{"id":38219,"date":"2017-07-18T17:00:31","date_gmt":"2017-07-18T17:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.musical-u.com\/?p=38219"},"modified":"2024-05-14T15:28:45","modified_gmt":"2024-05-14T15:28:45","slug":"how-to-use-circle-fifths","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.musical-u.com\/learn\/how-to-use-circle-fifths\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Guide to the Circle of Fifths"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

The Circle of Fifths is a mystery to many. But what if you found everything you ever needed to know and learn about musical pitch (every note, scale, chord, and key) in a simple diagram that could fit in the palm of your hand?<\/p>\n

The Circle of Fifths is that magical musical master tool.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

This music learning device has endured for hundreds of years since its invention, and for good reason; there\u2019s no need to reinvent the wheel. Or, apparently, any other circular entity.<\/p>\n

“But is it for me?”,\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>you may ask.<\/p>\n

Though the Circle of Fifths (also known as the Cycle of Fifths, Circle of Fourths, or Cycle of Fourths) is most commonly understood as a component of classical music theory, it\u2019s certainly not only for the hallowed halls of the conservatory. It’s a valuable tool for any musician of any musical background.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Our\u00a0guide is the Circle of Fifths made easy – very little prior musical knowledge is required, but by the end of this article, you\u2019ll not only understand the mechanics behind the Circle of Fifths, but also how to apply it in music theory, transposition, singing, songwriting, and more.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

This incredibly powerful tool will take you far beyond simply understanding <\/em>music theory – it will help you write music, predict chords in a chord progression, and understand relationships between major and minor keys. It will serve you well, regardless of whether you are a classical violinist, jazz saxophone player, a bassist in a rock band, or aspiring DJ. And most interestingly, it will open your eyes up to connections between the 12 tones of the chromatic scale – the base on which all of Western music is built on!<\/p>\n

So fasten your seatbelt: we’re diving deep into this infinite pool of music wisdom. As you will soon see, the magical mojo of this Ring of Power<\/a> surpasses even Tolkien’s imagination!<\/p>\n

\"J.R.R.<\/a>

Poster from The Odd Quartet Store<\/p><\/div>\n

Table of Contents<\/h2>\n

So, here it is, the Circle of Fifths explained, in easy-to-understand bite-sized pieces!<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0The Circle\u2019s Beginnings<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

2.\u00a0Let\u2019s Start With Some Music Theory\u2026<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

3.\u00a0Building Your Own Perfection<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

4.\u00a0Introducing the Circle of Fifths<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

5.\u00a0Modes and the Circle of Fifths<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

6.\u00a0How to Use the Circle of Fifths<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

7.\u00a0The Key That Unlocks the World of Western Music<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Circle\u2019s Beginnings<\/h2>\n

So, how was the Circle of Fifths invented, and who is responsible for the discovery of this musical godsend?<\/p>\n

Russian composer and music theorist Nikolay Diletsky\u00a0set this whole wheel rolling in the late 1670\u2019s. He intended his\u00a0book\u00a0Grammatika<\/em>\u00a0as\u00a0a guide to composition, but with the rules of music theory in mind:<\/p>\n

\"Diletsky

Diletsky’s Circle of Fifths<\/p><\/div>\n

Since then, it has been expanded and improved-upon to yield the comprehensive circular diagram we have in music today.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s Start With Some Music Theory…<\/h2>\n

Before we dive into the mechanics of the Circle of Fifths, let\u2019s first understand some key concepts. Bear with us – this basic music theory will be a huge help in making sense of the circle.<\/p>\n

Each \u201cstation\u201d on the Circle of Fifths represents a note (often a root note)<\/em>, a chord<\/em>, and a key<\/em>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Keys to What?<\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s begin by answering the question: What\u2019s a key?<\/p>\n

In music, we define a key <\/strong>as the \u201ctonal center\u201d\u00a0of a piece of music. The melody and harmony will revolve around this tonal center, which is\u00a0simply\u00a0a single note. This single note is also given the name of the tonic<\/strong>, and is given the scale degree designation \u201cI<\/span>\u201d<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

It is on this tonic that we build the scale<\/em> or the note sequence that is used to compose melodies and harmonies in the key of the tonic. The notes in this scale are said to be\u00a0diatonic<\/em> to the key of C major:<\/p>\n

\"C<\/p>\n

The most commonly-encountered types of scales in Western music are\u00a0called\u00a0\u201cmajor\u201d\u00a0and \u201cminor\u201d. To retain the characteristic major or minor sound, scales in most keys require accidentals<\/em> – sharps and flats that will give the scale the desired sound, and ensure that the notes are diatonic to the key. A collection of accidentals found in a certain scale is called the key signature of that key.<\/p>\n

Each key will have its unique pattern of sharps and flats. However, if you examine the distances (known as \u201cintervals<\/a>\u201d) between the notes of, say, every major scale and compare them, you will see that the interval pattern is exactly the same in all major scales <\/strong>(this holds true for minor scales as well, though they will have a different pattern from major). Regardless of key signatures, these patterns hold true and will yield the diatonic notes of the key.<\/p>\n

\"Intervals<\/p>\n

\u2192 Learn more about intervals<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n

Sidebar: What\u2019s a Fifth?<\/h3>\n

One of these \u201cshared\u201d intervals\u00a0will be a fifth (also known as a perfect fifth<\/strong>).<\/p>\n

So what\u2019s so perfect about a fifth?<\/p>\n

Perfect intervals vibrate in pure mathematical ratios. For example, this note (A) is vibrating at 440 Hz (cycles per second):<\/p>\n

\n
\n\nhttps:\/\/www.musical-u.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/A-440-1.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

A 440<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

And this \u201cA\u201d is vibrating twice as fast, at 880 Hz:<\/p>\n

\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.musical-u.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/A-880-1.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

A 880<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

We call this interval a \u201cperfect octave\u201d. Octaves relate to each other in some multiple of a 2:1<\/strong> ratio. Octaves are so \u201cperfect\u201d that, when played together, the notes blend together until it\u2019s difficult to tell one from the other:<\/p>\n

\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.musical-u.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Octave-A-440-A-880.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

Octave: A 440, A 880<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The next smallest simple ratio is 3:2<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.musical-u.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Fifth-A-440-E-660.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

Fifth: A 440, A 660<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

You can hear that the fifth also blends very well, and has a powerful, resonant sound. This is how the famous guitar \u201cpower chords\u201d work – the fifth is played with the root for a robust sound.<\/p>\n

So when you put your finger on the 12th fret of a guitar, you\u2019re splitting that string in half (2:1 ratio). To produce the fifth, divide the string into three parts (7th fret).<\/p>\n

The perfect fifth interval is said to be consonant<\/em>, meaning it is a typical \u201cpleasant sound\u201d and sounds stable within music. The fifth of a key can be found by finding the fifth degree of the scale of the key.<\/p>\n

\"Degrees<\/p>\n

If you are familiar with tones and semitones, the fifth can be found by counting\u00a0seven semitones up <\/strong>(this is easy to do on a keyboard). Starting at the tonic, this is seven adjacent keys (this includes black keys!) on a keyboard, or seven frets up on the guitar, bass, and ukulele.<\/p>\n

Playing a fretless string instrument? Have no fear! The Circle of Fifths also applies to the\u00a0violin\u00a0and its immediate family of instruments<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The fifth shows up frequently in basslines of Western music, with root-fifth patterns being a popular choice for bassists. Why?<\/p>\n

Perfect fifths sounds consonant and stable, thereby helping the bassist fulfill their role of “supporting” the song; the patterns of this interval sound great under guitar chords. Best of all, it’s a fairly straightforward pattern to memorize and it’s easy to play!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Build Your Own Perfection:<\/h2>\n

Now that you have a good idea of what a fifth is, it\u2019s time to build your own Circle of Fifths! You can download this and extra Circle of Fifths worksheets to practice and<\/em> teach everything we cover in this article in our free comprehensive Circle of Fifths Worksheets PDF<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\"Blank<\/p>\n

Now count up the C scale five notes:<\/p>\n

\"Counting<\/p>\n

Write the \u201cG\u201d in at one o\u2019clock. G then becomes the new tonic. Make sure that you are adding in the appropriate sharps or flats for each new tonic center as you continue around the Circle of Fifths. If you\u2019re fuzzy on your key signatures you can look them up, or count your fifths in half-steps (semitones) – remember, a perfect fifth = seven semitones.<\/p>\n

If you’re really feeling stuck, follow along with\u00a0a guide<\/a>\u00a0to help you figure out those intervals!<\/p>\n

How did it come out? Check your work with the diagram below.<\/p>\n

Introducing…The Circle of Fifths!<\/h2>\n

By definition, the Circle of Fifths is a visual music tool designed to illustrate the relationships between the 12 tones of the chromatic scale – the foundation on which Western music is built. The name derives from the fact that going clockwise around the Circle of Fifths, each note is a fifth <\/strong>(a perfect fifth, to be exact) above the previous one in the circle.<\/p>\n

The result? This unassuming circle shows how all the musical notes, keys, and chords relate to each other. Let\u2019s explore how the Circle of Fifths is built, starting with the absolute basics…<\/p>\n

The Bare Bones<\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s first look at the most simple iteration of the Circle of Fifths:<\/p>\n

\"Basic<\/a><\/p>\n

Starting with the note of C at 12 o\u2019clock and moving clockwise around the Circle of Fifths, each new note (or step) is a perfect fifth above the previous one. The whole Circle of Fifths progression is simply perfect fifths stacked on top of each other, going step-wise around the circle clockwise, eventually coming back to C from F. Note that it includes all 12 tones of the chromatic scale – just not in order.<\/p>\n

More Than Just Notes<\/h3>\n

The diagram above is deceptively simple. The truth is, the letters around the circle aren\u2019t just root note names – they also represent the corresponding key <\/em>of each note. Therefore, we are starting with the accidental-free key of C major at the top of the Circle of Fifths, and working our way around through keys with accidentals in them. Every key in this circle is a major key.<\/p>\n

Figuring Out Key Signatures<\/h3>\n

Here\u2019s the Circle of Fifths with the corresponding key signatures of each major key represented:<\/p>\n

\"Circle<\/a><\/p>\n

Imagine the Circle of Fifths as the keys on a keyboard twisted into a circle. Middle C is at the very top, where 12 on a clock would be. Why is it at the top? Because C major’s key signature has no sharps or flats, so it is almost like a \u201cneutral\u201d key.<\/p>\n

While the diagram may initially appear overwhelming, fear not! The addition of sharps and flats not only follows a predictable pattern when going around the Circle of Fifths step by step, but the direction you\u2019re heading in tells you whether you\u2019re adding sharps or flats. Remember: no key signature has both sharps and<\/em>\u00a0flats.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Order<\/a>Head clockwise around the circle starting at C major. G major has one sharp (F\u266f), D major has two (F\u266f, C\u266f) and so on. Soon you\u2019ll notice that new sharps are added in the order F-C-G-D-A-E-B. Head counter-clockwise around the circle starting at C major, and you\u2019ll see that flats are added in the reverse order: B-E-A-D-G-C-F.<\/p>\n

Making your life easier still: the number of steps you take around the circle tells you how many accidentals the key will have. <\/strong>If you\u2019re trying to figure out the number of sharps B major has, count the five steps around the circle to determine that it will have five. The letter sequence will tell you that its sharps are F\u266f, C\u266f, G\u266f, D\u266f, and A\u266f.<\/p>\n

If you want to memorize one thing about the Circle of Fifths, this sequence of letters should be it! A useful (and heartwarming) mnemonic for this Circle of Fifths pattern is \u201cFather Christmas Gave Dad An Electric Blanket\u201d. Come up with your own creative one in reverse for remembering the order of flats!<\/p>\n

Understanding the key signature aspect of the Circle of Fifths may take some practice and figuring out your own methods of memorization. Check out this follow-along instructional video<\/a>\u00a0for a comprehensive explanation of key signatures.<\/p>\n

\n

Sidebar: Where Things Get A Bit Tricky…<\/h3>\n

The letter sequence F-C-G-D-A-E-B may end up confusing you if you look at the Circle of Fifths and realize that there\u2019s no E\u266f or B\u266f anywhere on the key signatures of the circle.<\/p>\n

And you\u2019re absolutely right. E\u266f would be F major and B\u266f would be C major. Technically, there are two equivalent names for those scales.<\/p>\n

But remember, we\u2019re counting sharps from G, so once we get to seven sharps (and every note is therefore sharpened), it actually becomes far easier to think of the scale in terms of flats<\/em>, because there will be fewer accidentals – this simplifies the key signature!<\/p>\n

This concept is known as enharmonic equivalence – a key can have two equivalent names.\u00a0C\u266f major will be identical (or equivalent<\/em>) to D\u266d major, and if you represent the pitches in the C\u266f major scale (with every degree being sharpened) in terms of flats and naturals instead of sharps only, you get the five-flat key signature of D\u266d major – therefore C\u266f major is equivalent to D\u266d major.<\/p>\n

\"Notes<\/a> \"Notes<\/a><\/p>\n

In our chart, G\u266f, D\u266f, and A\u266f are included because they sometimes come up as useful chords (thanks mostly to guitarists, who tend to like sharps more than flats) – but E\u266f and B\u266f would be rare exotic beasts for any instrument, as they both have an enharmonic equivalent that is far easier to understand – F and C, respectively.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

What About Minor Keys?<\/h3>\n

So far, the Circle of Fifths we\u2019ve presented to you has only contained major keys and their key signatures. The good news is, you don\u2019t have to construct a second circle for the minor keys! You can fit them right into the circle by following the rules of relative minors:<\/p>\n

\"Circle<\/a><\/p>\n

A quick refresher: relative minor keys share key signatures with their relative major keys, and therefore share all the same notes with the major key. This concept of shared key signatures makes it easy to fit the minor keys right into the circle. Again, note that all 12 tones of the chromatic scale are found in the minor key circle, too.<\/p>\n

Here are two ways to quickly find the relative minor key of a major key:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Work out the major scale on paper or on your instrument. The relative minor tonic will be on the sixth degree of the scale. In terms of intervals, that\u2019s\u00a0a major sixth up or a minor third down.<\/li>\n
  2. Using the Circle of Fifths, simply move three positions clockwise around the to find the relative minor! So, starting from C, count one (G), two (D) and then three: A is your relative minor key.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    If you\u2019re paying close attention, you\u2019ll notice that each minor key going clockwise around the Circle of Fifths is also a fifth above the previous minor key!\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

    The Circle is Complete<\/h3>\n

    Aaaand there you have it! These components make up the full Circle of Fifths. We have major keys, their relative minor keys, and the key signature that each major key-minor key pair share. We know that it’s a lot to take in for the newly initiated, so if you’re overwhelmed, don’t panic: try working with an interactive Circle of Fifths<\/a> to look at a key-by-key breakdown of the diagram!<\/p>\n

    Also Known As\u2026<\/h3>\n

    The reason for calling it the Circle of Fifths should be fairly obvious by now: adjacent keys (for both major keys and minor keys) are separated by an interval of a perfect fifth.<\/p>\n

    However, there is another way to think about all this.<\/p>\n

    You may have heard of something in music called the Circle (or \u201cCycle\u201d)\u00a0of Fourths. Good news: Circle of Fourths and the Circle of Fifths are not two separate concepts, but two different names that we use for the exact same thing in music theory!<\/strong><\/p>\n

    The Circle of Fifths can, alternatively, be named the Circle of Fourths because if you decide to go counter-clockwise<\/em>\u00a0around the circle, each note is a fourth <\/strong>above the previous one.<\/p>\n

    Both names are equally \u201cright\u201d, and you\u2019ll hear both used in reference to the Circle of Fifths. The Circle of Fourths is less common, but just as descriptive.<\/p>\n

    Modes and Circle of Fifths<\/h2>\n

    Before we jump into the numerous uses of the Circle of Fifths, let\u2019s check out how it relates to musical modes. For the uninitiated or for those wanting a refresher, check out our introduction to mod<\/a>al improvisation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    If you squish any seven adjacent notes in the Circle of Fifths down to a scale, you wind up with the Lydian mode<\/a>, rather than the major scale:<\/p>\n

    \"C<\/p>\n

    Compared with the major scale, t<\/a>he Lydian mode<\/a>\u00a0is distinctive in its floaty, perpetually unresolved demeanor. Its notes give it an almost magical <\/em>quality.<\/p>\n

    Keep going, and you get a full chromatic scale.<\/p>\n

    Jazz theorist George Russell built his Lydian Chromatic concept on this quality of the Circle of Fifths – which he called \u201cThe Circle of Close to Distant Relationships\u201d. Keep messing with the Circle and you\u2019ll figure out that all the various modes can be derived.<\/p>\n

    \"George<\/a><\/p>\n

    How to Use the Circle of Fifths<\/h2>\n
    \"Press<\/a>

    Press on Circle of Fifths Tattoo, from Sokolow Music<\/p><\/div>\n

    Now that you know how the Circle of Fifths works, you must be wondering how you can apply the Circle of Fifths. This section really could be a full novel in itself. There are limitless uses of the circle. Some are\u00a0self-evident<\/a>, and simply require taking a close look at the circle, while others venture into territory of complex music theory, complicated harmony, and all sorts of mental gymnastics regarding keys and key signatures.<\/p>\n

    If fact, once you see just how useful it is, you may have the\u00a0inspiration for your next tattoo! If you\u2019re not really <\/span>that<\/span><\/i> committed, you can always try a <\/span>temporary circle of fifths tattoo or guitar vinyl stick on<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Here are a few of the more basic and useful applications of the Circle of Fifths. Many of them stem from the Circle of Fifths’ ability to easily show you the diatonic notes in any key.<\/p>\n

    Using the Circle of Fifths to find Key Signatures<\/h3>\n

    Let\u2019s work through an example of how to find a key signature. Say you are learning a song that is in F major and you want to know which sharps or flats to use, so you know what the diatonic notes will be. As you can see from above, the Circle of Fifths all but places the key signatures in your lap!<\/p>\n

    While reading through, keep in mind the F-C-G-D-A-E-B sequence we introduced earlier and that it shows the order in which sharps (and when spelled in reverse, flats) are added to keys around the circle. The sequence is very useful for finding a key signature, and it’s a great idea to memorize it.<\/p>\n

    In order to work out how many sharps or flats are in F major, we need to find it by moving round the Circle of Fifths. Remember we always start at C. If we were to head round clockwise once, we would land on G. This has one sharp in its scale, and if you consult the F-C-G-D-A-E-B sequence, you\u2019ll know it\u2019s F\u266f. If we head round once more, we would land on D, with the two sharps of F\u266f and C\u266f. So far F is not coming up, which is what we need.<\/p>\n

    Let\u2019s try moving the other way. Go back to C, then move counter-clockwise once. A perfect fifth below C is F. This is what we\u2019re looking for! Because we\u2019ve moved round counter-clockwise once to land on F, F has one flat. Recall the F-C-G-D-A-E-B sequence backwards (because we\u2019re now talking about flats, not sharps), and you\u2019ll see that F major\u2019s key signature is Bb.<\/p>\n

    This isn\u2019t just the pattern of notes around the Circle of Fifths. It is also the order in which sharps are added to each successive key when going around the circle clockwise.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Need to memorize the order of flats? Easy! Just take that seven-letter sequence and spell it backward, getting B-E-A-D-G-C-F<\/strong>. This gives you the order in which flats are added to each successive key when going around the Circle of Fifths counter-clockwise!<\/p>\n

    These built-in patterns in the Circle of Fifths make it a breeze to find the key signature of any key.<\/p>\n

    Using the Circle of Fifths to Build Scales<\/h3>\n

    Now that you know how to easily find the key signature of any key using the circle, figuring out the full scale is easy. You know the tonic you want to start from, and the subsequent notes diatonic to the key. Each successive note could be natural (accidental-free), sharpened, or flattened. The key signature will tell you the sharps or flats of the scale, and the other notes will simply be natural.<\/p>\n

    And voil\u00e0! There you have your diatonic scale.<\/p>\n

    Read scales right off the Circle<\/h3>\n

    Here\u2019s a little secret: you don\u2019t even have to know the key signature (though you\u2019ll want to!). To read any major<\/em>\u00a0scale,\u00a0count seven notes clockwise, beginning from the note immediately counter-clockwise<\/em> in the Circle of Fifths (otherwise you\u2019ll find the Lydian mode). Reduce them down to a scale order and there you have it – the notes diatonic to the scale’s key:<\/p>\n

    \"Reading<\/p>\n

    Ethan Hein has more on reading scales off the circle<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    Using the Circle of Fifths to Build Chords<\/h3>\n

    Chords are simply clusters of notes played together for a sound that is consonant<\/em>, or pleasant to listen to. They come in multiple flavours: major, minor, augmented, diminished, seventh, etc\u2026<\/p>\n

    For the purposes of this guide, we\u2019ll zero in on some common chords that our beloved Circle of Fifths can help you build within minutes; this section will be particularly useful to the guitarists<\/a> and pianists in the house.<\/p>\n

    Major and Minor Chords<\/h4>\n

    You can read major and minor chords right off the Circle of Fifths if you remember some simple shapes. These shapes will point to the notes that are diatonic to the key and form certain triads.<\/p>\n

    A major chord consists of three notes: the tonic, a major third above the tonic, and a perfect fifth above the tonic. The major third interval is found simply by counting up four semitones (or two whole tones) from the tonic. As for the fifth, simply travel clockwise around the Circle of Fifths by one step to find the third note of your triad!<\/p>\n

    \"C<\/a><\/p>\n

    This C major chord is fairly easy to find and play on most instruments. For example, seeing as the “blow” notes of the first three holes on the harmonica are C, E, and G, respectively, you can play a C major chord by blowing into the first three holes on the instrument.<\/p>\n

    You can rotate this shape around the Circle of Fifths and instantly find any major chord. The triangle’s points will give you the correct diatonic notes for the major chord:<\/p>\n

    \"F<\/a><\/p>\n

    A minor chord is the same, save for a minor third above the tonic instead of a major third. Find the fifth in the same way as above, and count up three semitones from the tonic to determine your third.<\/p>\n

    Try this one yourself – draw a C minor chord in the circle.<\/p>\n

    \n\t\t\t\t\t

    Show answer<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t

    The minor chord is the mirror image of the major!<\/p>\n

    \"C<\/a><\/p>\n

    The more you play with the Circle of Fifths, the more interesting patterns you will discover.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

    How did you do?<\/p>\n

    Dominant\u00a0Seventh Chords<\/h4>\n

    These chords show up a lot in all kinds of music. To review a little bit of music theory, the dominant seventh chord simply consists of a major triad with a minor seventh stacked on top.<\/p>\n

    Dominant sevenths\u00a0are four note chords, leaving you three notes that you have to figure out above the tonic. You already know how to find two of these – use the same rule as described above, keeping in mind that dominant seventh chords will contain a major third.<\/p>\n

    As for finding the seventh, the Circle of Fifths can help you out once again. Simply count two steps counter-clockwise <\/em>from the key in which you\u2019re building the chord to give you the seventh.<\/p>\n

    Give it a try: build a dominant seventh chord in F\u266f.<\/p>\n

    \n\t\t\t\t\t

    Show answer<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t
    Your major triad in F\u266f will contain the notes F\u266f, A\u266f, and C\u266f. Counting counter-clockwise from F\u266f in the circle, you arrive at E, and your dominant seventh chord in F\u266f will contain the notes F\u266f, A\u266f, C\u266f, and E.<\/p>\n

    \"F#<\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

    In fact,\u00a0it’s possible to build a Circle of Fifths made up of dominant seventh chords!\u00a0<\/strong>Jazz music commonly has sequences of dominant seventh chords whose tonics are separated by fifths. Jazz saxophonists: try playing your way around the circle by starting with a C dominant seventh chord and progressing up by fifths, building new dominant seventh chords on top of each new tonic.<\/p>\n

    Now, try building the Major Seventh Chord shape. Here’s a hint: replace the minor seventh interval with a major seventh!<\/p>\n

    \n\t\t\t\t\t

    Show answer<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t

    \"F#<\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

    Take a peek at J. Jensen’s fascinating breakdown for more fun finding patterns, symmetries, and diagrams on the Circle of Fifths<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    EDMtips<\/em> will show you another take on these diagrams that brings in the inner circle of relative minors, as well as many ways your circle savvy will pump up your EDM tracks<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    Using the Circle of Fifths to Play Chord Progressions By Ear<\/h3>\n

    Some chord progressions are a lot more popular than others, and certain chords within a key are also more important than others. Chord I is the most important, but chords IV<\/span> and V<\/span> are also very popular, since they are so closely related to I – many chord progressions and songs make use of exclusively these three chords<\/span>.<\/p>\n

    Our handy Circle of Fifths also show us the relationships between these chords. The closer they are in the circle, the more closely they are related (Remember George Russell\u2019s Circle of Close to Distant Relationships?).<\/p>\n

    So it\u2019s easy to find out chords IV<\/span> and V<\/span> of any key: just pick any letter around the Circle of Fifths and treat that as I<\/span>. The letter to the left is IV<\/span>, and the letter to the right is V<\/span>. So chord IV<\/span> of C is F, and chord V<\/span> is G.<\/p>\n

    Any other roman numeral chord will have its own relationship in the circle, so once you work out that relationship, you can always use it to find that chord for a given key.<\/p>\n

    For example, another important chord is the vi minor chord<\/span>. The reason for this is because I<\/span>, IV<\/span>, V<\/span> and vi<\/span> are used in a lot of four-chord progressions<\/a>. One common chord progression is I<\/span>, vi<\/span>, IV<\/span>, V<\/span> which literally hundreds of famous songs share. Another is IV<\/span>, V<\/span>, vi<\/span>, IV<\/span> \u2013 in fact the Axis of Awesome even exploit the ubiquity of this chord progression in their infamous sketch:<\/p>\n