Understand the Circle of Fifths | "Be My Baby" by The Ronettes

Hey, Josh from Broadcast Guitar here. This is Part 1 of a live deep dive into "Be My Baby" by The Ronettes. For full lesson, click here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/1435887... View the full Broadcast Guitar live program:   / broadcastguitar   In this lesson, we dig into the lush E-major harmony, iconic circle-of-fifths pre-chorus, and singable guitar-friendly melody that make “Be My Baby” by The Ronettes one of the most perfectly written pop songs of all time. We break down how the verse and chorus stay firmly rooted in E major, why the pre-chorus suddenly shifts into a chain of major chords, how that circle-of-fifths motion works under the hood, and how to turn the whole tune into a playable solo-guitar arrangement across multiple positions. 0:00 Intro + Hot Topics 1:35 Performance 3:03 Whiteboard Theory 11:04 Level One 12:47 Level Two Perfect for players who want to… Master the key of E major and understand the I–ii–V and I–vi–IV–V progressions Make sense of the major-chord chain in the pre-chorus using functional harmony Connect melody + chord shapes to build expressive level-1 through level-3 solo-guitar versions Strengthen fretboard awareness by placing the melody in multiple octaves and string sets Topics Covered: The verse: I – ii – V in E major (E → F#m → B) and why B7 also works The chorus: I – vi – IV – V and how the melody outlines E major with that signature D♯ The pre-chorus circle of fifths: G# (III) → C# (VI) → F# (V/V) → B (V) Why C# appears as both major and minor in the same song Extended spellings (G# major, C# major, F# major, B major) and how they set up functional motion Mapping the melody everywhere: open-position shapes, mid-neck triads, and high-register voicings Building a complete solo-guitar arrangement using chord-tone targeting and selective strumming Walking the descending B–A–G#–F#–E line and how to voice it cleanly on guitar Want the full lesson, handwritten tabs, and interactive live classes? Head over to the Broadcast Guitar Patreon and start your free trial today:   / membership   ------------------------------------------------------- Broadcast Guitar is a live program. Music theory and improvisation for guitarists. If you'd like to join our niche community of musicians and work together, start your FREE trial today here:   / collections   I offer a 5-minute intro meeting with all new Broadcast Guitar members to meet and chat before jumping into the program. Feel free to reach me at: [email protected] Broadcast Guitar includes a deep dive on a Song of the Week. Each live class concludes with an optional Q&A to chat concepts, give practice tips, share performances with fellow members, and the opportunity to attend live Special Guest interviews with professional musicians.