WHAT IS The CIRCLE of FIFTHS? The Circle of Fifths is a music theory diagram that shows the rela- tionships among all 12 tones of the chromatic scale, which are all the tones that exist in Western music. It illustrates the key signa- tures for every major and relative minor scale built on each of the 12 tones. The Circle of Fifths is used to illustrate the relationship of diatonic scales, i. e., major and minor scales, in the system of tonality on which most Western music is built. Around the outside of the circle are the key signatures, which show how many sharps or flats are in each major and relative minor scale. The outside circle shows the names of the Major keys, or scales, in capital letters. The inner circle shows the names of the minor keys, or scales, in lower case letters. Each Major key has a relative minor key shown in the same color, CIRCLE OF 5THS POSTER because these "relatives" share the same key signature. The circle of fifths and color spectrum are helpful visual tools to understanding tonal and harmonic relationships in both in music and art. The poster includes WHO FIRST USED IT? this downloadable Activity Guide, which The first Circle of Fifths appeared in 1670 in a treatise on composi- explores relationships of keys and colors, with helpful tips to learn key signatures, tion called Grammatika by Nikolai Diletskii, a Ukrainian composer relative major/minor keys, and more. and theorist. The purpose of the Circle of Fifths was to be a guide for 17" x 22". Poster & Guide 28515 composition students. HOW DO WE USE IT TODAY? The Circle of Fifths is a visual aid to learning key signatures of major and relative minor scales, and to see the relationships that exist between different chords and scales. The scales with the closest relationship to any given key are its nearest neighbor up a 5th and down a 5th. Likewise, the chord with the closest relationship to any given chord is the chord built on the 5th up or 5th down from the root of that chord. These 3 chords form the harmonic basis of tonality: Tonic (or I chord), built on the first note of the scale Dominant (or V chord), built on the 5th note of the scale Subdominant (or IV chord), built on the 4th note of the scale. For example, in a C Major scale the 3 main chords are: the tonic (I) chord built on the first note, C (C E G); the dominant (V) chord built on the 5th note, G (G B D); and the subdominant (IV) chord built on the 4th note, F (F A C). Giant Staff Wall Chart 28100 Giant Keyboard Wall Chart 28104 Tonic Dominant Subdominant I V IV Music-Go-Rounds: ALPHADOTS Set 1. Silicone dots cling to the whiteboard, floor, or any smooth surface. Use to identify notes, inter- vals, chords, scales, etc. on keyboard and staff floor mats, and enjoy hands-on activities and games. 2 ea. of A-G. 3¾". Set of 14 28031 © 2016 • Plano, Texas • 800-445-0649 • fax 972-943-8906 • www.musicmotion.com There is a strong relationship between these 3 chords. The tonic is like home, and the center of gravity: the dominant and subdominant chords lead you on a journey away from home, but eventually push you back home. Play the tonic, subdominant and dominant chords in that order: you will feel the urge to re- turn home to the tonic after hearing the dominant chord. That is how tonality functions. Try the same thing with a melody. Sing or play Row, Row, Row Your Boat, but stop before the last word. The notes of a melody will wander away from the first degree, or key note of the scale. But the melody, like the harmony, has a tendency to eventually push us back home to the key note, which is center of gravity. When the melody returns to the key note, or the harmony returns to the tonic chord, that ending on a secure resting place is called a cadence. It is like the comma at the end of a phrase or a period at the end of a sentence. The further away any key is from another in the Circle of Fifths, the more distant is the relationship. Can you see by looking at the Circle of Fifths why keys are more closely related to their near neighbors than to their distant neighbors? Play the scale of C and the scale of neighbors G (up a 5th) and F (down a 5th). How many notes does C major scale have in common with G or F scales? (see below) They share more DNA, just like close relatives. As you move further around the Circle, there are increasingly fewer com- mon tones in their scales, so they become more distant kinfolk or eventually not related at all! Music Go Rounds: C Major scale has the same SHARPS & FLATS notes as G Major (except Sharps and flats for A-G. for one sharp) and F Major 3¾" silicone dots. (except for one flat). Set of 14 28028 hs sh y 5t arp k n b eys ow up s d b ey y 5 k t t hs fla LEARN KEY SIGNATURES If you start on C at the top of the Circle and move to the right (clockwise) up by 5ths, each new key will succes- sively add a sharp to the key signature. C Major - 0 sharps G Major - 1 sharp D Major - 2 sharps A Major - 3 sharps etc. If you start on C at the top of the Circle and move to the left (counter clockwise) down by 5ths, each new key will successively add a flat to the key signature. C Major - 0 flats F Major - 1 flat B Flat Major -2 flats E Flat Major - 3 flats etc. ORDER OF THE SHARPS: F C G D A E B The sharps are always written on the staff in the same order, regardless of how many are in the key signature. Notice that the sharps move up by 5ths. © 2016 • Plano, Texas • 800-445-0649 • fax 972-943-8906 • www.musicmotion.com ORDER OF THE FLATS: B E A D G C F The flats are always written in the same order, regardless of how many are in the key signature. Notice that the flats move down by 5ths. HOW TO IDENTIFY THE NAME OF THE MAJOR KEY by the Key Signature IN SHARP MAJORS: IN FLAT MAJORS: To find the name of the major key in sharps, take the To find the name of the major key in flats, last sharp, and move up a half step. For example, if identify the next to the last flat and that is the there is one sharp (F), what’s up a half step? G. name of the key. G Major D Major E Major B flat Major E flat Major A flat Major HOW TO IDENTIFY THE NAME OF THE MINOR KEY by the Key Signature To find the name of the relative minor key of any sharp or flat major key, find the major key note (as above) and go down 3 half steps. Ex., if there are 2 sharps, the major key is D. Go down 3 half steps to find the relative minor key with the same key signature: b minor. D flat Major - down 3 half steps. b flat minor D Major/ b minor D flat Major/ b flat minor Note: Notice that the Major keys are indicated with capital letters on translucent silicone the outside of the circle. The minor keys are indicated by lower case letters on the inside of the circle. The relative Major and minor keys are shown in the same color, as they are most closely related. Also Music-Go-Rounds KEY SIGNATURE SET notice that the relative minor key for Floor Staff & Giant Wall Chart note is always 3 half steps down Cut strips along guidelines into 7 sharps from the Major key note. and 7 flats, 6" x 21/2". Set of 14 28085 © 2016 • Plano, Texas • 800-445-0649 • fax 972-943-8906 • www.musicmotion.com KEYBOARD TOOLS & EXERCISES for understanding and applying the Circle of Fifths Half Steps Whole Steps A half step is the A whole step is made distance from up of 2 half steps. Thus one pitch to the a whole step is from a very next pitch, pitch, skipping a half for example step, to the next pitch. from A up to A For example, from C to sharp or B flat; D (skipping C Sharp/D Flat); or from E to F sharp or from F down to E or F flat. (skipping F). Major Scale The Major scale is made up of whole and half steps, with ½ ½ the half steps between scale degrees 3 to 4 and 7 to 8. Tetrachords Hide your thumbs and arrange for Major Scale 8 fingers in the air to show the half steps from 3 to 4 and 7 to 8. The Major scale is composed Use the tetrachords to build major of 2 four-note groups called scales on the keyboard starting on any key. tetrachords. Build a major scale starting on any note of the keyboard, using the tetrachord pattern of 2 whole steps + 1 half step. Every major scale has this same pattern, with the half steps from scale degrees 3 to 4 and 7 to 8. E Major Scales: How to Develop Your Internal Musical GPS Every musician practices scales as technical fingering exercises, and to develop balanced even tones, agility and eventually speed.