Circle of 5ths

A couple of people here asked me to explain the Circle of 5ths. So, I thought I'd share what I wrote with everybody.

Here's a decent explanation for the basics (Google search):
http://www.playpiano.com/101-tips/20-circle-of-keys.htm
Do your own Google search for the Circle of 5ths and read what different people have to say about it. You'll pick up different knowledge from different people.

All common chord progressions in gospel are found in the Circle of 5ths. For example, the 7-3-6-2-5-1 progression in the key of Db is C-F-Bb-Eb-Ab-Db. Look at the Circle of 5ths. Do you see it? Some of the chords may be played as major 7ths, maybe some as minor 7ths, maybe some as diminished, or maybe all as dominant 7ths, maybe some as dominant 13ths, etc. It's up to you figure out what color of chord you want to play. (Some knowledge of scales may help you decide, but that's another discussion.) As another example, the simple 4-5-1 progression in the key of E is A-B-E. Look at the Circle of 5ths. Do you see it? The note counterclockwise to E is A, the 4, and the note clockwise to E is B, the 5.

The magical thing is that once you fully memorize the Circle of 5ths, you can quickly play (or at least recognize) any common gospel chord progression in any key. For example, if someone says, this song is going to start with a 1-4-5-1 progression in the key of Gb, you can do it quickly! It would be Gb-B-Db-Gb. I might play the chords as GbM7-B7-Db7-GbM7 (using major 7ths and dominant 7ths), or maybe GbM7-BM7-DbM7-GbM7 (using all major 7ths). Also, you'll find yourself looking at seemingly random chords that people post here and translating the chords in your head into a progression based on the Circle of 5ths. You'll also quickly be able to transpose songs into other keys using the Circle of 5ths.

Another cool thing about the the Circle of 5ths is that you can quickly determine how many flats or sharps a key has. How many sharps does the key of B major have? From the Circle of 5ths, I can quickly determine the key of B major has 5 sharps because B is 5 notes clockwise from C. The key of Ab has 4 flats because Ab is 4 notes counterclockwise from C. Try this for all 12 keys.

Don't get me wrong: mastering the Circle of 5ths is a lot of work. However, doing so will take your understanding of music up a few levels.

[Lauragal]

How is B five notes clockwise from C??


Laura

[agapehits]

How is B five notes clockwise from C??

I think what he meant was counter-clockwise.  In the circle of fifths, going counter-clockwise in a circle, the progression is C – G – D – A – E – B – F#/Gb – C#/Db – G#/Ab – D#/Eb – A#/Bb – E#/F – C.  You can know which sharps are in a key signature by counting counter-clockwise. That’s why B has 5 sharps, because it is five keys counter-clockwise from C (nice visual at the aforemensioned website: http://www.playpiano.com/101-tips/20-circle-of-keys.htm ).  Incidentally, to know the order in which the notes are sharped, just know it starts with F# and continues counter clockwise down the circle.  So using this principle, the key of G would have one sharp, F#.  D would have two sharps, F# and C#, A would have three (F#, C#, and G#), and so on.  Finally, lets do it backwards.  Lets say you see three sharps on a piece of sheet music (the order will ALWAYS follow the circle of fifths: F#, C#, and G#), you can immediately know that you are in the key of A because it is one half step above G#, the last note.  Now you try it, if we have 5 sharps (F#, C#, G#, D#, and A#), what key are we in????? hint, answer in second sentence.  
Take care,
kyle

[Lauragal]

Thanks for the explanation Kyle.  I understand what you're saying now.  I thought he meant "note", not "key".

I had just memorized all of the key signatures - that's how I had learned.    Of course once you know your scales, it makes things a whole lot easier.

Laura

BTW - the answer is the key of B

[T-Block]

hearplay wrote:

From the Circle of 5ths, I can quickly determine the key of B major has 5 sharps because B is 5 notes clockwise from C.

Actually hearplay is correct, B is 5 notes clockwise from C, cuz if u went counterclockwise you would end up at Db, which is 5 flats.  Going clockwise (right) is the keys with sharps: G, D, A, E, B, F#, C#.  Going counterclockwise (left) is the keys with flats: F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb.  The key of C, of course has no sharps or flats so it is at the top of the clock, then u work your way around.  You go forward in 5ths and backward in 4ths.  

When u add on sharps you do it in this order:
F, C, G, D, A, E, B  (Fat  Cows  Get  Dirty  After  Every  Bath)

When u add on flats you do it in the opposite order:
B, E, A, D, G, C, F  (sorry, no words to go with this one)

agapehis wrote:

So using this principle, the key of G would have one sharp, F#. D would have two sharps, F# and C#, A would have three (F#, C#, and G#), and so on.

Yall get the idea now?  If u got any more questions don't be afraid to ask us. There are more than enough theory people on this site to answer probably any question u have.

[agapehits]

guess what? we're both right   , well actually, hearplay is really the most right. lol.  the website quoted shows a less common circle progression, where instead of moving clockwise in 5ths, it moves clockwise in 4ths.  Their both accurate, because a 4th (i.e. a C going to an F), is also a backwards 5th (an F going to a C). Thats why sometimes you'll hear it called a Circle of 4ths.  I checked some other graphics (try http://songweaver.com/music/co5.html) and most of them show the circle moving clockwise in 5ths (unlike the playpiano.com website).  Which to use? Pick something and stick with it, I'd pick the one T-Block and hearplay are referring to, as it's more popular.  But in the end, it really doesn't matter because we will need to know it forwards and backwards without a visual aid.

[Muziqmann]

Did u kno that you can substitute a chord w/ the chord directly across from it (draw lines from connect and learn them). That's also the 2 chord for each tri-tone (Ab and D, A and Eb, Bb and E etc, etc).

[playhear]

Did u kno that you can substitute a chord w/ the chord directly across from it (draw lines from connect and learn them). That's also the 2 chord for each tri-tone (Ab and D, A and Eb, Bb and E etc, etc).

Thanks for the tip!

[Muziqmann]

You are very welcome playhear.

[sjonathan02]

Did u kno that you can substitute a chord w/ the chord directly across from it (draw lines from connect and learn them). That's also the 2 chord for each tri-tone (Ab and D, A and Eb, Bb and E etc, etc).

I would love a clearer explanation of this concept. Perhaps, a chart or a starter chart?


Thanks,
Jonathan

[4hisglory]

The C can sub for the F# or F# for C
G can sub for the Db or Db for the G
D can sub for the Ab or Ab for the D
etc....

[BBoy]

Can we move this file or copy it to the practice Room? Heehee

[playhear]

agapehits,

Your post provided a link to perhaps the clearest explanation of the Circle of Fifths that I've seen:

http://songweaver.com/music/co5.html

That was a good post.