The Cycle of Fifths

The Cycle of Fifths

Harmony organizes itself into patterns of relationships that, to a degree, can be anticipated and predicted. These patterns are most easily seen and discussed in terms of the root motion. The Cycle of Fifths occurs with great frequency in Western Harmony, and therefore in American Music.

**The Cycle of Fifths**
C	F	Bb	Eb	Ab	Db	F#	B	E	A	D	G
enharmonic spelling
B#	E#	A#	D#	G#	C#	Gb	Cb	Fb	na	na	na

This root motion pattern creates a very strong forward momentum, demonstrated in the primary dominant-to-tonic (V⁷-to-I) / authentic cadence, and in the sub-dominant-to-dominant-to-tonic (IIm⁷-to-V⁷-to-I) cadence.

**Cadences**
Dominant to Tonic	Sub-dominant to Dominant to Tonic
V^7-->I G^7-->C	IIm⁷_--V^7-->I Dm⁷_--G^7-->C

In fact, any dominant chord completes its strongest resolution by moving one step forward through the cycle of fifths to a target. This includes secondary and extended dominants.

**Secondary and Extended Dominants**
Secondary Dominants
\|\| I V⁷/_II^--> \| IIm⁷ V⁷/_III^--> \| IIIm⁷ V⁷/_IV^--> \| IV^maj7 V⁷/_V^--> \| V⁷ V⁷/_VI^--> \| VIm⁷ V⁷/_VII^--> \| V⁷/_3rd V^7--> \| I \|\| \|\| C A⁷ \| Dm⁷ B⁷ \| Em⁷ C⁷ \| F D⁷ \| G E⁷ \| Am⁷ F#⁷ \| G/_B G⁷ \| C \|\|
Extended Dominants
\|\| V^7--> V^7--> \| V^7--> V^7--> \| V^7--> V^7--> \| V⁷/_V^--> V^7--> \| I \|\| \|\| G#⁷ C#⁷ \| F#⁷ B⁷ \| E⁷ A⁷ \| D⁷ G⁷ \| C \|\|

The Cycle of Fifths can create strong root motion in any circumstance. This includes diatonic harmony and the whole-step II - V series.

**Cycle of Fifths**
Progression Examples
Diatonic Cycle
\|\| IIIm⁷ \| VIm⁷ \| IIm⁷ \| V⁷ \| I^maj7 \| IV^maj7 \|\| \|\| Em⁷ \| Am⁷ \| Dm⁷ \| G⁷ \| C^maj7 \| F^maj7 \|\|
Whole-Step II - V Series
\|\| IIm⁷_--V^7--> \| IIm⁷_--V^7--> \| IIm⁷_--V^7--> \| IIm⁷_--V^7--> \| IIm⁷_--V^7--> \| IIm⁷_--V^7--> \|\| \|\| Cm⁷ F⁷ \| Bbm⁷ Eb⁷ \| Abm⁷ Db⁷ \| F#m⁷ B⁷ \| Em⁷ A⁷ \| Dm⁷ G⁷ \|\|