Teaching my keyboard & guitar students
an easy music formula.

Moving through the 12 Keys by Fifths

The most effective way I have taught the method of playing music through the 12 Keys by fifths is to direct a student to play the old “Heart ‘n Soul” chord progressions. Its pattern of chord progressions in the Key ofC is I=CEG; i= ACE; IV=FAC; V=GBD. (Notice that you are using the C chord’s relative minor as your second chord. This is typical of a simple music composition to include one of its minor relatives). On a keyboard, the first three chords are played in a descending pattern. Each descending succession retains two of the preceding chord’s notes, so that only one note changes with each succession. The last chord ascends by one step. That chord is the V=GBD chord. That V chord now shows up as the I chordof the next slice. 

Key of G: Now you can begin to play “Heart ‘n Soul” progressions through the Key of G. You will play I=GBD; i=EGB; IV=CEG; V=DF#A. Now you have arrived at the Key of D.  

Key of D: Begin to play “Heart ‘n Soul” chord progressions like this: I=DF#A; i=BDF#; IV=GBD; V=AC#E. Now you have arrived at the Key of A.

 Key of A: Now you can begin to play “Heart ‘n Soul” with the Key of A progressions: I=AC#E; i=F#AC#; IV=DF#A; V=EG#B. Now you have arrived at the Key of E.

Key of E: Now you can begin to play “Heart ‘n Soul” with the Key of E chord progressions: I=EG#B; i=C#EG#; IV=AC#E; V=BD#F#. Now you have arrived at the Key of B. As you proceed through each new slice, notice that you are adding a sharp until you reach the maximum sharps allowed, then the progressions move into the flats.