|
|
|
|
|
|
The Circle of
Fifths / Fourths
|
|
The Circle of fifths has a big importance
in music theory. What is The Circle of Fifths?
Some people call it The Circle of
Fourths, The Cycle of Fifths or The Cycle of
Fourths..anyway.
The Circle of Fifths tells you how many
sharps or flats are in a given key.
Actually, there are other purposes for the
"The Circle of Fifths" like chord
substitution or determining the best
transition or move (modulation) to another
key. But we won't go into that here.
You can see the circle of fifths diagram
below; |
|
|
|
The numbers on the inside of the circle show how many sharps or flats would be in the
key signature for a major scale built on that
note. Thus a major scale built on A will have
three sharps in its key signature. Relative
minors are shown in blue and you can find
accidentals for each key in parenthesis. While
there are 15 Major Key Signatures, bear in mind
that three keys are enharmonic;
B is the same sounding scale as Cb, F#
is the same sounding scale as Gb, C# is the same
sounding scale as Db.
Below you can find the order of sharps and
flats. You can see that the order of sharps is
circle of fifths and the order of flats is
circle of fourths.
No matter you play guitar, piano or any
instrument, please just memorize these seven letters in
order, that's it! Now you can easly find the
number of sharps and flats in a given key. |
| |
---------->sharps(#) |
|
F C G D A E
B |
|
flats(b)<----------- |
|
For example, you need to know G key; Start
counting from F to G (F, C, G). Then don't
count G and note before G this is C; G major key
just have F#.
A ===> F, C , G, D, A
====> A has F#, C#, G#
D ===> F, C, G, D =====> D
has F#, C#
It is easy, isn't it?
But there is an exeption. You should remember
that F has Bb |
|
|
|
What about flats;
You need to know Ab, again count but this
time B to F direction.
Count until A and one more letter (B,E,A and
D) so Ab has (Bb, Eb, Ab and Db)
Here another one Bb (B, and one more letter
E) Bb has (Bb and Eb) |
| |
 |
|
Try to fill above
circle of fifth / forth chart.
|
|
