What is the Circle of Fifths?
The circle of fifths is a visual representation of the relationships between musical keys and their corresponding key signatures. At its core, it shows the sharps and flats that exist in each key, arranged in a circle according to the interval pattern of perfect fifths. This circular layout demonstrates how keys are related to one another through fifth intervals.
On a basic level, the circle of fifths works by organizing all major and minor keys clockwise around a circle, starting from C major at the top which has no sharps or flats. As you move clockwise, each key adds one more sharp, until you reach C# major or Db major with 7 sharps. Moving counter-clockwise adds one more flat per key, until Cb major or B major with 7 flats.
This clockwise pattern directly corresponds to the order in which sharps are added to key signatures, and counter-clockwise for flats. The circle shows guitarists which notes to sharpen or flatten for any key signature. It also reveals the number of sharps or flats in a key by its position on the circle.
Beyond indicating key signatures, the circle of fifths demonstrates the diatonic chords that exist within each key. The major and minor chords of a key always follow the order of fifth intervals on the circle. This makes the circle of fifths an extremely useful tool for building chord progressions and songwriting on the guitar.
Mastering the circle of fifths gives guitarists a deeper understanding of keys, scales, and chords. It helps memorize the notes in key signatures, build chord progressions, modulate between keys, and transpose songs into different keys. For advancing music theory knowledge and guitar skills, the circle of fifths is an indispensable tool.
Understanding Key Signatures using the Circle of Fifths
The circle of fifths is incredibly useful for understanding key signatures and identifying how many sharps or flats are in a particular key.
To determine the number of sharps or flats in a key using the circle of fifths, start with the key of C at the top which has no sharps or flats. Then, go clockwise around the circle to add sharps, or counter-clockwise to add flats.
For example, the key of G has 1 sharp (F#), since G is one step clockwise from C. The key of D has 2 sharps (F#, C#), and so on. Going counter-clockwise, the key of F has 1 flat (Bb), and the key of Bb has 2 flats (Bb, Eb).
An easy way to memorize the order that sharps are added is with the mnemonic "Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle". Each word represents a note that gets sharpened as you go clockwise on the circle of fifths.
For flats, use "Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’ Father". The opposite order of notes gets flatted as you go counter-clockwise.
With these mnemonics and the circle memorized, you can quickly identify any key signature. Just look at the key signature, locate which sharps or flats are present, and use the circle to determine which key that corresponds to.
For example, if you see a key signature with 1 sharp (F#), you know that’s the key of G. Or if you see a key signature with 3 flats (Bb, Eb, Ab), that’s the key of Eb. The circle of fifths provides a shortcut to identifying key signatures instantly.
Building Chord Progressions with the Circle of Fifths
The circle of fifths is an invaluable tool for building chord progressions on the guitar. By revealing the diatonic chords in any key, it provides the framework for constructing progressions that sound musically pleasing.
The most common chord progressions tend to follow the circle of fifths. For example, the I-IV-V-I progression simply goes clockwise around the circle hitting the root chord (I), the chord a fifth above (IV), and the chord a fifth above that (V) before resolving back to the root. Similarly, progressions like vi-ii-V-I or iii-vi-ii-V-I follow the circle in a clockwise direction.
Understanding how the circle links together chords in a key is crucial for songwriting on the guitar. You can use it to build chord progressions for your songs by tracing different paths around the circle. Want to write a catchy pop progression? Try I-V-vi-IV by jumping around the top half of the circle. For a jazzier sound, experiment with chords outside the key by moving between parallel major and minor keys on the circle.
The circle of fifths also enables guitarists to smoothly modulate between keys within a progression. For example, you can transition from the key of C major to G major by simply moving one step clockwise on the circle. The chords will flow together seamlessly. Modulating keys adds interest and variety to chord progressions.
By unlocking the diatonic chords and showing how they all connect, the circle of fifths is an indispensable tool for guitarists looking to improve their chord building and songwriting skills. With practice, you’ll be able to craft amazing chord progressions in any key.
Transposing Songs using the Circle of Fifths
Transposing a song to a new key is a great way to freshen up a tune, make it easier to sing, or modulate to a new key within a song. With the circle of fifths, transposing becomes quick and easy. Here’s a step-by-step process:
Identifying the Original Key
The first step is to identify the original key of the song you want to transpose. Look at the key signature – are there sharps, flats, or no accidentals? Use the circle of fifths to determine which major key corresponds to that key signature.
For example, if there are 1 sharp in the key signature, that’s the key of G major. Two sharps would be D major, and so on. For flats, 1 flat is F major, 2 flats is Bb major, and so on counter-clockwise on the circle of fifths.
Counting Steps to the New Key
Once you know the original key, you can use the circle of fifths to count the number of steps between that key and your desired new key.
For example, to go from the key of C major (no sharps or flats) up to the key of G major (1 sharp), you would count clockwise 5 steps on the circle of fifths.
To transpose down a major third from E major (4 sharps) to C major (no sharps or flats), you would count counter-clockwise 3 steps on the circle.
Changing Chords and Notes to Fit the New Key
After identifying the new key, it’s time to actually transpose the song. This involves two steps:
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Change the chords in the chord progression to fit the new key. Use your knowledge of diatonic chords and the circle of fifths to determine the I, IV, V chords and so on in the new key.
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Adjust any individual notes and melodies in the vocals or lead guitar/piano parts to fit the new key signature. Often this just involves moving everything up or down a set interval, but watch out for accidentals.
With practice, you’ll be able to quickly transpose any song to a new key just by counting around the circle of fifths. This opens up a world of possibilities for arranging songs in different keys!
Circle of Fifths Exercises for Guitar Practice
The circle of fifths provides an excellent framework for guitar practice exercises and drills. Here are some of the best ways to incorporate the circle of fifths into your regular guitar practice routine:
Playing Scales and Arpeggios
A great exercise is to practice playing scales and arpeggios around the circle of fifths. For example, start with the C major scale and arpeggio, then move clockwise to the scales and arpeggios in G major, D major, A major, and so on. This helps reinforce the key signatures and scale patterns on the guitar fretboard. You can do this with major, minor, pentatonic, blues, and modal scales.
Drilling Chord Progressions
Use the circle to drill diatonic chord progressions in each key. For instance, play through the I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, vii chords in the key of C major. Then move clockwise on the circle through other keys like G, D, A, E and play the diatonic chords in each key. This helps internalize the chord relationships within keys.
Memorizing the Fretboard
You can utilize the circle of fifths to visualize and memorize the notes on the guitar fretboard. Associate each note with its relative major key on the circle. For example, associate the note G with the key of G major, the note A with A major, and so on. This provides a mental map for memorizing fretboard notes.
Improvisation Practice
Use the circle when practicing improvisation and soloing. Target the diatonic notes and chords within a given key by visualizing where it lies on the circle. This helps internalize which notes to emphasize when soloing over chord changes. The circle provides a roadmap for melodic improvisation.
Songwriting Exercises
Trace different paths along the outside or inside of the circle to come up with chord progressions and riffs when songwriting. The circle of fifths provides an endless source of chord sequence inspiration. Challenge yourself to write a song using chords only within a quadrant, or other segments of the circle.
Incorporating the circle of fifths into your guitar practice routine in these ways will go a long way towards mastering the fretboard, music theory, and becoming a well-rounded guitarist. The circle provides a perfect framework for skill-building.
Relating the Fretboard to the Circle of Fifths
The circle of fifths has a direct connection to the notes and patterns found on the guitar fretboard. By relating the two, you can strengthen your understanding and memorization of the fretboard.
Connecting Scale/Chord Patterns to the Circle
The most common scale patterns on guitar follow the circle of fifths. For example, the C major scale pattern starts with C on the 6th string. If you move that pattern up a perfect 5th to G, it becomes the G major scale pattern. Continue moving it up by 5ths and you get the D, A, E major scale patterns and so on, following the sharps clockwise around the circle of fifths.
You can visualize the same relationship with moveable chord shapes like major and minor barre chords. The root note of the chord shape aligns with the key on the circle of fifths. So you can take a C major chord shape and move it up in 5ths to get G, D, A etc major chords.
By connecting these fretboard patterns to the circle of fifths, you reinforce your knowledge of both.
Visualizing Keys and Intervals on the Fretboard
With some memorization, you can start to visualize where notes of the major scale and other important intervals are found within any key on the fretboard.
For example, take the key of E major. E is the root, F# is the 2nd, G# is the 3rd and so on. You can picture where all those notes are found on the fretboard. Then relate it back to the circle of fifths and how E major has 4 sharps.
Do this visualization repeatedly around the entire circle and you’ll develop a strong fretboard knowledge and understanding of intervals like 3rds, 5ths, and octaves.
Strategies for Memorization
Here are some tips for memorizing the above concepts:
- Physically play through scale/chord patterns on the guitar fretboard while looking at the circle of fifths
- Drill naming random notes on the fretboard and identifying what key they relate to
- Make flashcards with keys on one side and scale degrees or chord qualities on the other (ex: G major – 1 2 3 4 5 6 7)
- Use mnemonic devices and acronyms to remember note names, scale degrees, and intervals
- Relate fretboard patterns to open chord shapes (like CAGED) to reinforce scale degrees
With consistent practice, your fretboard knowledge and understanding of music theory will rapidly improve by relating everything back to the circle of fifths.
Printable Resources
Having a circle of fifths chart on hand is an invaluable tool for guitarists looking to implement the theory into their playing and practice routine. Here are some of the best printable resources to get started:
Downloadable PDF Charts
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Blank circle of fifths – A blank circle of fifths chart you can fill in yourself is a great way to drill the key signatures, chords, and note relationships. Be sure to include both the sharp and flat keys. Fill it in multiple times until the patterns are familiar.
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Pre-filled circle of fifths – For quick reference, use a pre-filled PDF chart that has all the keys, key signatures, and chords labeled. This can serve as a cheat sheet when applying the theory to songs.
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Interactive PDF chart – Some printable charts allow you to highlight or cross off different keys for interactive practice. This helps ingrain the fretboard patterns.
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Guitar-specific charts – Look for PDF charts tailored to guitarists, like ones that include fretboard visuals or popular chord shapes for each key.
Blank Templates
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Note and chord charts – Print off blank templates with empty circles, lines, and grids to manually fill in notes, chords, and patterns. Creating your own study aids drives home the concepts.
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Fretboard diagrams – Blank fretboard diagrams allow you to draw the notes, keys, and patterns. Connecting the theory to visuals is tremendously helpful.
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Custom charts – Make custom charts for your needs, like a master chord compendium for each key or progressions to practice. Get creative!
Books, Websites, and Apps
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Music theory books – Many music theory and guitar method books have printable circle of fifths charts and exercises. Invest in a reputable one.
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Web tools – Sites like Ultimate-Guitar offer interactive circle tools to test your knowledge.
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Mobile apps – Apps like Tenuto and Fretboard Hero let you drill music theory concepts like the circle of fifths on your phone.
With the wealth of printable resources now available, guitarists have no excuse not to master the circle of fifths! Having charts and templates physically in your practice space makes the theory concepts sink in fast.
Tips and Tricks for Mastering the Circle of Fifths
The circle of fifths can seem intimidating at first, but there are some handy tips and tricks to help you master it more quickly on guitar. Here are some creative ways to practice the circle and apply it to your playing:
Mnemonics for Memorization
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Use mnemonic phrases to remember the order of sharps and flats. For sharps, try "Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle" and for flats try "Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’ Father."
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Associate each key with a familiar song in that key. For example, G major = "Hey Jude" and Eb major = "Take Five." This helps cement the key signatures in your mind.
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Make up a story or visual image that connects the order of keys going around the circle. Come up with vivid associations for each key.
Creative Ways to Practice
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Write out the circle of fifths on a sheet of paper and play through scales, arpeggios, and chords for each key. Change direction and keys each time.
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Pick a chord progression and modulate to different keys using the circle. See how smoothly you can transition between keys.
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Take a familiar song and use the circle to transpose it to all 12 major and minor keys. This is great ear training.
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Improvise solos and target the notes from each key as you move around the circle. Really listen to the sound of each key.
Applying it to Songwriting and Improvisation
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Use the circle to find the diatonic chords in a key when writing a chord progression for a song.
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Modulate keys in your song by moving clockwise or counter-clockwise on the circle.
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Target chord tones and extensions when soloing over chord changes that follow the circle progression.
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Look for patterns and intervals on the circle to inspire new riffs, melodies, and chord voicings. Get creative!
By trying these tips and thinking outside the box, practicing the circle of fifths on guitar can be fun and rewarding. Come up with your own ideas too!
Common Questions
Many guitarists have questions when first learning how to apply the circle of fifths. Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions:
How do I know which direction to go around the circle?
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When figuring out key signatures, go clockwise around the circle for sharps and counter-clockwise for flats.
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For building chords and progressions in a major key, go clockwise. For minor keys, go counter-clockwise.
Why does the circle skip F# and B#?
- The circle displays enharmonically equivalent notes as the same pitch. F# and Gb are enharmonically the same, as are B# and C.
What if I’m stuck in one key? How can I use the circle to explore new keys?
- Try playing scales, arpeggios or chords starting on different keys around the circle. This pushes you out of your comfort zone into new keys and expands your fretboard knowledge.
Some chord progressions don’t follow the circle, so how is it useful?
- While not all progressions stick to the circle, it provides a solid foundation. After mastering diatonic progressions, you can explore more advanced non-diatonic chords.
Why bother with the circle of fifths when I can just use a guitar tuner?
- The circle doesn’t just identify notes, it visually relates keys, scales, and chords. This theory knowledge deepens your overall musical understanding.
I know all the notes on the fretboard. Why learn the circle of fifths?
- The circle connects the dots between those notes. By associating notes with keys, you gain insights for soloing, songwriting and understanding music.
Are there other visual ways to learn music theory and the fretboard?
- The circle of fifths is the most common and useful, but you can also use diagrams like the fretboard CAGED system and Nashville number system.
Let me know if you need any clarification or have additional common questions to address!
Next Steps
Where you go from here depends on your goals and interests. Here are some recommendations for further building your circle of fifths knowledge and skills on guitar:
Expand Your Music Theory Understanding
Now that you have a solid grasp of the circle of fifths, you can dive deeper into music theory concepts like intervals, chord construction, modes and more. Consider taking an online course or getting a music theory textbook to keep expanding your knowledge. The circle of fifths is just the beginning!
Learn Songs in All Keys
Challenge yourself to learn songs in keys other than standard guitar keys like E, A, D and G. Pick a song and use the circle of fifths to transpose it to a less common key like F# or Db. This will improve your fretboard mastery and get you out of your comfort zone.
Improvise and Write Songs Around the Circle
Use the circle as a framework for writing chord progressions, riffs and solos by moving in different directions. Set a time limit and improvise in one key, then move around the circle to a contrasting key. Composing songs that modulate through various keys will expand your creativity.
Create Custom Exercises and Charts
Tailor circle of fifths exercises to your weaknesses and print out customized charts to fill in. For example, if you struggle with flat key signatures, make a chart listing all the flat keys and fill in the key signature, chords and correlating notes on the fretboard for each one.
Get a Circle of Fifths Reference App
Download a circle of fifths app for your phone or tablet to have the circle available anywhere. Many apps allow you to tap on keys to see chords, scale degrees and notes. Use them as a portable reference for analysis and practice.
Mastering the circle of fifths takes time and consistent practice, but doing so unlocks many doors in your guitar playing, songwriting, and musical understanding. Use the circle daily in your warm-up routine, improv practice and when learning new songs to reinforce your skills. With dedication, it will soon become second nature!