John Coltrane - Giant Steps - Circle of Fifths Diagram

Giant Steps on the circle of fifths. Also known as the Coltrane Changes, this sixteen-bar phrase represents the Mount Everest of jazz improvisation, requiring you to change key from B to G to E flat, back to G, E flat again and B again, then E flat, G, B, E flat, and finally back to B, playing either V-I or II-V-I cadences in each of the three keys, all in the space of roughly thirteen seconds.

[nightcrawler]

This actually is the most helpful video of this. Straightforward, short and to the point. It's just Coltrane using V-I and the 251 as a turnaround. Various videos on this over-explain but at the same time dont say enough. For overall beginners, those videos dont help but this one is amazing. Keep up the good work

[KaushalGokare]

For once I learned a ton of new things from watching a giant steps video in YouTube instead of a meme lmao. Thanks

[lemonadesaccounttm]

"Hey john, what key are we in?"
"Yes"

[vincentzito]

I just saw a high-school kid playing this on the street in Tarpon Springs, Florida tonight... Then he picked up a soprano sax and started playing My Favorite Things... It did my heart well to know someone that young was into Coltrane...

[fluffshepnetwork]

This is undoubtedly the best and clearest graphic presentation of the Coltrane changes that I've ever seen.

[tykingcrystal]

Great representation of the peculiar but cultivating chords of Giant Steps. I am inspired by this.

[hskshag]

If you have any concept of circle of fifths, this is the most helpful video to explain giant steps

[xXEpicMehXx]

this seems like the best way to learn it lol

[selfactualizer]

This is what helped me understand how this works, you aren't going to make more but please somebody turn this into a format for more people to make these

[MrDaffman]

You are very talented transcribing music theory into audiovisual content. I am totally determined to go right now and play this over and over...

[skyfall-tp]

Imagine playing a I-V-ii progression and pissing off every jazz musician in the room

[hooolas]

This is also seen as a special case of non-functional harmony where the octave is split in thirds. Therefore, the changes between some chords are founded not on the function the play according to a certain scale but to some other rule like the one cited above.

[iltromboncini]

The three unused keys (C, E and Ab) are a major third apart from each other, like the other tonal centres that are used (G, B and Eb).

[Rebelnightwolfe]

Coltrane invented the circle and giant steps

[backslash]

Very useful to understand. So the whole thing is actually three sets of ii-V-I but in the beginning they are played only partially, jumping from one to the other; in the final section they are played wholly, and the F-Bb-Eb 251 is played twice, but the second time it sounds different thanks to the different melody notes.

[tavinmj]

I think that the reason for going B to D G, (1 of the B Key, then V I of the G key) is that B and G are similar chords. All the notes of B are in G7. So it sounds like a warped I V I. This repeats around the circle, so if you pay attention it sounds really smooth. That’s just me I think...

[MikeUIibarri]

Wow. I was actually able to get something from that circle, for once. (I am slow like that.)

[Raphie]

I can't read music but this was still cool.

[nevermindidontknow]

This song has 3 keys: B major, G major, Eb major. It’s all about diatonic 251 or 51. You are welcome.

[tyu]

So cool! How did you make that animation?