Use the Circle of 5ths to learn song patterns (& download your own circle of 5ths spinner!)

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[@desi_daru]

I am commenting on this video because it deserves to get comment. Others are just going to teach play music but this person is going to teach how create your own music

[@Rosalei-or3rc]

I've watched so many videos on this and it was still confusing me until now. You've explained it so clearly. Thank you so much, this is very helpful ❤

[@chuckeby6407]

I thought I had already learned the secrets of the Circle of Fifths; however, this video opened up a whole new secret to me: The II7, VI7, and the III7. I've encountered these chords in many songs, and I always wondered, "how the heck does an E7 get into the key of C?" Now I know the secret.

[@jeanfrancoispistre2018]

Thank you sir ! You are a great teacher !

[@RikHoward.]

You explained the circle of 5ths perfectly better than anyone on YT. The circles always been a bit misty to me i couldn't quite see or understand why there were these other chords like the II7, VI7, III7 in songs and now i know so thank you very much.🎸🎹🎼🎶🎵🎶🎵

[@PhilDoleman]

Thanks Ricky, glad it's helped!

[@MetaphysicalMusician]

Your the first person I've seen on you tube that has presented this..I've known this for ages well done

[@lindenrosam4781]

Thank you Phil, what a lovely tutorial and many thanks for the downloads too. I bought your book “How songs are made” when I attended a workshop of yours a couple of years ago. I’ve bought you a coffee - hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed this! Take care

[@PhilDoleman]

Thank you!

[@ferg492]

Cheers Phil 👍

[@davehatch2828]

Outstanding tuition ,,for free! buy the book.

[@mikeregan3265]

When I talk about the circle of 5ths with my guitar students their eyes start spinning.

[@marklaskey3891]

A great lesson, Phil! Thanks!

[@luanneoneal8038]

Thanks for the straight forward explanation. Fun information to work with.

[@TheBug1961]

Fantastic lesson. Thank you for sharing this! I've known about the circle of 5ths for years and now I know how to apply it and how great a tool it is.

[@binekrebs2310]

Invested 20 Minutes and learned so much. Thank you Phil 🙂

[@dawnnwilliams2946]

Thank you! I liked your explanation of the rhythm changes bridge. It pulled together a lot of information for me.

[@srb2897]

Great video Phil, and really enjoyed your evening at Bishop Stortford Uke society

[@PhilDoleman]

Thanks, it was great to see you all!

[@pratikkalani6289]

You’re the best teacher for someone to learn music and begins with ukulele instrument. Thank you🙏

[@seandonno9248]

Thanks for this. Have just started to get my head around music theory in a bit more detail, so kind of now what the circle of fifths is about, but this helps to reinforce all I am currently learning 🙂

[@kevinl1669]

I have studiously avoided the circle of fifths for quite a long time to my musical detriment. It's not that I haven't tried. I have and have gotten lost in trying. I recently picked up the ukulele to learn it and happened upon your channel. For the first time, I have gained an understanding of the circle of fifths and I've picked up great information about the uke watching your videos. You obviously understand music, the instrument and how to effectively teach someone else. I appreciate you sharing all of that with all of us. I've applied the universal knowledge from your uke videos to my guitar playing as well. Thanks.

[@PhilDoleman]

Thanks Kevin, I'm glad it's helped!

[@judih.8754]

Phil thank you so much for this lesson. I have read and watched so many pieces about the Circle of Fifths. Your explanation and tool have finally unlocked the use of this methodology for me. I will definitely recommend this video and your channel to others in my ukulele group. Much appreciated.

[@kharmaviv]

Thank you for this! It is wonderful! I understand so much more with this video. It was so much fun playing along as well. I usually get stuck, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much easier and more enjoyable it was to play along. I'm still smiling. You have opened up a better way for me to learn because I have to memorize every song. I do not see well enough to read and play. Everything is memorized. I feel this will help a lot. Thanks again! 🙂💜🎵

[@joanb7180]

This was very enlightening! I will certainly use the circle of fifths in a way I’ve never imagined! You have explained much theory in such a unique way. Thanks!

[@delmarlemming]

This is so well explained. Thank you. Your ebook explaining how music works is on my Xmas list!

[@bobbrendel758]

So much value in this lesson. Thanks!

[@PhilDoleman]

Thanks!

[@phiddler1]

wow Phil thanks for posting this has really opened my eyes especially those jazz progressions now i know where there coming from

[@rayneill4888]

Thankyou!

[@grahamreader9141]

Well, what a video. I have always been baffled by the circle of fifths, we won't mention circle of 4ths! I bought many years ago a Musical Scale and Chord finder, which is basically the Scale of 5ths, but your small gizmo, is even better, well done. Now I just have t learn the chord shapes for the Ukulele. Now on to your next video.....

[@PhilDoleman]

Thanks! You'll find all the chord shapes you need here... www.learntheukulele.co.uk/resources

[@JLdulkat]

I have struggled with the Circle for years, never making sense of it. You are definitely a teacher who knows and understands the topic and able to present it in a perfectly clear manner. It may take awhile for this to sink in but, finally, I am getting it! Thank you!!

[@billio51]

Lightbulb moment. I finally understand playing in different keys, only took 40 years. Such an informative video, many many thanks

[@ProductivePM]

Phil, I finally get it. You are an incredible teacher! Thank you and I wish you the very best!

[@tenhatjack3685]

So useful Phil! (The teaching AND the wheel)

[@bbmitchell834]

Hey man, Thanks for the print out , enjoyed the video, just learn something new.

[@susanrudge5817]

It certainly has been helpful - thank you - so clearly explained.

[@ASDPOWER]

If you add the Vii degree in as well you have the 736251 also... thanks this is great up next to my piano and might even get my ukelele out !!!!

[@mustanggrace830]

Great teacher for new ones.

[@matakali_]

That is the best explanation on the circle of fifth I've seen so far! Thank you very much for all that amazing, beginner friendly and helpful content you are posting on KZbin channel! 👍 It would be great if you can explain the 'intervals' topic the same simple and practical way! I've kind of got the concept of intervals but still it is hard to really apply it... Thank you very much and all the blessings to you from Himalayas in India 🙏

[@martyntanner436]

Excellent video, I have often wondered were the middle eight cords came from. I have often looked at the Circle of Fifths and couldn't see how I might find it useful but I see it in a different light now. Thanks

[@jolieuke]

Thank you so much !

[@lindirose2]

Thanks!

[@totofreak1982]

You are a genius thank you

[@kristynjohnson3510]

This is cool

[@maryneinast3979]

I love this! Thank you so much, Phil!

[@karlstine2065]

Your lessons are so good.

[@rocpile2517]

Super good stuff. Thanks

[@tjb3550]

Many thanks Phil as always very helpful. Cheers. Trev

[@hanankhalifa2589]

Amazing 🤩 thank you

[@howlinhobbit]

good lesson, as per your usual. *great* animation on the spinner bits.

[@PhilDoleman]

Thanks, it took ages to get it to work!

[@howlinhobbit]

@@PhilDoleman - I must confess that part of my brain was occupied wondering how I could do something like that in Lumafusion. I suspect it involves lots of fiddly bits and a ton of key frames.

[@dw9237]

Great❤

[@edwardvanravesteijn841]

Bedankt

[@PhilDoleman]

Thank you!

[@danielmcgowan4970]

Hi Phil, back home after a 4 week spell in hospital and canot wait to get back to my Caramel Baritone Ukulele which I love so much. Please Phil could you advice which of your books would be best for me, re playing by ear. I enjoy your videos so much. Every success Daniel McGowan.

[@PhilDoleman]

Glad to hear your out of hospital! For getting into playing songs by ear and learning the chord patterns that are often used to build songs, then "How Songs Work" would be the one for you. There are some chord diagrams, and they are for gcea tuning, but most of the content will work great on baritone, and the rest is very easy to adapt.

[@werelwolf]

Great video! I hadn't fathomed these position relationships before but it's awesome!! Will a similar relabeled template work with the other modes than ionian?? (don't make me check, hahaha)

[@PhilDoleman]

Yes, it should work fine, though I'm not sure anyone trying to read it would follow it easily. Would be good tool for composing though!

[@werelwolf]

@@PhilDoleman What place would the major chords of II, VI, and III have? The diagram only uses them in minor chords or as 7's. Is it the nature of the key(/spinner) you chose to use because they happen to 'fit' well? (It seems like that to me, it's just a preferential choice to use, since the V chord is explicitly only represented as a 7 chord as a nice chord which resolves right to the tonic)

[@PhilDoleman]

@@werelwolf It's actually the same relationship as the V7 to I. When you play say the III7, it feels like the V7 chord in a new key, and really wants to pull us to VI. That, if played as a 7, then feels like the V7 chord in yet another key and wants to pull us to the II. Yet again, we play that as a 7 and it wants to pull us to the V7. Basically, 7th chords want to pull us anti-clockwise around the circle, which is why they are written here as 7ths. Thousands of songs use all or some of them, but most of the time we use them to move anticlockwise, so we might just go II7 V7 I, or VI7 II7 V7 I, or III7 VI7 II7 V7 I. Think of songs like 5 Foot 2, or the chorus of I Wanna Be Like You. We're so used to hearing V7 go to I, that we can essentially be conned into hearing any 7th chord as a V7 of a new (temporary) key.

[@werelwolf]

@@PhilDoleman That gives me a whole lot more insight, thank you for taking the time to explain it! Feels like a way to keep the chord progression 'in motion' so landing on the major version of the chord isn't as satisfyingly (resolution-ally) complete. You're the best! 😃

Hi Phil! So glad to see you got it working in a very practical way. Had to search my email to find our conversation about this, in 2014. I still have my spinner, or chord rotator as I called it then. Cheers / Sven

[@PhilDoleman]

Hi Sven! It took me a while to get around to making one! By the way, the Argapanator has been getting some hammer lately, still plays and sounds like a dream :-)

@@PhilDoleman Great to hear mate. All the best to you and your family.

[@PhilDoleman]

@ and to you and yours!

[@CasparHarmer]

This is a fantastic resource. One question... what is the focus and what are the differences between "How Music Works On The Ukulele" and "How Songs Work: Understanding Chord Progressions On The Ukulele" that you sell? - I'm trying to decide which one I should get.

[@PhilDoleman]

Thanks Caspar! How Music Works is a guide to music theory, related to the uke, from notes to scales, scales to chords, chords to songs. How Songs Work takes that last element and expands on it, focussing on common chord progressions, one in each chapter, and gives examples of songs that use them. Hope this helps! Phil

[@CasparHarmer]

@@PhilDoleman Thanks for getting back to me. In light of your explanation, I'll go with "How Music Works". Looking forward to working through it.

[@richardpaulus9823]

So is the cluster of 6 at the top diatonic chords a the the 3 off to the side borrowed chords?

[@PhilDoleman]

Spot on!

[@googlepigs7027]

You're a great teacher Phil ! Thanks for that. 💜

[@robcash555]

Hi, I can’t find the link to download the circle 5ths

[@PhilDoleman]

It's in the video description you just have to click 'read more'. I'll paste it below www.learntheukulele.co.uk/resources

[@robcash555]

@@PhilDoleman thankyou

[@rebeccamyers7483]

Are your books available in the USA?

[@PhilDoleman]

Yes, they are sold exclusively through World of Ukes and they ship worldwide.

[@richardbrown9760]

How do I copy the diagram? I can't find a print symbol.

[@PhilDoleman]

If you follow the link in the description (this one... www.learntheukulele.co.uk/resources) and click on the picture, it should enlarge and you'll find download and print buttons. For me they are in the top right corner, but it'll depend on your device. If you struggling, here's a direct link to the pdf. www.learntheukulele.co.uk/_files/ugd/03e166_ddc4114e87fb41f6b31b78091d6fbebf.pdf

[@richardbrown9760]

OK thanks will give it a try. Richard

[@Paner91]

17:48 if we are in the key of D is VI7 a B7 or Bm7? I am confused. In a scale of D there is no D# key so why are we using B7? I must be misunderstanding what being in a key or a scale mean, this doesn't make sense to me. We are not playing in a key of D then? How does that work?

[@PhilDoleman]

VI7 is B7, vi is Bm7. I explain it briefly at 10:14, but what is happening is that the 6 chords gathered together (in D: D, G, A , Bm, Em, F#m) are all strictly in the key, they are the 'diatonic' chords in the key of D, made up of just the notes from that scale. It's great that you know your scales and spotted this! If we make those chords into B7, E7, and F#7, you are absolutely correct, they use notes that we don't have in the scale of D. However, that's something that happens frequently, and this anti-clockwise circle of 5ths pattern is a very common way we see this. Really, we're repeatedly changing key, but it's such a common sequence we don't think of it like that. It works because we're so used to hearing the V7 chord move to the I chord (in D, A7 to D), we can repeat that and listeners go with it, so, again in D, F#7 (not really in the key of D!) really wants to move to B (again, not a chord in the key of D), but when we get to the B instead of feeling like home, it turns out to be another 7 chord, and that makes us feel like we want to move to E. Again, that E is really an E7 and again we feel like we won't to move to A, etc. until we get home to D. It's using a movement we're really familiar with to create a cascade that takes us around the circle. Essentially, a 7 chord really wants to move anticlockwise, and we often use that familiar sounding movement to create songs that use chords outside of our key. If you can find a piece of sheet music in the key of D (key signature of two sharps at the beginning), then scan through it, you'll very probably find some extra sharps scattered through the piece, maybe in the melody, maybe in the piano chords. The 'accidentals' crop up in so many pieces, yet we still think of the piece as being in D. Hope this helps!

[@chinthanagunasekara7469]

How about the minor scale songs?

[@PhilDoleman]

Good question! It's a little more complicated, but I'll try and fit it into a comment. First, the simple bit. The 6 chords (I, iii iii, IV V, vi on the chart) are the same in Am as they are in C. Every major key has a relative minor which is directly below it on the circle. The relative minor key has the same key signature in written music and shares the same notes, and so also shares the same chords. The way we hear the difference is simply in the way the music is structured. However (there always has to be a 'but'!) at some point in history, people started to become less satisfied with how minor key music sounded. In C major for example, we have the G7 chord which really wants to pull us back home to C, and that is very satisfying. In Am, however, the chord one step clockwise is Em, and minor chords don't have the tension within them to make us feel that pull home. In short (and it is more complicated than this, but this is an easy way of thinking of it) the chord one step clockwise of a minor key is often turned into a 7th chord (so instead of Em in the key of Am, we have an E7) which gives a much more satisfying resolution. Depending on the composer, how old the music is, etc. you will hear both Em and E7, but in modern muisc the E7 is now much more common. You can here this in action in songs such as "I Wanna Be Like You" from The Jungle Book. The verses are commonly played in the key of Am on the uke, but the chords are not Am and Em, they are Am and E7. The same thing happens in minor key blues, where you might have Am, Dm and E7 (not Em). You'll here this in songs like 'St. James Infirmary Blues'. Hope this helps!

[@susanrudge5817]

I was just about to post the exact same question so this response is very helpful. So for example under the Nashville Numbering system the Am is now the tonic I chord and not vi chord etc for the purpose of playing and the Em/E7 is the V. Is that how a band would know what to play? Or is there some other way they know?

[@PhilDoleman]

@@susanrudge5817 Yes, that's right. Most of the time in any kind of modern music the V chord will be played as the 7th, not the minor, but it's not guaranteed. There's no real way of 'knowing' other than being familiar with the songs, and with the sound of the Em to Am and E7 to Am.

[@billfawcett3691]

I try to live my life following the adage "It is better to keep your mouth shut and let people thik you a fool, than to open your mouth and prove them right". However occasionally one has to put ones head "above the parapet"! Is this a record for the number of clicheés used in one paragraph? I understand the circle of fifths as relevant to selecting different related groups of chords to play those same chords in different keys. However, despite much internet based research, I fail to understand what a "Fifth" is! By way of an example, in the key of 'C' I am told that the 'G' chord is a "Fifth" above the 'C' chord. When I play those two chords the 'G' sounds higher up the scale than the 'C' chord. Is this "Fifth" a fifth of an Octave, I assume not. All the explanations I have seen seem to involve piano keyboards. Now the only thing I have had to do with piano keyboards is to watch KZbin videos of cats walking on them and so those explanations reveal nothing to me, so no Eureka moment there. I would be most grateful if you could explain what a "Fifth" is related to the circle of "Fifths". Thanks.

[@PhilDoleman]

No, it's a perfectly good question! A 5th is a distance between two notes, equal to 5 steps the the major scale. In they key of C we have the C major scale C D E F G A B C. If we number those steps C=1 D=2 etc, then G=5 and so the distance between C and G is called at '5th'. Of course some keys have sharps on flats in them, but thanks to the circle we don't have to worry too much about that as the letter name one step clockwise of the key will always be the 5th step of that key (which is why we call it a circle of 5ths). Hope this makes it clear, and if not do get in touch, I some sheets that I can send that might help. All the best, Phil

[@billfawcett3691]

@@PhilDoleman Thank you for taking the time to clarify the "fifths", it is clear now. From your response and your videos, it is clear that you are a thorough and patient tutor. 👍 My friend is also learning the ukulele and is bound to ask me about the"fifths", so thanks to you we will both be a little wiser. Thank you again.

[@hazelisaacs2201]

@@billfawcett3691 there’s a reason why ABRSM music theory exams don’t allow any pictures of pianos to be brought into the exam room (they check for socks, ties, pencils, rulers, stationery, watch straps etc.) but the first thing almost every examinee does is draw a piano keyboard on their scrap paper. The piano is a great visual calculator to work out scales, keys and intervals. In the Key of C, D is II, Dm is ii, G is V etc. just count the letters INCLUDING the first one. Or look at the notes on your piano keyboard. Music theory (like second languages) takes time and effort to learn but I’ve never met anyone who regrets putting in the work to learn it. Grades 1-5 Samantha Coates Blitzbooks are very good for any instrument & will help you learn theory at your own pace.

[@billfawcett3691]

@@hazelisaacs2201 Hi H, I have been playing 12 bar blues for some months on my ukulele as I find it easy but enjoyable. I obviously had a "Grey moment" when disecting the "fifths", as I had no problem with the concept of I, IV, V chord progression e.g. A, D and E(7) chords but was not able to join the dots! As for piano keyboards, I am still enjoying the cat videos. 🙂

[@stanleysokolow]

I pity the poor "seven" chord. Nearly every discussion of the Circle of Fifths shows chords 1 through 6 (or Roman I through VI), but there is a chord built on the seventh note of the scale which is called the diminished chord, represented by "dim" or a degree symbol after the chord's letter name. Ukulele diminished chords actually are diminished-seven (dim7) chords which contain 4 notes that are equally spaced along the chromatic scale of the particular key. Some Circle of Fifths diagrams show the diminished chord on an additional circle inside the minor chords' circle. If you extend the arc of the cutout in Phil's spinner to expose one more chord beyond the III chord, you'll show the diminished cord. These dim7 chords are not commonly used in songs, but some old-time and jazzy songs use them as transitional chords. The dim7 chords have the unusual property that they have identical fingering shapes and positions for 4 named chords. The note played by each finger can be the name of that dim7 chord, so if you can't remember the finger grid for a particular dim7 chord, just make the parallelogram fingering shape and place it so the note that is the name of the dim7 is one of the 4 notes being played. Phil has an excellent 2-minute tip about dim7 ukulele chords: Two Minute Tips for Ukulele: #30 Diminished 7th Chords kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnbLiqNvfq56rMk .

[@PhilDoleman]

The diminished chord doesn't actually appear as a diatonic chord in a key. The VII chord (dim triad) is as you say, missing from this diagram. However if you extend it diatonically to 4 note 7th chord, you get a min7b5 chord (sometimes called half-dimished). I'm a big fan of using diminished 7 chords for transitions, it's a great sound from the era of great songwriters.

[@stanleysokolow]

Here's another Circle of Fifth spinner, but this one exposes the VII diminished chord: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6W2h2SaqMiYa7M . Two of the songs in this medley use a dim7 chord: Tin Pan Alley Medley No. 4, Ukulele Play Along, Austin Ukulele Society kzbin.info/www/bejne/joSpYnWYetabn5I .