Circle Of 4ths – Still Got The Blues, Europa Style Changes

The blues guitar world lost a great man in February, 2011 when Gary Moore passed away far too soon at 58.

One of Gary’s finest recordings is his tune called “Still Got The Blues.” It uses a chord progression commonly called a circle of 4ths.

In this video I’ll show you how to play those chords and how to do an arpeggio pattern similar to what Gary does in this tune.

This chord progression is not unique to that song. Europa is another good example, as are a few pop songs I’ve heard over the years… (even disco? just watch 🙂



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Leave A Reply (81 comments so far)


  1. Doug

    Griff,
    I agree totally! This is an awesome riff. Thank you for your wonderful love for music and your amazing work of passing along that love with the songs, tools and skills you provide. You truly are a great testimony for music.

    thanks again & peace be with you,
    Doug


  2. willie neal lee

    Just love this tune, wish I could play it like I know it should be played . thank you for this cool song I will always think of GARY and you GRIFF when I hear it, and I will play it one day.


  3. Cinaski

    LOOVED Gary’s work with THin Lizzy. A truly sad day indeed.


  4. Rocky

    Just saw Eric Clapton live in Dublin, Ireland on Monday night. He did a great acoustic version of this in tribute to Gary. Fantastic!


  5. Robert c

    Great little lesson though i wish we could have heard a bit of the tune.

  6. Griff Thanks for all you do .. I love these little riffs and chords
    it helps me put things together.your smooth man.


  7. Ken Hardy

    Hey Griff,

    I’m no expert in circles of fourths, but it is Bb, not B, which is the fourth of an F. So it looks like your circle of fourths: D – G – C – F- B – E has gained a half-tone at the F- B transition! Sounds pretty cool, but seems to break the rules…….which is fine with me. Maybe it should be called an “upward circle of 4ths”, or more realistically, a “rule-breakers circle of 4ths”. Nice, beautiful progression any way you label it.

    Ken


  8. Ken Hardy

    Or better yet…..how about “Circle of Moore 4ths”?

  9. Hi Griff, Gary Moore song “Still Got The Blues ” was a super song..totally gave blues a solid showing. His lead playing cried out the notes of the blues..very moving very powerful..lyrics awesome. Another very talented man has crossed over… I enjoyed the chords and changes you shown us and will keep these for future uses..much obliged. Following on Facebook.


  10. Nev

    Interesting; works well on classical guitar using all sorts of bass notes(/within the chords) and plucked chords.


  11. Brett B

    I loved all of Garys Work. I thought his Songs For Greeny was awesome! (Peter of coarse)


  12. Alan Turland

    Thanks Griff, Garry Moore was one of my all time favourite guitar players and it was really sad to see his passing . I don’t know anyone of my friends who didn’t like Still Got The Blues so thanks again for giving a little insight into the man GARRY MOORE .


  13. Ray Allen

    again, you da man ! THis is my favorite song of all time.

    Very well explained , I’m sure it will go to good use for me.

    Thanks,
    Nap


  14. albear

    magic lesson, i’m a big thin lizzy fan, love gary moore i’ll miss him greatly,god bless gary.


  15. Ray Scharfe

    Hello Griff,
    Fantastic lesson, how about a follow up lesson with some lead for Still Got the Blues for You.

    Another great song: Mesiah Will Come Again, live version from Montreau Jazz Festival

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWp-Mazmf88&feature=related

    Ray


  16. John Ricciardi

    Thank you for the lesson.

  17. this is very good for me to learn, it’s right on. keep it up, thanks griff. sorry about gary.


  18. Desi

    Griff I had the pleasure of seeing Gary play live in Belfast back in the day, thank you for the lesson, its a beautiful tune. Desi

  19. Hi Griff,
    I have always admired Gary Moore and I was unaware of his passing [sad news] Thanks Griff for this awesome riff, and what a great song this was when he released it.
    Thanks heaps for sending it out for learning and in memory of the great man.
    Regards to you and all. Keep on rocking.
    John


  20. mark

    Some very kool stuff Griff. Always like gettin little forgotten pointers to downrite playin it right! having serious shoulder replacement surgery oct 4th. Seems being a block mason for 30 years and a guitar player as a hobby doesn’t agree with the cartalidge that keeps bone from bone and @ 54 I’ve been playing everything I can remember to stuff I don’t remember self taught and an exceptionally good ear for note and pitch has gotten me thru a lot of good times as well as not so good. Chances are I’m not gonna have range of motion no speed or stretch or stamina required to be the player I was and at this dreaded part of my life playing @ all after 6mos of therapy/recovery ill be a very lucky/happy man So my internet pal keep yer fingers crossed on that day. And the emails commin! Peace

  21. Hi Griff,
    Could you please e-mail some beginner blues lessons. Or stop e-mailinjg me.


  22. SAL

    Hey Griff,

    Great stuff! I didn’t know that Gary Moore passed away. I just played Still Got The Blues from his album of the same name for my wife
    to get her thoughts. It is as great song and I love it.. She loved it also! So thanks for your insights into that song and the rest of the music that you send our way. I have really enjoyed working with your entire Blues Gutiar Unleashed series. It has made me a better gutiar player!

    Thanks a bunch! Stay COOL MAN!

    SAL


  23. TJJ

    Will The Circle Be Unbroken? From doing Pentatonic and Blues Scales in the Circle Of Fifths to chords in the Circle Of Fourths.

    Yassir … Now we’re cookin’ !

  24. hi there my guitar is so old and bad cheapguitar i wish i could buy a fender though you as zounds wont send one over here its a dead end with them and i would be happy with bany fender it just my wish for years &years zounds wont send one over here do yo think you could find it in your heart to send any old one from leigh thankyou


  25. bob p

    chords reminds me of a great Thin Lizzy song “still in love with you” great!!! how about doing a lesson on that one


  26. Rod Abrahams

    thanks Griff good stuff to practice..your guitar sounds terrific,what make is it?? I’m lookin to buy something reasonable..what can you recommend

  27. Griff,
    awesome stuff,but unfortunately the pdf cords were damaged.


  28. Gorge

    Thanks Griff excellent sad for Gary.


  29. Jim Copeland

    Hey David M.
    Buy his course for beginning blues. It’s great. You can’t learn the blues without paying some dues.
    Jim


  30. Hahns Anthonysz

    Hi Griff, I really like your teaching approach, you explain things in a manner which is easy to understand.
    I appreciate your emails cheers Hahns


  31. Big Dan

    Gary Moore was one of the all time great guitarists. I swear when he plays “Still Got the Blues” that his guitar is crying tears. Thanks for putting it up. I have already been fooling around with it. His solos are incredible on this song. Maybe you could do something on them in the future. Keep up the great lessons Griff, love your stuff.


  32. Craig Heder

    I would like to reiterate,,, what Doug said.!!!!!

  33. Hi Griff…My kinda music …many thanks for the lesson …much appreciated !!


  34. A Martinez

    Great little video demo on a great song even if your are a beginners. Just takes patience and getting the fingers like in any new song with chords not often played to get the muscle memory going. Thanks

  35. Hi Griff, (note that this is also the first part of my Surname)
    Your lessons are so well thought out and easy to follow. I have recently purchased your Blues Guitar Unleashed dvd’s but alas haven’t actually got to start them as yet. I’m 59 years young and have been playing rhythm guitar for many years and still learning new chords, thanks to you, and hoping to play some lead and some blues guitar before I depart this life. I really dig your teaching method and am looking forward to more of your lessons.

    Kind Regards
    Alan Griffiths
    NEW ZEALAND


  36. Mark Entwistle

    Thanks Griff – well demonstrated as always and sounds great! Any chance of twisting your arm for the solo – at least the main melody? Thanks again regardless – tried a few times in the past to play this but couldn’t quite get all the voicings.

    Keep up the good work.
    Mark.

  37. Very cool and beautiful chords Griff, thanks for sharing.


  38. Chaz

    Thanks for doing this, my guitar hero who I saw in Wolverhampton a couple of years back!


  39. jahmail

    Well explained Griff .you truly are great testimony for music

    Thanks a lot Griff, you are my hero
    jahmail


  40. John Devereux

    I think of these chords as Autumn Leaves. Lovely harmony whichever tune is up front. Santana’s Europa is a tour de force, especially as played by Gato Barbieri. Thanks for your work on this. You pick shapes that really do give this sequence a rich and uplifting sound.


  41. ed pritchard

    Hi Griff just recently heard Gary Moore playing sill got the blues in a video download and it just blew me away. thanks for the circle of four lesson’and chords to that song,this is a must for me to learn. Have been following your guitars unleashed lessons for three or four years now and have learned a lot of cool stuff,but as i am on the road with my job a lot i don,t get to much practice time.My wife bought me a fender blues reissue amp for christmass so u can bet i will b practicing more now. Ihave a gibson Less Paul Artisan guitar 1977 ,maybe someday i,ll learn how to play it. Keep up the good work Griff. p.s.so sad to hear of Gary,s passing he definately will be missed…..

  42. Brilliant as ever Griff.
    Will have to come and see you play sometime.
    Sherbs

  43. with tutors like this i’ll be playing hendrix and santana in no time!


  44. bob louis rassias

    griff
    all due respect man .play man play…lol
    bob


  45. bob louis rassias

    say griff
    ever play george bensons version of brubecks take 5?
    years ago i started….and years later i finished ….


  46. big jake

    griff….thanks for all you do…you are totally a class act….i have learned a ton of knowledge from your teachings…..i’m waiting for a session on how to play with hammer hands and broken-up fingers….just kidding…..again thanks for my e-mails….keep on keeping on man…..


  47. John Greenland

    Thanks for consistantly offering videos that get right to the lesson or tip etc. Unlike Dan Denley’s which are usually just long self-promotion ads with the tip coming at the end. I don’t bother even opening his anymore, I don’t like to be strung along (no pun intended).
    So, thanks again for putting your cyber students first! You have great tips and a terrific manor for teaching.


  48. stu g

    to ken hardy,the cycle of 4th’s for this one is from the key of C which contains no sharps or flats so four steps above F is B.But then explain the E7 chord because G is the dominant chord from Cmajor.I think this is what is known as a secondary dominant so when soloing over this chord be sure to play a scale that works for that chord or even play an E7 arpeggio just to outline that change then back,the rest comes from Cmaj.Or is it D dorian because the progression starts on Dmin7 and goes back around.Good lesson though i got something out of that so thanks Griff.


  49. Bobski

    Thanks very helpfull Hat was and still is one of my influences / heroes.


  50. stu g

    or is it in the key of A minor because the E7 chord feels like its bringing everything home to A minor.