07/02/2025
What is the Circle of Fifths?
The Circle of Fifths is a visual tool that shows the relationship between the 12 major keys and their relative minor keys. It helps pianists understand key signatures, transpose music, and recognize patterns in composition and improvisation.
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🎼 The Outer Circle: Major Keys
Each slice on the outer green circle represents a major key. As you move clockwise:
Each step adds one sharp to the key signature.
Example:
C major has 0 sharps
G major has 1 sharp
D major has 2 sharps
A major has 3 sharps, etc.
Going counterclockwise, each step adds one flat.
F major has 1 flat
B♭ major has 2 flats
E♭ major has 3 flats, and so on.
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🎵 The Inner Circle: Relative Minor Keys
Inside each major key lies its relative minor, shown in orange.
These minor keys share the same key signature as their major counterpart.
Example:
C major & A minor (no sharps/flats)
G major & E minor (1 sharp)
F major & D minor (1 flat)
🎹 Tip: To find a relative minor, count three half-steps down from the major key note.
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🎹 Why “Fifths”?
Because as you go clockwise around the circle, each key is a perfect fifth above the last:
C → G → D → A → E → B → F♯ → C♯
(Each is a fifth apart: C to G, G to D, etc.)
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✅ How to Use the Circle of Fifths
1. Learning Key Signatures
Memorize the order of sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯, B♯)
Memorize the order of flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭)
2. Transposing Music
Use the circle to shift music from one key to another while maintaining intervallic structure.
3. Chord Progressions
Understand common progressions like:
I–IV–V–I (e.g., C–F–G–C)
Circle progression: move clockwise around the circle for descending fifths (used in jazz and classical)
4. Improvisation
Select chords from neighboring keys for smooth, harmonic transitions in improvisation.
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🎹 Practical Exercise (On Piano)
1. Play all Major Scales Around the Circle of Fifths
Start with C major. Move clockwise:
C → G → D → A → E → B → F♯ → C♯ → A♭ → E♭ → B♭ → F → back to C.
2. Find Relative Minors Play each major scale, then find and play its relative minor scale.
3. Compose a Simple Progression
Choose three chords from any section of the circle and create a small melody using only those notes.
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