The circle of fifths is like a Swiss army knife for music theory; this simple tool unlocks a world of musical knowledge. Despite its potential, the circle of fifths is often ignored or presumed to be some complex puzzle that’s more hassle than it’s worth. Fortunately, that couldn’t be further from the truth, and this article will explain everything you need to know about the circle of fifths.
What is the circle of fifths?
The circle of fifths is a diagram that visualizes all 12 musical keys and arranges them by the number of sharps and flats they have.
In simple terms, it’s like a cheat sheet to help us remember which notes are in which keys. The circle of fifths also gives us the order in which sharps and flats are added to key signatures.
We can do more than learn about key signatures; the circle of fifths helps us understand relative major/minor scales, modulation, and more. It even makes an interesting chord progression.
The name, circle of fifths, is given because the keys are arranged in consecutive perfect fifth intervals, starting at C to G, then D, and so on (going clockwise).
Key signatures
Reading the key signature is how we understand which key the music is in and which notes are diatonic to each of the 12 musical keys.
You’ll find the key signature at the start of any musical score (also, anywhere there is a key change).
It lets us know which notes (and chords) will sound good for each key, which is vital information when composing or improvising.
Imagine being at a jam session, and the bandleader calls for a doo-wop feel in E major; if you don’t know key signatures well enough, you won’t know what to play. By the time you realize there are four sharps in E major and frantically try to remember what they are, the band has moved on, and the bandleader is looking for a replacement pianist.
I’ve been there, as have most pianists in the early days; it’s a rite of passage, but it still doesn’t feel good.
As you can see, the circle of fifths confirms there are four sharps in E major.
More importantly, it provides a structure that makes it easier for us to memorize key signatures. It gives us a sequence to follow that helps us identify relationships between each key, which is far easier than remembering 12 random or unique elements.
If you start at the top with C major and move clockwise around the circle, each step (key) adds one sharp. C major has no sharps, G major has one sharp, D major has two sharps, and so on.
Now for the really clever bit. If you start on F major and move clockwise around the circle, we’ll find the order to add sharps. The first sharp is F#, which means the key of G major includes an F sharp.
The second sharp is C#, meaning D major includes F sharp and C sharp.
The key of A major includes F sharp, C sharp, and G sharp.
You can see the pattern, and the important thing to remember is that all sharps are carried over to the following key in the sequence. So, each time you move around the circle, all you have to do is add one more sharp to the previous key signature.
If we start on C major and move counter-clockwise around the circle, we can do the same for flats. C major has no flats, F major has one flat, Bb major has two flats, and so on.
This time, we start on Bb and continue counter-clockwise to find the order of flats.
The key of F major includes one flat, which is B flat.
The key of Bb major includes two flats, B flat and E flat.
The key of Eb major has three flats: B flat, E flat, and A flat.
Now that we have established clear patterns, we can use this common mnemonic device to remember the order of sharps and flats.
Sharps: (FCGDAEB) Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle
Flats: (BEADGCF) Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles Father
The circle of fifths isn’t a tool we should check each time we play; it’s a tool to help us memorize vital information so we can play freely without overthinking.
Relative minors
Every major key has a relative minor, a minor key sharing the same key signature.
For example, C major’s relative minor is A minor; both C major and A minor have no sharps or flats.
You can also say that C major is the relative major of A minor. The distance or interval between the two keys is a minor third. Alternatively, you can play the relative minor by starting on the sixth degree of the major key.
The only difference between C major and A minor is the tonal center: the tonic chord that gives the scale its major or minor character.
We can do some pretty cool things with relative minors. Relative keys provide a simple way to explore modulation without changing the key signature.
If you have a song in C major, you can add interest and tension by temporarily making A minor the tonal center.
You can even create cover versions that change the mood from happy to sad and vice versa by using the relative minor or major.
Modulation
Modulation is when you change the tonal center of a song, often to enhance a particular section or add variety.
Modulation is a powerful technique as long you don’t overuse it. Using the relative minor, what we covered above is the most subtle form of modulation because the key signature doesn’t change.
The closer we stay to the original key signature, the less dramatic the modulation is. For example, modulating from C major to G major is pretty subtle because we’re only adding one sharp (F sharp).
If we go from C major to D major, the modulation is a little more impactful because we’re adding two sharps (F sharp and C sharp). The further you move away from the current key on the circle of fifths, the harsher the modulation will be.
We can use the circle of fifths as a visual guide to indicate the severity of the modulation. It’s a good idea to practice modulating from C major to different keys around the circle to get used to the varied sound options.
Once you’re comfortable moving around all 12 keys, you won’t need the circle as a visual aid anymore. Again, it’s a tool to help us memorize things we can use in our playing every day.
Enharmonic keys
Enharmonic keys are keys that you can write with either sharps or flats. For example, C# and Db are enharmonic; they contain the same notes. Generally, when writing music, we want to keep the key signature as minimal as possible so it’s easier to read.
Although the notes are technically the same in this example, C# has seven sharps, but Db only has five flats, making it easier to read and write.
The chord progression
As you’d expect, the circle of fifths chord progression is a progression that moves in fifths, and there are several variations. We can move left or right in fifths around the circle using major or minor keys.
You can hear this type of progression in many genres, including jazz, pop, and rock. Some of the most notable examples are:
- “Light My Fire” – The Doors
- “Fly Me To The Moon” – Bart Howard
- “I Will Survive” – Gloria Gaynor
Conclusion
The circle of fifths is an incredible tool that takes a little effort in return for a lot of knowledge. Sometimes, in music, we say there’s a difference between knowing something and really knowing something. That means knowing the answers to a theory test isn’t the same as putting it into practice in real-time. You have to really know something to put it into practice with genuine fluidity, and that’s what the circle of fifths will help you develop.
