Circle of Fifths

[Cecin_Koot]

can somone please tell me what the circle of fifths is and what is so importnt about it

[Waldszenen]

The cycle of fifths is a progressive series of keys whereby the number of sharps increases by one in the order FCGDAEB.


eg

C Major - none

G Major (a fifth up from C) - F Sharp

D Major (fifth up from G) - F Sharp, C Sharp


And so on

[pianobabe56]

The Circle of Fifths is very useful for modulations. Most basic key changes will occur either one to the right or one to the left along the Circle of Fifths. In piano, however, there isn't as much use for it. I've seen its use to be more beneficial in a band/symphony setting, where it helps the musicians adjust to concert pitch on their given instrument.

[mound]

it's used extensively in jazz

[ramseytheii]

can somone please tell me what the circle of fifths is and what is so importnt about it

The circle of fifths is a Clock, on which every hour has a major and minor key.  It tells you the key signature, if you know the root; or it tells you the root, if you know the key signature.
The 12 o'clock hour, is representative of C major and a minor, the keys without any sharps or flats in the signature.  If you proceed clockwise, for each hour one sharp is added.  If you proceed counter-clockwise, for each hour one flat is added. 
At 6 o'clock, you can name the key either in sharps or flats.  It is F#-major, or G-flat major.  Also at 7.  At 8 o'clock it is only possible to name the key in terms of flats.
This conversion is necessary because there can be no G-sharp-major (in our system of notation), nor can their be a C-flat-major.

If for example someone asks you to play a scale in B major, and you cannot remember how many sharps are in that key, simply count from C, going up in fifths, until you reach B - 5 sharps.
If you are given a score with three flats and in a minor key, and you don't know what key it is, count backwards three times from 12 o'clock - c minor, at 9 o'clock.


It is important because you can see immediately the relationships between keys that are not just a step apart on the keyboard.  You can see what keys are closely related, and which ones are most distant.



Walter Ramsey

[Derek]

One thing that is often not discussed about the circle of fifths is that it is the basis of one of the most common chord progressions in Baroque, Classical, and Romantic music.  Once you pick it out on your own piano, you'll start hearing it literally everywhere.  And many chord progressions even use bits and pieces of the circle.

For example, start in the key of A minor and play these chords:
a minor
d minor
G major
C major
F major
B flat major (or a diminished chord that starts on B natural...both sound good)
E major with a minor seventh on top
now play a minor again.

Neat huh? try using different inversions like
a minor root position
d minor second inversion (fifth is root)
G major root position
   second inversion   etc. down the same progression as above

As you can see the root of this chord progression always drops by a fifth (note that there is one fifth in the progression which is a tritone...it is impossible to complete the circle of fifths within a single key signature and not use a flatted fifth).   This is the circle of fifths within a single key signature, and like I said is the basis for the most common chord progression in most classical music.   Its a great way to practice all triads in a given key when improvising.

Hope that helps!

[Daevren]

[pianobabe56]

That is the UGLIEST circle of fifths that I've ever seen in my life! 

[Doodle]

This is some of my favorite music theory because it is such a neat pattern to explore.  All right class, tell me the order of sharps.

FCGDAEB
First Charlie Goes Down And Eats Breakfast.   

How about flats.

BEADGCF
BEAD Girls Can't Forget.


If you notice, the order of sharps is the order of flats backwards.   Way cool.
There are so many cool patterns like that based in the circle of 5ths. 
D

[abell88]

FCGDAEB
First Charlie Goes Down And Eats Breakfast.   

How about flats.

BEADGCF
BEAD Girls Can't Forget.

I teach:
Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle 

and
Battle Ends and Down Goes Charles's Father

For little kids, we sit on the floor and do the following actions:
for Father - pat floor
Charles - pat knees
Goes - pat hips
Down - clap
And - touch shoulders
Ends - touch head
Battle - snap fingers above head

The actions are in a rising succession for sharps. Do them backwards for flats. The kids enjoy it and it really helps it stick.