The circle of fifths, introduced by Johann David Heinichen in 1728, is a visual arrangement of related keys. Although its name gives the impression that it’s a difficult concept to grasp, it’s really just an easy way to remember the number of sharps and flats in a key signature and the major and minor key relationships.
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Sharps and Flats
If you can imagine a clock for a moment, where each hour represents a particular key, you can identify that key’s sharps and flats. Let’s say that:
- 12:00 or “0:00” represents the C Major key (or the A Minor key)…
- 1:00 represents the G Major key (or the E Minor key)…
- 2:00 represents the D Major key (or the B Minor key)…
- 3:00 represents the A Major key (or the F# Minor key)…
- 4:00 represents the E Major key (or the C# Minor key)…
- 5:00 represents the B Major key (or the G# Minor key)…
- 6:00 represents the F# Major key (or the Eb Minor key)…
- 7:00 represents the Db Major key (or the Db Minor key)…
- 8:00 represents the Ab Major key (or the F Minor key)…
- 9:00 represents the Eb Major key (or the C Minor key)…
- 10:00 represents the Bb Major key (or the G Minor key), and
- 11:00 represents the F Major key (or the D Minor key).
Perfect Fifths
If you’ll notice, each hour (or key) is separated by a perfect fifth (moving clockwise). A perfect fifth is an interval made up of three whole steps and one half step. For example, A perfect fifth above C is G, and a perfect fifth above E is B. This is where the pattern gets its name . It follows a unique pattern on our imaginary clock where:
- … the perfect fifth of the C Major key is G.
- … the perfect fifth of the G Major key is D.
- … the perfect fifth of the D Major key is A.
- … the perfect fifth of the A Major key is E.
- … the perfect fifth of the E Major key is B.
- … the perfect fifth of the B Major key is F#.
- … the perfect fifth of the F# Major key is C#.
- … the perfect fifth of the C# Major key is G#.
- … the perfect fifth of the G# Major key is D#.
- … the perfect fifth of the D# Major key is A#.
- … the perfect fifth of the A# Major key is F.
- … the perfect fifth of the F Major key is C.
This pattern helps us determine the sharps and flats of a signature because they’re always a perfect fifth away (moving clockwise). Just remember that sharps increase in the clockwise direction while flats increase in the counter-clockwise direction (note: when you move counter-clockwise, each hour- or key- is separated by a perfect fourth).
Related Keys
As an example, the C Major and A Minor keys are related because they both lack sharps and flats. Based on the circle of fifths, we discover that a single flat relates the F major key to the D minor key while a single sharp relates the G major key to the E minor key as well. Two flats relate the Bb key to the C major key while two sharps relate the D major key to the C major key too. Three flats relate the Eb key to the C major key while three sharps relate the A sharp key to C major key. Starting to see a pattern? The concept is of course easier to understand with a visual.
circle of fifths chartThe Enharmonic Notes
The 5:00, 6:00, and 7:00 hours are unique in that they help you identify different notes with the same pitch. These notes are said to be enharmonic to each other:
- “5:00″ can either be B Major (G# Minor) with five sharps (from the clockwise perspective) or Cb Major (Ab Minor) with seven flats (from the counter-clockwise perspective).
- “6:00″ can either be F# Major (D# Minor) with six sharps (from the clockwise perspective) or Gb Major (Eb Minor) with six flats (from the counter-clockwise perspective).
- Lastly, “7:00″ can either be C# Major (A# Minor) with seven sharps (from the clockwise perspective) or Db Major (Bb Minor) with five flats (from the counter-clockwise perspective).
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{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Eileen,
Have Eliesse memorize this chart, it will give her at least 15 points in Theory 1.
Eric
i am a fresher in piano and i need major and minor scale progressions on blues
Hi Uchy,
There really only one type of blues scale that’s usually played…
Here’s how to get them:
From the major scale (http://www.piano-lessons-central.com/piano-scales/all-12-majors-scales/), you merely, take the 1,b3,4,b5,5,b7 and you have the blues scale for that key.
For example, blues scale in the key of C is C, Eb, F, Gb, G, Bb.
That’s it!
Also, check out: http://www.piano-lessons-central.com/category/blues-piano/
Good luck.
So I was looking at the clock analogy for the circle of fifths. That works well for the sharp keys and if you took C# and Cb it could work well at 12 oclock, but for the flats it would definitely be confusing.
Hey Cornelius!
C# is enharmonic (same pitch) with Db
Cb is enharmonic (same pitch) with B
So the analogy still applies for both at Db and B, respectively.
Remember the notes that are enharmonic (e.g. Gb/F#, Ab/G#, Eb/D#, etc.)…If you take this into account, the Circle of 5th’s works.
…Also, the circle of fifths represent the keys most commonly used. You’ll rarely find a piece written, for example, in the key of Cb…I would be written in the key of B, which has the same pitches, etc.
Thank you soooooo much!!!! I have been a musician for as long as I can remember (I play multiple woodwinds, bass guitar and piano) and..believe it or not… this is the FIRST time the Circle of Fifths has ever made sense to me. I learned all my scales the hard way – memorization. For some reason the Circle-of-Fifths just confused me. I realy can’t thank you enough for bringing ease to one of the biggest frustrations in my musical career.
Thank you!!!
My pleasure, Lynn!
…I hope to add even more tips soon…Have FUN
Hi, when it gets to 6 0′clock i just swap the F for G AND remember to add a flat eg; B C D E F# CHANGE TO GFLAT G A B C D add flat, count of 5 works all the way round.
Thanks, Jenny! That works too
I thought there were two more enharmonic keys, like with Db there is C#, and with B there is Cb?
Yes…I say this under “The Enharmonic Notes”…thx
It’s also a circle of Consonance and Dissonance, with the most dissonant(the Tri-tone, F#) at the bottom. Very handy.
hey everybody, I’m a bit confused about what the flat and sharp means, because english is not my mother tongue. if someone know how to explain me, I aperciate, tnx
Check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharps_and_flats