great lessons Rick thank you! I send them to my students, my only request can you add a small staff somewhere so we can visualize notes while you are speaking? much appreciated! cliff in tokyo

[@stdio44.32]

13:20 Eadd9: The Association's "Windy" 😲🤣

[@fabianmallmann4834]

...of course he plays guitar too...get outta here...good stuff, thanks a lot and keep 'em comin!

[@maxcoty1377]

He studied Jazz Guitar in University

[@ScottfromBaltimore]

Had to load up on caffeine and play what I could of the chords to half-comprehend this music theory lecture. But at least, in C, you have chords based on the notes of the C scale, as stacked thirds: CM7, Dm7, Em7, FM7, G7, Am7, Bdim7 ...then, he talks about the 5th of the 2, and the 7th of the 2, then the 5th of the 4, and the 7th of the 4, and the 5th and 7th of the 5th, and of the 6th...

[@gmanjames1465]

Why is A7 the five chord in the key of Dmin? In Dmin wouldn’t the five chord be Amin7?

[@gmanjames1465]

Prof Von Shredder thank you!

[@jesseolsson1697]

also, he’s referring to harmonic minor, which employs an altered major 7th so the V chord is a dominant 7th instead of a minor chord

[@austinhall2362]

Which instrument is your primary?

[@fasteddie8782]

I will have to watch this about a f****** million times to get it

[@gimmeeinboxback3860]

It's not often that I listen to someone who makes me feel dumb. Most would run, I don't because I know I'm in the right place.

[@adriatic.vineyards]

If anyone is confused by this, Paul Davids made a much simpler video about much the same concepts. Watch that first, then come back to Rick's video -- think of it as the "AP" version ;)

[@tedpowers2045]

I always wondered what chords the jazz guys were superimposing

[@robertlyle3806]

Would be helpful if you stayed in ONE key for the entire lesson. You started out in C and then switched to A when you went to discussion of back cycling. When someone (me) is learning a concept, most intuitive to stay in one key (preferably C) to get through the basic concepts.

[@adityab1924]

How Eadd7 over the c maj7?

[@tofusauce]

Can someone please tell me why the secondary dominant (A7) in the key of c (V7/ii7) is a dominant 7 chord and not a minor 7 chord?? We are looking at phrgyian now at this V7 position right?

[@yuyiya]

Maybe because: the A7 contains the note (foreign to key of C) C# which is the leading tone of the d minor. _Only_ the C# (of A dominant 7) leads (as a major 7th) to the D - by rising a semitone - ; the C (of A minor 7) wants, instead, to lead (as a minor 9th) to resolve on B - by falling a semitone - which would give us the B dim triad or even B half-dim (B D F A) as the logical outcome of voice leading to notes diatonic to (i.e. within) the key of C major. Does this help?

[@rodneyadams9610]

Just remember you're using diatonics with secondary dominants. And also, dom 7th chords are from mixolydian mode.

[@tofusauce]

Yo Yo! Yes! Best response ever, thank you

[@stevenaustin4591]

Jesus Dude! This is melting my brain! The only thing I got from it was that EVERY chord apart from the root has a Dominant, hence Secondary Dominants... I >> V (Dominant) ii >> 5th away = Secondary Dominant etc, I think. Is that right?! Im confused!!!!

[@woodruffashbourne8372]

Correct.

[@DonaldLancon]

17:47-17:54 Is this a Charlie Brown special? [grin]

[@SkrvnHiptR77]

🤤of course I get it

[@JPablo-hh9oq]

you were so young, ricky