#KeyChanges

[learnhowtocreatemusic]

How to Use the Circle of Fifths for Songwriting: Unlock Creative Chord Progressions and Key Changes

The Circle of Fifths is an essential tool for musicians, especially songwriters, because it reveals key relationships and chord progressions that form the foundation of countless songs. Understanding how to use the Circle of Fifths in your songwriting can help you unlock creative chord progressions and seamlessly transition between key changes, ultimately enriching your music with harmonic depth.

1. **Understanding the Basics of the Circle of Fifths**

At its core, the Circle of Fifths is a visual representation of the 12 keys in Western music. Each key is arranged in a circle based on the interval of a perfect fifth, moving clockwise. Starting from C major at the top, the fifth of C (G) is next, followed by D, A, E, and so on. Moving counterclockwise from C gives you the fourths (F, B♭, E♭, etc.).

- **Clockwise movement**: Each step represents a perfect fifth.

- **Counterclockwise movement**: Each step represents a perfect fourth.

- **Relative minors**: Each major key has a corresponding relative minor, found by moving three steps clockwise (e.g., C major and A minor).

2. **Crafting Chord Progressions Using the Circle of Fifths**

One of the most powerful ways to use the Circle of Fifths is to craft chord progressions. The chords within a key that are closely related to each other appear next to each other on the circle, making it easy to find chords that naturally work well together.

**How to Use It:**

- **Start with a key**: Pick a key, such as C major. The chords in this key include C (I), G (V), F (IV), and A minor (vi).

- **Use adjacent chords**: For smooth chord progressions, use chords that are adjacent to your tonic chord (the key you're in). For example, in the key of C major, F and G are right next to C, forming the classic I-IV-V progression.

- **Experiment with movement**: If you want more adventurous progressions, explore chords that are further away on the circle. Moving in fifths (e.g., C to G to D to A) can create a sense of forward momentum.

3. **Modulating Between Keys Using the Circle of Fifths**

The Circle of Fifths is also a great tool for key modulation, which is changing from one key to another in a song. It allows you to modulate smoothly between related keys, making the transitions feel natural to the listener.

**How to Use It:**

- **Stay close for subtle modulations**: Modulating to a key next to your current key on the circle results in a smooth, subtle change. For example, moving from C major to G major or F major keeps the shift easy on the ears since these keys share many notes.

- **Use relative minors for emotional shifts**: You can modulate from a major key to its relative minor (e.g., C major to A minor) to create a mood shift without it feeling too drastic.

- **Explore distant key changes**: For more dramatic shifts, modulate to a key further around the circle, such as from C major to A major or E major. These modulations create striking transitions, adding tension or surprise to your music.

4. **Incorporating Secondary Dominants for a Fresh Sound**

Secondary dominants are another way to add complexity to your chord progressions. A secondary dominant is a dominant chord (V) that temporarily resolves to a chord other than the tonic.

**How to Use It:**

- **Find the dominant of your target chord**: If you’re in the key of C major and want to make G (the V chord) sound stronger, you can use D (the V of G) before resolving to G. This creates a progression like C - D - G.

- **Explore more secondary dominants**: By using the Circle of Fifths, you can easily find secondary dominants to other chords in the progression, adding richness and harmonic interest.

5. **Creative Chord Substitutions Using the Circle of Fifths**

Chord substitutions can give your music a fresh twist. The Circle of Fifths helps identify chords that can be swapped for others to add color and complexity to your progressions.

**How to Use It:**

- **Substitute with chords in the same position**: Chords that share the same relative position on the Circle of Fifths (like G major and E minor) can often be substituted for one another. For example, in the key of C major, you can swap G major (V) for E minor (iii) for a softer sound.

- **Use borrowed chords**: Borrowing chords from the parallel minor key (e.g., using A♭ major in C major) adds unexpected harmonic depth. The Circle of Fifths shows which chords belong to different keys, making it easier to experiment with borrowed chords.

6. **Incorporating Diminished Chords for Tension**

Diminished chords add tension and create resolution in your music. The Circle of Fifths can help you understand how to incorporate these into your progressions for more dramatic effect.

**How to Use It:**

- **Use diminished chords as passing chords**: A diminished chord can act as a transitional chord, leading to a more stable one. For instance, a B diminished chord can lead smoothly to a C major chord in the key of C.

- **Add tension before resolving**: Using diminished chords within progressions builds suspense and tension, which can then be resolved by moving to a more consonant chord.

Final Thoughts

The Circle of Fifths is a powerful tool that can inspire new ideas and bring creativity to your songwriting process. Whether you’re looking to craft smooth chord progressions, modulate to new keys, or add harmonic complexity to your music, the Circle of Fifths is your guide. By understanding the relationships between keys and chords, you’ll unlock a world of creative possibilities that will elevate your songwriting and help you write music that stands out.

[aicollider]

Master Yoda composes Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92 with Beethoven

INT. BEETHOVEN’S COMPOSING ROOM – DAY Beethoven, a frustrated composer, sits at his desk, a mess of music sheets scattered around him. Suddenly, a voice is heard. YODA Master Beethoven, struggle, I sense. Help you, may I? Beethoven looks around, trying to figure out where the voice is coming from. BEETHOVEN Who are you? YODA Yoda, I am. Master of the Force and music, I am. Struggles, you face, in…

[forlorn-crows]

anyone else just

peaaace forever mooooreee

peaaace forever moOOOOOᴼᴼᴼᴿᴱ

BUT 💥

IF 💥

IT 💥

ALLLLL BURNS DOWNNN

[deusluxuria]

if i had a zillion trillion dollars and could make a live-action jjba series (that was somehow really really good) i would not be able to hold back from using the song "hell is for children" by pat benatar for the credits at some point because jesus christ this series and gut-wrenching child abuse stories

[edge-oftheworld]

was just listening to the different versions of teeth and can I say the tone lower that the vault and acoustic versions really gives it a noticeably darker feel whereas the studio version feels more stripped back and processed yk? less of a traumadump and more of a story being told, slightly more of a sonic contrast from easier than it was before, and appropriate for its position on the album—though I’m half sure they only put it up a key so fans didn’t get mad when they can’t sing it. the RAH version is interesting though because it’s in the lower key but it doesn’t sound so dark because it’s actually the higher key that takes full advantage of the range of the acoustic double bass (in D minor it has to go up an octave to match the cellos) and the choir kinda gives it a lighter feel.

[kwonhochi]

hiii :] i am a little bit obsessed with this song !

[weaversweek]

1997: women with soul and vision

Bit of a grab-bag in this set. Coming up: Nuyorican Soul, Veruca Salt, Beth Orton, and Alisha's Attic.

"I wanna be the only one" - Eternal and Bebe Winans

Esteemed chart commentator James Masterton wrote,

Every once in a while there comes along a record that cheers and inspires. One which achieves the ultimate for any pop record and makes the world seem brighter, the sky clearer and which motivates you to set the CD on repeat so you can hear the whole thing all over again. The latest Number One single in the UK is just such a record. For the second single from the Before The Rain album, Eternal team up with American gospel legend Bebe Winans for one of the most heartwarming duets you are likely to hear all year. Combining the best elements of pop and gospel in one wonderful package, the single is perfect summer radio material with a soaring chorus that defies you to dislike it. A masterpiece of production and arrangement, just listen to the way it changes key twice in the last minute as the mood of the chorus spirals ever higher and higher. From the moment it was released the single flew out of the shops and now easily gives Eternal their first ever Number One single, three and a half years since their chart debut with Stay. Easily the best pop record of the year so far, at least until next week.

Have the gospel version.

"Runaway" - Nuyorican Soul ft India

ob Loleatta Holloway, tick. She was the vocalist on Salsoul Orchestra's original song in 1977, given new life by "Little" Louie Vega and Kenny "Dope" Gonzalez. Absolutely majestic orchestration, effortlessly combining house and salsa and scat jazz. Inspired Janet Jackson to write and record "Together again".

More! DJ Magazine goes behind the scenes with masters at work.

"Volcano girls" - Veruca Salt

The group's second album Eight Arms to Hold You disappointed some fans, who wanted more grunge than the alternative pop on offer. Our lead single showcased the group's new and different approach: one could describe them as the Spice Girls with guitars, except Kenickie had bagsied that, and Shampoo were bubblegum-with-attitude.

Barely marketed and sold about 600 copies over here, into the top 40 at number 137 and straight out again. Decent hit in the States, where the group toured with Bush.

More: An "oral history" of "Volcano girls", from Veruca Salt's reunion in 2014.

"She cries your name" - Beth Orton

Opens with a wailing and distinctive guitar line, then a divine voice sing-speaks a tale of domestic woe. Beth straddled the line between electronica - she'd dated William Orbit, produced by Andy Weatherall - and a folk-roots sound influenced by Carole King and Carly Simon. In later years, the folk-roots sound would win; this song remains a touchpoint for the late 90s and no other era.

More: Live review from 1997.

"Indestructible" - Alisha's Attic

Karen and Shelley Poole, making music for the art. A full-on art package: remember the little cartoon imp from the single cover, and every single single from the album?

"Indestructible" is an oasis of calm, peace, inner strength. We are indestructible, there's nothing to stop us. A world of wild romantic imagination, mystic adventures this way; guess some people hadn't picked up a book (as opposed to a Man City matchday programme) since leaving primary school.

A couple of long watches: The Hidden Treasures of Alisha's Attic, and a collection of interviews.

[froginabogg]

almost cried in class today cause i had a lyric from priceless stuck in my head how are you all coping tonight

[arbitrarygreay]

I can't understand much of this, but you can certainly tell that these three are having a lot of fun talking in a higher technical level. As an instrument player, I don't really get what makes a particular melody more or less difficult to sing, so I've never thought about Uchuu de Latata that way. This made me actually pay attention to that pre-chorus, which in turn only made me even more impressed with the way Tsunku is so determined to fuck around and find out.

One of the comments on the video was noting how each of the girls takes such a different approach. Airi grounds things in her memories, Oda willing to demonstrate, and Karin having studied the music theory more formally. Tsunku, of course, has the most knowledge of non-Japanese music which has influenced him.

[themusiclines]

Pourquoi y a-t-il si peu de femmes et de minorités en tête d’affiche des festivals ?

Credit Photo : Jules D. Unsplash Pourquoi y a-t-il si peu de femmes et de minorités en tête d’affiche des festivals ? Une industrie musicale historiquement dominée par les hommes L’industrie musicale, comme bien d’autres secteurs culturels, a été longtemps dominée par des hommes. Les femmes et les artistes issus de minorités ont toujours existé, mais ils ont souvent été relégués à des rôles…

[rockinjohnny]

Why Did You Take My Love Just For Fun

[aicollider]

Master Yoda composes Eine kleine Nachtmusik, K. 525 with Mozart

INT. MOZART’S COMPOSING ROOM – DAY Master Yoda, a small and wise Jedi, materializes in front of an overwhelmed Mozart. MOZART Master Yoda! Thank the heavens you’re here. I am struggling to compose Eine kleine Nachtmusik. YODA Ah, young Mozart. Compose you cannot, without guidance you seek. Fear not, I am here to help you. Understand, you must, the structure of this masterpiece. MOZART Yes, Master…

[star-on-a-beach]

Do yall ever just imagine the strangest scenarios to songs that absolutely do not fit whatsoever

Because why am I imagining Ode having a breakdown that grows from daily memories that bother them to grief-filled, devastating flashbacks and sobbing to Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York"???

[its-toph-bitch]

KEYCHANGE!!!!!!

[forlorn-crows]

Putting a keychange in Lachryma was king shit, Tobias. Thank you for the food--the food being the Absolution-like rhythm guitar, the sprinkled in high notes, and lyrics that, like See The Light, will be sung at full volume in my car.

[riverarts124]

SKELETA GHOST BAND ALBUM REVIEW

All of this is my opinion and should be taken with a grain of salt. I don’t except anyone to agree with me or my statements in this post

Peacefield - 4/10 ; Not my favorite. Its giving Bon Jovi and Kiss, maybe Journey(?). Its giving 80s and i’m honestly not here for it. I love the instrumental and the vibe but, it’s not an opener. A downgrade from Kaisarion (previous opener). Can recognize riffs (the melody maybe?) from other Ghost songs

Fav Lyrics: “Your love, bright as the star light, oh child, still we can see. A black moon over the peacefield. Oh child, stay close to me..”

Satanized - 10/10 ; YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY!!!! Yummy in my tummy. Lyrics, Music vid, everything about this song is perfect. Very catchy, love the vocal and key changes. Definitely a Karaoke fun time song!

Fav Lyrics: “From a life of devotion, ive been quelling my urges to burst. And i keychange Thank god for the remedy!! For your love be coerced! I shouldve known, not to give in, i shouldve have known, not to give in..”

Lachryma - 10/10 ; YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY! BEEN STUCK IN MY HEAD SINCE THE RELEASE! FAV SO FAR!!! Music vid is sick, vocals are yummy. I WILL BE SINGING THIS FOR KARAOKE. I WILL GO FULL OUT TOO

Fav Lyrics: “IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT IT FEEDS. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT IT EATS YOU. Everybody knows…everywhere it goes…High notes YOU CAN NEVER RUN AND YOU CANNOT HIDE. IM DONE…”

Guiding Lights - 10/10 ; Holy fucking shit…Its giving ‘He is’/’Bible’. Im a sucker for rocky ballads omg. And the intro, im ascending. Im dead. Sleepy vibes, chill, fucking yummy piano/instrumentals, yuuuummm

Fav Lyrics: “if i could pause right here i would open my heart and tell you with no fear, that the path we have walked, led us into the dark, there stood my god, before me, do you know what they said?”

De Profundis Borealis - 6/10 ; FUCKING SICK ASS GUITAR AND INTRO. The harmonies are yummy. Kinda mid tbh

Fav Lyrics: “All the things that never gave you peace, Throwing those, but keeping these, All the rights that didn't undo wrongs, Put it back where it belongs”

Cenotaph - 7/10 ; FUCKED WIT IT HEAVY. Wouldnt say its a banger but i fucked with the instrumentals and the intro. I wouldn’t skip it if it played on shuffle

Fav Lyrics: “At the top of the mountain, Right there where it tips and connects with the night sky, Reach it with me, In the grave of the ocean, Right there where it dips and connects with the fire, Burning with me”

Missilia Amori - 6/10 ; Ooh! Alright, i see you! Not ballad-y but slower. You’re really leaning into the scooby doo type rock and im not sure how to feel about it tbh- Like, i understand for Seven Inches but, im not feelin it for Skeleta?

Fav Lyrics: “Love rockets shot right in between your eyes, Love rockets, excite me with your demise”

Marks of the Evil One - 6/10 ; I love the four horsemen of the apocalypse. Really cool concept to write about. The guitar solo slayed too. Not really much to say about this one tbh..

Fav Lyrics: “The third rider looks cool, on a steed, Black, a pair of scales in his hand, The fourth rider is death, rides a steed, Pale, and Hades follows him”

Umbra - 8/10 ; The intro is giving 80s/Stranger Things intro…is there something you wanna tell us Tobias? THE COWBELL? WILL COWBELL GHOUL RETURN TO US? Oh the fucking words…okay thats sick, get it sweetie!! Its nummy actually- i wasnt expecting the cowbell but i love it

Fav Lyrics: “In the shadows, stripped of sin, In the shadows, deep within, In the shadows, I will make you my angеl”

Excelsis - 9/10 - This one is very ballady, i probably would’ve cried if it was 3am and i was so seepy. Its giving like..processing grief and death and what not. Like guh, heart wrenching in my opinion but its very yummy. Very nummy

Fav Lyrics: “As levees are breaking, A flood comes, Washes away all the rubble, Past indiscretions and stalemates, We are all sailing to the gates”

Overall: Mid album. 7/10 at best Im a little disappointed about it. There was so much hype for this album and i know Tobias (lead and writer) wrote this album with the intentions of it being more personal to him rather than have the satirical and theatrical feel that Ghost typically has. I wouldve liked an album thats more upbeat and go-getter like Impera or Melioria (cant you tell that i favor melioria-). Lachryma and Satanized felt more Ghost than all of the other songs and im just feeling underwhelmed. Maybe if i listen long enough, itll grow on me.

Fav Song/Songs: Lachryma, Satanized, Guiding Lights