Cycle of Fifths Neck Position Exercise
C Major 7 string pattern
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
Staying within the same 4 string “3 notes per string” neck position and shifting the pattern down. Each time we move a fifth through the cycle this 7 string pattern migrates down 1 string.
C Major Position 5
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
G Major Position 1
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
D Major Position 4
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
A Major Position 0
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
E Major Position 3
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B Major Position 6
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
F# Major Position 2
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
C# Major Position 5
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
Ab Major Position 1
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
Eb Major Position 4
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
Bb Major Position 0
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
F Major Position 3
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
C Major Position 6
Continuing to the next Position 5 to demonstrate the pattern more clearly.
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
G Major Position 2
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
D Major Position 5
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
Ab/G#
A
A#/Bb