194 / 18210 · Module 6 — Cadences, Phrase Structure, Harmonic Rhythm, and Hearing Musical “Punctuation”← prev⊞ allnext →
6.31Circle-of-fifths phrase motion
This progression:
Em → Am → Dm → G7 → C
has roots:
E → A → D → G → C
Each moves down a fifth / up a fourth.
This produces strong forward motion.
You do not need to hear every chord instantly.
If you hear the bass moving this way, recognize:
We may be traveling through a fifths sequence toward C.