How do you use the circle of fifths to write a pop song?

Question

piano or trombone

Answer 1

An example of a song that uses part of the circle of fifths is "Spinning Wheel"

A pop song won't sound pop enough if you restrict yourself to the complete circle of fifths. It will sound like a warm up exercise.

You can start off on the root, then go weird places for a few bars, but you have to get back to the fifth and then back to the root to make it sound like a cohesive song. Likewise, with the circle, Start on the root, go to a fifth and a few more, but get back to the root's fifth and back to the root when it sounds natural to do so.

Answer 2

This could be a long winded and boring answer to give with loads of music theory but I have found this page useful in the past to help explain it to pupils....it has clear diagrams and if you read right through it it will help you see the relation of chords.

http://www.theguitarsuite.com/circleof5.html

If you want a quick answer with no music threory then listen to Status Quo and play A - D - A - E power chords...throw in a relaive minor (ie. F#m) to be fancy and your home and dry.

Answer 3

And do I look like I care?