Circle Of Fifths
The circle of fourths and fifths, or simply, the circle of fifths, is a very simple concept, as you are about to see.
C D E F G A B C
Take the fifth note of this scale and form a major scale starting on it. The fifth note here would be G.
G A B C D E F# G
As you can see, there is only one note sharped in this scale. All other notes are the same. G major and C major are very closely related keys, as only a single note is different. Notice that the sharp is added to the fourth note of the previos scale.
Now build a major scale from the fifth note of the G Major. (The D major scale)
D E F# G A B C# D
This time, once again there is one more sharp added, to the fourth note of the previous scale. G major and D major are also closely related keys, as the difference is only of one note.
If you keep listing scales like this, you will eventually cycle through all 12 major scales and end up with the scale you started at. This is known as the cirlce of fifths. Here are the twelve scales:
Take a look at the scale formed after the 12th major scale.
B# C## D## E# F## G## A## B#.
This is just the C major scale, in an ugly form. Translate and see. We have ended up at C major after going through all twelve keys. As you can see, there is a new sharp added in every new scale. Also, the sharped note is the fourth note of the previous scale, and the last note of the new scale.
The circle of fifths can be summarized in this diagram:
What this diagram shows is the number of '#'s in each scale.
Suppose i ask you "which key contains 4 # notes?". You would look at this diagram and say, "E Major" This is apparently useless, but you will see it's benefits later.
The Circle of Fifths
First of all, list the C major scale.C D E F G A B C
Take the fifth note of this scale and form a major scale starting on it. The fifth note here would be G.
G A B C D E F# G
As you can see, there is only one note sharped in this scale. All other notes are the same. G major and C major are very closely related keys, as only a single note is different. Notice that the sharp is added to the fourth note of the previos scale.
Now build a major scale from the fifth note of the G Major. (The D major scale)
D E F# G A B C# D
This time, once again there is one more sharp added, to the fourth note of the previous scale. G major and D major are also closely related keys, as the difference is only of one note.
If you keep listing scales like this, you will eventually cycle through all 12 major scales and end up with the scale you started at. This is known as the cirlce of fifths. Here are the twelve scales:
- C D E F G A B C.
- G A B C D E F# G.
- D E F# G A B C# D.
- A B C# D E F# G# A.
- E F# G# A B C# D# E.
- B C# D# E F# G# A# B.
- F# G# A# B C# D# E# F#. Yes, it's getting dirty. E# doesn't really exist, it's just another name for F (# means semitone higher, remember?). I'm calling it E# because of a reason you will learn later on.
- C# D# E# F# G# A# B# C#. (B# = C)
- G# A# B# C# D# E# F## G#. (F## = G)
- D# E# F## G# A# B# C## D#. (C## = D)
- A# B# C## D# E# F## G## A#. (G## = A)
- E# F## G## A# B# C## D## E#. (D## = E). Boy, this is ugly.
Take a look at the scale formed after the 12th major scale.
B# C## D## E# F## G## A## B#.
This is just the C major scale, in an ugly form. Translate and see. We have ended up at C major after going through all twelve keys. As you can see, there is a new sharp added in every new scale. Also, the sharped note is the fourth note of the previous scale, and the last note of the new scale.
The circle of fifths can be summarized in this diagram:
What this diagram shows is the number of '#'s in each scale.
Suppose i ask you "which key contains 4 # notes?". You would look at this diagram and say, "E Major" This is apparently useless, but you will see it's benefits later.
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