what's the point of the circle of fifths?

What’s the point of the Circle of Fifths?

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You might have wondered why there is so much fuss about the "Circle of Fifths"

• Most musicians have heard of it, but few take advantage of its power

• You can learn it quickly, and apply it in a lot of helpful ways

• The trick is to learn the useful patterns hidden in what seems to be a simple diagram



What is the Circle of Fifths?• The Circle of Fifths is a diagram from the world of music

theory

• We draw it as a circle, but it is essentially just a sequence of note names: F C G D A E B F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ A♯

• Translating sharps into the equivalent flats, it's: F C G D A E B G♭ D♭ A♭ E♭ B♭

• Notice it repeats. So memorise just "F C G D A E B" and you're all set!



What is the Circle of Fifths?

Why is the Circle of Fifths useful?

• The circle can seem complex or abstract. What is actually the point of it, for musicians?

• The pattern of notes may seem random but it's actually carefully chosen and rich with meaning.

• The patterns in the circle reveal which notes and chords go together in music.

• This can help you improvise, write music, and play by ear.



Pattern 1: Accidentals• As you move clockwise around the circle, the

number of sharps in the corresponding major key signature increases

• As you move counter-clockwise, the number of flats increases

• This means you can use your knowledge of the circle to easily remember the sharps or flats that belong in a key, or identify the key from the key signature



Pattern 1: Accidentals

Pattern 2: Relative Minors• Each major key has a corresponding minor key

called its "relative minor"

• The relative minor shares the same key signature (i.e. accidentals) as the major key

• On the circle, the relative minor lives three steps clockwise from the major

• Example: A Minor is the relative minor of C Major



Pattern 3: The IV and V Chords• The sequence of notes in the circle is actually a sequence

of major fifths, hence its name, "Circle of Fifths"

• Examples: G is a perfect fifth above C.

• A perfect fifth upwards is equivalent to a perfect fourth downwards, so moving counter-clockwise is equivalent to going up by a perfect fourth

• This pattern lets you easily identify the IV and V chords in any key, which are the most commonly-used chords after the tonic (key) chord itself

• Knowing this makes it far easier to play chords by ear



Pattern 4: The Root, third and fifth• The most common notes used in melodies and

improvisation are the root (a.k.a. tonic, or key note), the third, and the fifth notes of the scale

• You already know how to find the fifth: just move one step clockwise

• To find the third use this pattern: move 4 steps clockwise

• Example: E is the third in C Major

• You can use this to construct triad chords or to help you play or improvise melodies by ear



That's just the beginning

• There are more patterns hidden in the Circle, waiting to be unleashed

• For example you can find the other notes of the scale, or the next most common chord, the minor vi

• As you get more familiar with the Circle you will keep finding new ways it applies to your musical life!



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what's the point of the circle of fifths?

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