KVR Audio

Sascha Franck · Post by **Sascha Franck** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 7:49 am

poonna wrote:I think the circle might also be useful as a practice aid to master something in all 12 keys, no?

Well. If you know about all 12 keys, what would you need it for?
I'm really serious about this question.
I mean, when it comes to practising, to me it has always made more sense to simply pick a random key or some key I knew I wasn't that familiar with. It's never been like "ok, now that I practised XYZ in C, so let's proceed to G". I'd rather proceed with something such as Ab or whatever.

JumpingJackFlash · Post by **JumpingJackFlash** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 4:58 pm

I must admit, that in practise, I do agree with Sascha and others. The cycle of fifths is just another of those theory things that is useful to know, but has little practical application. - I've only used it when analysing I think, not actually when composing (except by accident). - It's not like I sit down and think "oh, what can I do now? - I know, let's use the cycle of fifths!"

But it is still good to know, or at least be familiar with.

Ph-J · Post by **Ph-J** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 9:59 pm

JumpingJackFlash wrote:I must admit, that in practise, I do agree with Sascha and others. The cycle of fifths is just another of those theory things that is useful to know, but has little practical application. - I've only used it when analysing I think, not actually when composing (except by accident). - It's not like I sit down and think "oh, what can I do now? - I know, let's use the cycle of fifths!"

I don't know much about pop music, but you'll find portions of the circle of fifths everywhere in classical music, from Bach's 2 voices inventions to Mahler symphonies, so 'little application' is a bit exaggerated

Also the name "circle of fifths" is used both to talk of the circle of tonalities ("the theory thing" to teach about accidentals) and to name a "sequence" based on fifths root movements, which, like all sequences can be modulating or not. A song like "Autumn leaves" is entierly built on a non-modulating sequence of fifths; so is for example, the music for the hollywood chewing-gum commercial, and plenty of songs I'm sure.

In classical music, it is often used to modulate back to the tonic of the piece, after some excursions to remote tonalities.

Circle of 5ths