Usage of 5th Shell

Now that we finished discussing the Root and 3rd, let’s move on to the 5th shell. But actually there isn’t much to talk about it si I’m gonna wrap it up quickly.

1. Characteristics of the 5th Shell

5^th has a straightforward character, second only to the Rt. Or it may provide a sense of elevation, as it stands far away from the root. As it basically is colorless and transparent without a strong character, in actual melody composition, the kernel at that moment matters more than the character of 5^th shell itself.

Frequently Used in IV and VIm

The 5th shell is often used with IV and VI_m chords. It is because fa on IV, the Rt shell, can sometimes be too emotionally intense, or the la on VI_m can be too dark. In these situations 5^th shell, do and mi respectively, becomes the best candidates.

For example, starting the chorus with the 5^th shell on IV allows you to sustain the note nicely on the tonic, creating a stable mood in the beginning.

The chorus part of “How To Love” starts with IVV progression, with melodies do–re, both 5^th shell. However, this seems like an incidental outcome of the individual intentions to start the melody firmly from do and to begin the chord from unstable IV, rather than to form 5^th shell.

This is the difference from 3^rd shell, the “ace”. While there are often cases of adjusting the lines to cleverly pick up 3^rds wanting for its rich sound, it’s not something that happens often to prioritize the texture of 5^th when composing a melody.

2. Examples of the 5th Shell

While the 5^th is not used extensively like you’ve seen in the examples of Rt or 3^rd, I’ve found a few examples.

Oasis – Don’t Look Back In Anger

The chorus of “Don’t Look Back In Anger” starts with the so on I, and the 5^th shells are prevalent throughout.

One of the factors contributing to its dry atmosphere without getting overly sentimental, despite being a slow rock ballad, is the clearness and powerfulness coming from 5^th shells.

Green Day – American Idiot

The chorus section features a typical punk chord progression: IVIVI. In the last three chords (1-5-1), all of them start from the 5^th shell. The abundance of 5^th contributes to the energetic feel in this section. Also in the verse part you can see a succession of 5^th, creating a vibrant punk vibes.

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In this way, the 5^th shell plays a middle-of-the-road role, not as simple as Rt but not as rich as 3^rd. It provides a neutral sound without any distinct characteristics, and you are more likely to encounter it naturally in horizontal composition, where you prioritize kernel or motif development.

Summary

• 5^th is transparent and straightforward. It is similar to the Root shell but with a slightly different character and a sense of uplift.
• It is particularly useful on chords where the root becomes a leading tone, such as IV or VIm.
• When you don’t want to emphasize emotions too much, 5^th can be more effective than 3^rd.

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