How to Use the Circle of 5ths: Music Theory Tips

Watch on YouTubeCarson Bruce continues a music theory series on the Worship Keys podcast, moving beyond last week’s circle of fifths episode into passing chords. He explains secondary dominants (the “five of” the next chord) using a memorization tool called the “musical phone number” 736-2514, derived from the circle of fifths, to help choose what chord can precede another in a progression. In C, he demonstrates how these ideas spice up simple progressions in songs like “Amazing Grace” and “How Great Is Our God,” emphasizing slash-chord/left-hand approaches and using major dominant chords before IV, V, and vi (e.g., I7→IV, II7→V, III7→vi). He then introduces tritone bass substitution, replacing a dominant 7 with another dominant a tritone away (often thought of as playing a dominant a half-step above the destination), demonstrates it in “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” and encourages practicing these concepts in every key.Support the showThanks for listening! Subscribe here to the podcast, as well as on YouTube and other social media platforms. If you have any questions or suggestions for who you want as a featured guest in the future or a topic you want to hear, email [email protected]. New episodes release every Wednesday!

What is the circle of 5ths? How is it used in context? Why is it important? Let me teach this from a simple beginner perspective and how to apply it to piano playing in a church/worship context. Aerospace AudioSupport the showThanks for listening! Subscribe here to the podcast, as well as on YouTube and other social media platforms. If you have any questions or suggestions for who you want as a featured guest in the future or a topic you want to hear, email [email protected]. New episodes release every Wednesday!

Watch on YouTubeCarson Bruce welcomes Garrett Miller back to The Worship Keys podcast for a behind-the-scenes look at how The Choir Room captures and mixes live recordings. Garrett shares how the production has grown from a simple recording setup to larger, multi-night events with expanded inputs, advanced microphone techniques, and more detailed tracking for choir, band, drums, and guest musicians. He also breaks down the recording systems used across several Choir Room events and shares practical tips for reducing bleed, cleaning up tracks, and improving live recordings using tools like iZotope RX, Acon Digital, gating, and de-feedback processing.Garret MillerGarret Miller ProductionsSupport the showThanks for listening! Subscribe here to the podcast, as well as on YouTube and other social media platforms. If you have any questions or suggestions for who you want as a featured guest in the future or a topic you want to hear, email [email protected]. New episodes release every Wednesday!

Watch on YouTubeJoin us for a full studio tour with Garrett Miller as he takes us behind the scenes of his home studio setup. From keyboards, synths, and microphones to recording workflows and creative processes, Garrett shares practical insights on building a studio that inspires creativity and serves the music.Whether you're a worship musician, producer, audio engineer, or gear enthusiast, you'll find valuable tips, creative inspiration, and real-world advice throughout this episode.This is Part 1 of a special two-part series. Next week, Garrett opens up Pro Tools and gives us an inside look at real recording sessions and his production process.Garret MillerGarret Miller ProductionsSupport the showThanks for listening! Subscribe here to the podcast, as well as on YouTube and other social media platforms. If you have any questions or suggestions for who you want as a featured guest in the future or a topic you want to hear, email [email protected]. New episodes release every Wednesday!

Watch on YouTubeLet's visit The Choir Room in Nashville for a short surprise bonus Worship Keys Podcast episode! Marcus Perry explains how each Choir Room gathering is different, emphasizes planning while leaving room for the Holy Spirit, compares the community-style format to church services, and details his live setup: CP88, Hammond B3 with Leslie, and a MacBook Pro running Logic Pro, MainStage, and Ableton with a custom template and interface feeding to the audio board.The Choir RoomSupport the showThanks for listening! Subscribe here to the podcast, as well as on YouTube and other social media platforms. If you have any questions or suggestions for who you want as a featured guest in the future or a topic you want to hear, email [email protected]. New episodes release every Wednesday!

Watch on YouTubeThis new update adds an in-app click/metronome. Let's demonstrate building a setlist with different keys, pad textures, tempos, time signatures, click accents, and multiple click sounds, then test moving through songs while playing along. Thanks for being a part! Aerospace AudioSupport the showThanks for listening! Subscribe here to the podcast, as well as on YouTube and other social media platforms. If you have any questions or suggestions for who you want as a featured guest in the future or a topic you want to hear, email [email protected]. New episodes release every Wednesday!

Watch on YouTubeLet's unbox and demo the Aerospace Audio Atmosphere pedal Version 3 on the Worship Keys podcast, comparing it to Version 2. Version 3’s redesigned layout has fewer buttons, two screens, USB-C power capability, an added expression pedal input, updated MIDI connection, and a microSD card slot for loading custom drone pad files. Let's demo the new tonality options (major, minor, and neutral) that weren’t available on Version 2, explore menu features including settings and an arcade game! AeroPads iOS app is a lower-cost alternative with similar sounds and setlist/live controls.Support the showThanks for listening! Subscribe here to the podcast, as well as on YouTube and other social media platforms. If you have any questions or suggestions for who you want as a featured guest in the future or a topic you want to hear, email [email protected]. New episodes release every Wednesday!

Watch on YouTubeLet's welcome Otto Gross to The Worship Keys as he takes us behind the scenes of Christ Church Nashville's worship setup and shares the heart behind the gear. More than a gear breakdown, Otto offers practical wisdom on maximizing what you already have, embracing creativity through limitations, and keeping technology focused on one purpose: leading people into God's presence. Whether you're a worship musician, keyboard player, or worship leader, this episode is packed with encouragement and practical insights you won't want to miss.Otto GrossSupport the showThanks for listening! Subscribe here to the podcast, as well as on YouTube and other social media platforms. If you have any questions or suggestions for who you want as a featured guest in the future or a topic you want to hear, email [email protected]. New episodes release every Wednesday!

Watch on YouTubeJoin us as Carson sits down with Ryan Loche, co-founder of The Church Collective and professor at The Belonging Co. College and Liberty University, to answer a question many worship musicians wrestle with: Is worship ministry school worth it? They discuss the value of formal education, when experience may be enough, and why growing as a worship leader is about more than earning a degree. They also explore theology in worship, serving the local church well, and the mindset needed for lifelong growth. Whether you're considering ministry school or looking to grow as a worship leader, this episode is packed with practical insight. You won't want to miss this.Ryan LocheThe Church CollectiveSupport the showThanks for listening! Subscribe here to the podcast, as well as on YouTube and other social media platforms. If you have any questions or suggestions for who you want as a featured guest in the future or a topic you want to hear, email [email protected]. New episodes release every Wednesday!

Watch on YouTubeIn Part 2 of our conversation with Clark Beckham, we go beyond chord substitutions and dive into the heart behind worship reharmonization. Clark shares why reharmonizing worship songs should never be about sounding impressive but about drawing closer to God and expressing worship in a more meaningful way. He also walks through his unique arrangements of How Great Is Our God and Graves Into Gardens, offering practical music theory insights while showing how every musical choice can point back to worship. Along the way, Clark reflects on the artists who shaped his musical journey, his experiences after American Idol, and the valuable lessons he learned while working with Quincy Jones' team. Whether you're a worship pianist, keyboard player, worship leader, songwriter, or simply passionate about growing as a musician, this episode is filled with wisdom, encouragement, and practical takeaways to inspire both your playing and your faith. Don't miss out. You won't want to miss this.Clark BeckhamClark Beckham's School of MusicSupport the showThanks for listening! Subscribe here to the podcast, as well as on YouTube and other social media platforms. If you have any questions or suggestions for who you want as a featured guest in the future or a topic you want to hear, email [email protected]. New episodes release every Wednesday!