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Introduction
A sequence is a repetition of a melodic or harmonic pattern, in which each instance of the pattern is played
a regular interval higher or lower than the previous instance. There are several types of sequences, but the
most common one involves repetitions which fall by step. This type of sequence is called a cycle of fifths.
When you hear a melodic pattern repeated down a step and then down another step, you are probably
hearing a cycle of fifths. The cycle of fifths gets its name from the progression of the roots of successive
chords. Roots, in this type of sequence, always fall a fifth or rise a fourth. This is the type of root
progression used in the perfect cadence (V-I). It is a very common and very strong progression.
The term 'cycle' is used because, if roots always fall a fifth (or rise a fourth), the progression can cycle
through all degrees of a scale and return to the starting point.
Examine the following passage by Mozart. It illustrates the characteristics just described. Note that this
particular phrase is in G major.
Mozart, Sonata K545, I
There is a change of chords every two beats. The roots of the chords move by fifths. The first two beats of
the music use the notes of a G triad, the next two outline a C triad then comes F-sharp, and so on. The
pattern of arpeggios is repeated every second chord (every four beats) and each pattern is a step lower than
the previous one. The progression goes through a full cycle of the chords in G major: G, C, F#, B, E, A, D
and back to G.
© 2005 Andrew Hodgson
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