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Section9.1The Circle of Fifths Progression

1. Circle Of Fifths Worksheet
2. Circle Of Fifths Minor
3. Circle Of Fifths Piano

The Circle of Fifths is a great tool in aiding musicians to learn and memorize all the basic diatonic key signatures. The diagram presents all the diatonic major and minor keys, in order, based on the amount of sharps or flats. It can be thought of as the analog clock of music. Circle of fifths. In music theory the Circle of fifths shows how the different keys are related to one another. It is usually shown as a circle with the names of keys around it. If you take any key in the circle, its fifth is the one to its right. It can be easily understood together with a piano keyboard.

The circle of fifths progression ((left.text{I}right.)–(left.text{IV}right.)–(left.text{vii}^{circ}{}right.)–(left.text{iii}right.)–(left.text{vi}right.)–(left.text{ii}right.)–(left.text{V}right.)–(left.text{I}right.)) was a stalwart of the Baroque era in music. You will find many examples of this progression in the music of Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi, especially in minor ((left.text{i}right.)–(left.text{iv}right.)–(left.text{VII}right.)–(left.text{III}right.)–(left.text{VI}right.)–(left.text{ii}^{circ}{}right.)–(left.text{V}right.)–(left.text{i}right.)) with the subtonic (left.text{VII}right.).

This circle (the circle of fifths for harmonic progression) is different than the circle of fifths for key signatures because this circle of fifths for harmonic progression contains diatonic notes only. The circle of fifths for key signatures (Figure 2.3.4) contained all 12 notes of the chromatic scale.

The circle of fifths (for harmonic progression) is sometimes known as the “circle of descending fifths.”

The circle of fifths progression has been used regularly since the Baroque era.

The circle of fifths progression has a feeling of inevitability about it because it consists of harmonic sequences. To understand harmonic sequence we will first look at melodic sequences, since the bass line is the “melody” in a harmonic sequence. Ask yourself what happens after this melodic idea:

Therefore, a sequence is a musical idea repeated at a different pitch level.

Sequences can be short or long. For example, look at this familiar idea and notice how all four bars are sequenced down a step in the following four bars.

Now look again at the bass line in “Love You Like A Love Song” and notice how it can be thought of a two-note idea treated as a descending sequence.

Sometimes we will hear a circle of fifths sequence where some of the chords are not in root position, as in the Handel and Mozart examples. In these two examples, we are hearing the sequence of the roots, even though they are not clearly presented in the bass.

We will return to the idea of harmonic sequence later in this chapter.

Circle of Fifths

The Circle of Fifths (AKA Circle of Fourths) is an important concept in music. It outlines the relationship between each of the 12 notes in the chromatic scale and their related Major and minor keys. The closer two keys are in the Circle of Fifths, the more related they are (i.e. the more notes they share in common).

The Circle of Fifths is called thus because, starting from any note, you can move down in fifths and proceed through all 12 notes until you get back to your original note. Below is a visual depiction of the Circle of Fifths.

The interval of a fifth is significant because it is mathematically the most consonant non-octave interval. But I will leave this for a future lesson on the Overtone Series.

Key Signatures and Modulation

Starting from C Major:

• Moving to the right, each key signature adds a sharp: C, G, D, A, E, B, F#
• Moving to the left, each key signature adds a flat: C, F, B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭
• The notes on the inside of the circle represent the relative minor of each Major key

The Circle of Fifths can be thought of as the ‘harmonic distance between keys‘.

Circle Of Fifths Worksheet

The Circle of Fifths is useful for a number of reasons:

• It allows you to work out the key signature for every key
• The closer two notes are in the Circle of Fifths, the more ‘related’ they are – that is, the more notes they share in common
  • For example, the keys C Major (no sharps) and G Major (one sharp) are closely related
• When songs modulate to a new key, they usually do so to a closely related key (one adjacent in the Circle of Fifths)
• Tonal Chord Progressions VERY often move in fifths (see below)

Circle Progression

The Circle of Fifths can also be thought of as the ‘harmonic distance between chords‘. Two chords derived from the same key and a fifth apart are closely related. This is why chord progressions often move down in fifths. And a chord progression that does this is called a Circle Progression.

A Circle Progression (AKA Diatonic Circle of Fifths) uses only chords from a particular key and moves down in intervals of fifths (although there is on tritone between the 4th and the 7th of the scale just to make it fit diatonically). You can, however, also have a Chromatic Circle of Fifths progression. Both are outlined below, finishing on C Major.

The reason the Circle Progression sounds so smooth and pleasant is because as you move from one chord to the next:

• One Guide Tone stays the same (Common Tone)
• One Guide Tone move down by a step

As such, this progression creates a strong and smooth Guide Tone Line, which holds the whole chord progression together.

Have a Listen to

Circle Of Fifths Minor

• Autumn Leaves
• Fly Me to the Moon
• Blues for Alice
• Confirmation
• All the Things You Are

Circle Of Fifths Piano