What is the Mysterious Circle of Fifths All About?

So, what is the circle of fifths?

The Circle of Fifths is simply a circle with a smaller circle, letters, sharps and flats in it, no biggy.

The bigger circle housed the the 12 major keys and the smaller circle consists of the 12 minor keys in music while the sharps and flats are the key signatures of these keys. So far so good?

Now, it can get pretty overwhelming to have to remember all of these keys and the key signatures that they carry. Now we all need a magic circle!

Thank goodness a genius named Pythagoras came up with a chart known as the Pythagorean Circle which eventually became the Circle of Fifths to capture the relationship between the keys with their corresponding key signatures. Phew! Thank you Pythagoras!

Click on the button below to get your very own Circle of Fifths Wheel printable.

DISSECTING THE CIRCLE OF FIFTHS

Okay, let’s do some dissecting.

So I mentioned that there are 12 major and 12 minor keys in music. I have put them all on this little table with their key signatures for you to see.

Relative Minor Keys

The minor keys which have the same key signatures as the major keys are called the relative minor keys.

The trick to knowing what is the relative minor of a major key is to count 6th degree higher from the keynote. For example, the relative minor of the C major is A minor. The note A is the 6th degree higher than the note C (C, D, E, F, G, A).

Major and Minor Keys with Sharps

Now, let’s check out the major and minor keys with sharps. Do you notice some interesting patterns from the table above or you’re already seeing sheep? Come on buddy, you got this! Let’s take a closer look:

• Each of the key above starts on the 5th degree of the scale before it. For example, 5th degree of the scale C major is G, D major is A and so on.

• Additional one sharp is added to those already in the previous scale.

• The last sharp of the key signature is always the 7th degree of its scale. For example, the 7th degree of D major scale is C. Thus, the last sharp of D major is C#. This is very helpful for checking backward. This also helps in remembering the last sharp for B major or and F# major.

Major and Minor Keys with Flats

Now, let’s study the major and minor keys with flats. From the pattern above, we can observe these:

• Each of the key above starts on the 4th degree of the scale before it. For example, 4th degree of the scale C major is F, Eb major is Ab and so on.

• An additional one flat is added to those already in the previous scale.

• The last flat of the key signature is always the 4th degree of its scale. For example, the 4th degree of Ab major scale is Db. Thus, the last flat of Ab major is Db.

HOW TO READ THE CIRCLE OF FIFTHS

Now that we have seen the patterns that formed the major keys and their key signatures as well as the relationship between the major keys and minor keys, here’s how they are put together to become the famous Circle of Fifths.

Reading the circle clockwise until ‘6 o’clock’ will get you the sequence for major keys with sharps. Each sequence will add one sharp more to the key before it.

On the other hand, if you read this circle anti-clockwise again until ‘6 o’clock’, you will get the sequence for keys with flats.

From ‘one hour’ to the next ‘hour’ is the 5th degree higher (eg. A to E -A, B, C, D, E). This is basically adding 5 notes higher to the note before it.

Therefore, the sequence and adding 5 notes higher to the previous key is how the circle of fifths gotten its name.

From the inner circle, you will find the minor keys which have the exact same key signatures as their relative major keys.

There you have it!

How are you going to use the Circle of Fifths in your piano playing? Let me know! Have fun and keep playing!