Pentatonic Scale over ii V

[JonR]

Thank u!
Ok, few more questions about chord families.
The key is Eb major (Eb--> F--> G--> Ab--> Bb--> C--> D° (I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VI)).
And here is a chord progression that uses all the chord from this key.

Cm--> Fm--> Bb--> Eb--> Ab--> D°--> G --> Cm.

VI II V I IV VII III VI

The only exeption is Gm -->G.
Question number one:
Is this considered to be like the basics of pop music? Meaning music progresses in fourths...

Pretty much. The basics of classical music and jazz too.

It's a basic "functional harmony" progression, in the key of C minor (not Eb major). That's indicated by the G major chord, which contains the "leading tone" (B natural, half-step below C), as well as the fact that the sequence ends on Cm. (Starting on Cm is less significant, but helps.)

Pop music (and jazz and rock) often use other types of harmony - other kinds of chords and sequences - but this type of root movement in 4ths up (or 5ths down) is the most common in traditional harmony (beginning with classical music). It's sometimes called a "circle progression" (because it ends up where it began.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circle_progression
http://www.musictheory.net/lessons/56 (scroll down a little)

Because of its familiarity, it has a very predictable sound - after we've heard the first couple of changes we kind of know what's coming - which is both a good and bad thing. It's reassuring and comfortable, but can also be boring or cheesy.

In the key of Eb major, the full chord cycle would be as follows:
Eb - Ab - Ddim - Gm - Cm - Fm - Bb - Eb

Question number two:
What examples are there of this progression? (I would like some pop examples please).

I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor)
Fly Me To The Moon
- both the exact same (minor key) sequence as yours, but in different keys (IWS is in Am, FMTTM is in various keys)
Autumn Leaves - same sequence but starting on the 2nd chord: Fm-Bb-Eb-Ab-Ddim-G-Cm

It's actually fairly rare to have the entire 7-chord cycle, but parts of it are in millions of songs.

Question number three:
The progression starts with the VI chord, so it's in the key of minor. Now, does the numbering system of chord families only apply to the following order of the major key?
I= Tonic family: III & VI <---- Alternatatieven.
IV= Sub dominant family:II<---- Alternatief.
V= Dominant family: VII <---- Alternatief.

No it applies in minor too.

So in key of C minor, Cm is "i", the tonic.
Fm = iv (subdominant);
Ddim = ii (supertonic) = subdominant family;
G = V = (dominant) (usually a major chord);
Bdim = vii (leading tone chord) = dominant family

I'm not sure (and haven't been able to find out) what families Eb and Ab belong to.
IMO Ab has more of a subdominant function than tonic (it commonly leads to G in key of C minor); and I think Eb is too strong in its own right to have a C minor tonic function.

In jazz, btw, these chords are all assumed to have 7ths, which reveals different chord types.
Eb major: Ebmaj7, Fm7, Gm7, Abmaj7, Bb7, Cm7, Dm7b5
C minor: Cm(maj7), Dm7b5, Ebmaj7, Fm7, G7, Abmaj7, Bdim7

Cm(maj7) is considered to be a melodic minor chord, and G7 and Bdim7 harmonic minor chords. The rest are from natural minor, so the same as in Eb major.

Dm7b5 (D-F-Ab-C) is a "half-diminished" chord. Bdim7 (B-D-F-Ab) is a "full diminished".

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[shreddingjoris]

Thanks!