The cycle of fourths

The cycle of fourths (also known as the cycle of fifths) is a great way to develop your practice routine and song writing.

Chords have a natural tendency to resolve in up a fourth or down a fifth.

The cycle of fourths reveals the relationship of one key to another by the sharps or flats in the Key Signature. If we start in the key of C which has no sharp or flat notes, and then move to the next key in the sequence (up a fourth) we reach the key of F. F has one flat note in it. If we then move to the next key (Bb) we have two flat notes. The next key (Eb) has three flat notes and so on.

The key of C has no flat notes

The key of F has one flat notes

The key of Bb has two flat notes

If you play or listen to any jazz music you will know that most of the chord progressions move in fourths and subsequently jazz players use this musical device to practice through scale and arpeggio patterns.

You can practice your scales and chord progressions using the cycle of fourths to learn them in every key.