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The Circle of Fifths Tour

10 min · Intermediate · Fretboard & theory

How to play

Play a major chord on C, then G, then D, then A, then E, each one fifth higher than the last.

For each chord, name its three notes aloud (root, third and fifth) as you strum or pick it.

Pay attention to what changes from one chord to the next. The new root is the old fifth.

Challenge

Do the tour with only one voicing shape, moving it around the neck, and then go back down through the circle in reverse.

Tips

Neighbouring chords on the circle share a lot of notes, which is why they sound so connected.