• Ask Jermaine: “What One Thing Would You Learn First If Starting All Over?

    in Piano,Theory

    This week’s question comes from Michelle S in Oregon:

    “Jermaine, I’m enjoying your material immensely. I have a fun question for you that I’m just curious of. If you had to start all over, looking back, what one thing would you learn first to make you excel the fastest?”

    My Answer:

    Hi Michelle,

    This is a unique question… and a very good one.

    If starting all over, knowing what I know now, I would start with focusing my attention on the circle of fifths chart.

    circleoffifths

    It really encapsulates the flow of music in one graphic.

    (Remember to look at the circle in a counter-clockwise fashion from C to F to Bb to Eb and so on. While the other direction is important, the counter-clockwise direction is infinitely more popular).

    When you sit down and analyze songs, you’ll find majority of them have “circular movement” in them. Not all of them and not all the time but you’ll find most move like this.

    If you can memorize this, you’ll have more knowledge than 70% of musicians:

    C F Bb Eb Ab Db Gb B E A D G

    Here’s an exercise to help you:

    Just fill in the blank:

    1) C –> F –> ______ –> Eb

    2) D –> ______ –> C –> F

    3) A –> D –> ______ –> C –> F

    4) ______ –> Db –> Gb

    5) D –> _______

    6) _______ –> A –> D –> _______ –> C

    Answers:

    1) C –> F –> Bb –> Eb

    2) D –> G –> C –> F

    3) A –> D –> G –> C –> F

    4) Ab –> Db –> Gb

    5) D –> G

    6) E –> A –> D –> G –> C

    I hope this helps —

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    Jermaine Griggs

    Founder at HearandPlay.com
    Hi, I'm Jermaine Griggs, founder of this site. We teach people how to express themselves through the language of music. Just as you talk and listen freely, music can be enjoyed and played in the same way... if you know the rules of the "language!" I started this site at 17 years old in August 2000 and more than a decade later, we've helped literally millions of musicians along the way. Enjoy!

    Related posts:

    1. Here’s an exercise that’ll get you to remember “couples” tonight
    2. Let’s squash this once and for all… Is it really “circle of fifths” or “circle of fourths?”
    3. FINALLY CRACKED! How (and why) to use the circle of fifths to learn every chord in ALL 12 keys…


    Related posts:

    1. Here’s an exercise that’ll get you to remember “couples” tonight
    2. Let’s squash this once and for all… Is it really “circle of fifths” or “circle of fourths?”
    3. FINALLY CRACKED! How (and why) to use the circle of fifths to learn every chord in ALL 12 keys…



    Tagged as: circle of fifths, circle of fourths, circular patterns


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