Circle Harmony is an applied music theory curriculum designed to introduce core concepts of key relations and basic harmony around the circle of fifths. The approach focuses on exploring scales, fifth relations and primary chords through playing as well as writing. Lesson slides are designed in a clear and visually attractive way and can be used as teaching guides or given to students as handouts.
The curriculum for Circle Harmony 2 is downloadable as a 77-page ebook and is divided into three parts:
- Part 1: Natural Minor - relative minor scales around the circle of fifths, primary chords from the natural minor, the subtonic
- Part 2: Harmonic Minor - harmonic minor scales around the circle of fifths, primary chords from the harmonic minor, the leading note, the function of V7, minor key signatures
- Part 3: Melodic Minor - melodic minor scales around the circle of fifths, primary chords from the melodic minor and their style differences
Circle Harmony 1 introduces ideas of relative minor and harmonic minor. Circle Harmony 2 goes into greater detail about natural, harmonic and melodic minors - their reasons for existing and the expanded palette of chords that they offer. Circle Harmony is designed to provide the groundwork for more formal music theory studies up to and including grade 5 of the various exam boards. This resource can be used for teaching from an Elementary to a Late Intermediate level.
The Circle Harmony curriculum and workbooks are created by the School of Music Theory. You can read more about the School of Music Theory by going to: https://www.schoolofmusictheory.com/.