Circle progression

Submediant in chain of fifths  Play .

vi-ii-V-I in C  Play .

In music, the circle progression is a chord progression named for the circle of fifths, along which it travels. It is "undoubtedly the most common and the strongest of all harmonic progressions" and consists of "adjacent roots in ascending fourth or descending fifth relationship", with movement by ascending perfect fourth being equivalent to movement by descending perfect fifth due to inversion.

The circle progression is commonly a circle through the diatonic chords, chords of the diatonic scale, by fifths, including one progression by diminished fifth (in C: between F and B♮) and one diminished chord (in C: B^o):

Full circle progression in C major  Play .

I-IV-viio-iii-vi-ii-V-I              Circle progression in major: full 

Shorter common progressions may be derived by selecting certain specific chords from the series completing a circle from the tonic through all seven diatonic chords, such as the primary triads book-ending the progression:

I-                  V-I = I-V-I      Circle progression excerpt: I-V-I 
I-IV-               V-I = I-IV-V-I   Circle progression excerpt: I-IV-V-I 

vi-ii-V-I in Mozart's Sonata, K. 545  Play .

The ii-V-I turnaround lies at the end of the circle progression, as does the vi-ii-V-I progression of root movement by descending fifths, which establishes tonality and also strengthens the key through the contrast of minor and major.

The circle progression may also contain dominant seventh chords.

Dominant seventh in circle progression in Charlie Parker's "Au Privave" (1956).  Play

See also

• I−vi−ii−V
• Approach chord
• Predominant chord
• Dominant (music)
• Extended dominant