Circle of Fifths
What is the Circle of Fifths and how can it be used?
How many flat or sharp notes is there in a given musical key? What exact notes are sharp and flat? How many flat and sharp chords are in a musical key? The Circle of Fifths gives answers these questions and is a tool to determine the relationship between notes in a musical key. The Circle of Fifths is for any musical instrument whether it be Guitar, Cello, Violin, Ukuele, Piano, Flute, Trumpet or any other instrument.
Examples on how to use the Circle of Fifths
The Circle of Fifths can be used in 4 different ways. Each of these ways is used to find the sharps or flats for a Major or Minor musical Key. These 4 different combinations can be enumerated as follows:
- The 4 Basic Combinations to use the Circle of Fifths
With these 4 combinations, using the Circle of Fifths translates to this table:
| Outside Circle | Inside Circle | |
| Clockwise | Major Key Sharps | Minor Key Sharps |
| Counter-Clockwise | Major Key Flats | Minor Key Flats |
Rules to use the Circle of Fifths
| # | Rule |
| 0 | C Major and a Minor have no sharps or flats |
| 1 | Major Scales are the Outer Notes/Chords in the Circle for the Key |
| 2 | Minor Scales are the Inner Notes/Chords in the Circle for the Key |
| 3 | Sharp notes are found by starting at the F note and going clockwise: F#,C#,G#,D#,A#,E#,B# |
| 4 | Flat notes are found by starting at the F note and going counter-clockwise: Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb,Cb,Fb |
| 5 | The number of flats or sharps in a key are written along with the Major or Minor Key |
Example finding Sharp Notes/Chords for Major Keys in the Circle of Fifths - Outer Circle going Clockwise
| Major Key - Outer Circle | Number of Sharps - Right Half of Circle | Sharp Notes |
| C Major | 0 | none |
| G Major | 1 | F# |
| D Major | 2 | F#,C# |
| A Major | 3 | F#,C#,G# |
| E Major | 4 | F#,C#,G#,D# |
| B Major | 5 | F#,C#,G#,D#,A# |
| F# Major | 6 | F#,C#,G#,D#,A#,E# |
Example finding Sharps Notes/Chords for Minor Keys in the Circle of Fifths - Inner Circle going Clockwise
| Minor Key - Inner Circle | Number of Sharps - Right Half of Circle | Sharp Notes |
| a Minor | 0 | none |
| e Minor | 1 | F# |
| b Minor | 2 | F#,C# |
| f# Minor | 3 | F#,C#,G# |
| c# Minor | 4 | F#,C#,G#,D# |
| g# Minor | 5 | F#,C#,G#,D#,A# |
| d# Minor | 6 | F#,C#,G#,D#,A#,E# |
Example finding Flat Notes/Chords for Major Keys in the Circle of Fifths - Outer Circle going Counter-Clockwise
| Major Key - Outer Circle | Number of Flats - Left Half of Circle | Sharp Notes |
| C Major | 0 | none |
| F Major | 1 | Bb |
| Bb Major | 2 | Bb,Eb |
| Eb Major | 3 | Bb,Eb,Ab |
| Ab Major | 4 | Bb,Eb,Ab,Db |
| Db Major | 5 | Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb |
| Gb Major | 6 | Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb,Cb |
| Cb Major | 7 | Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb,Cb,Fb |
Example finding Flat Notes/Chords for Minor Keys in the Circle of Fifths - Inner Circle going Counter-Clockwise
| Minor Key - Inner Circle | Number of Flats - Left Half of Circle | Sharp Notes |
| a Minor | 0 | none |
| d Minor | 1 | Bb |
| g Minor | 2 | Bb,Eb |
| c Minor | 3 | Bb,Eb,Ab |
| f Minor | 4 | Bb,Eb,Ab,Db |
| bb Minor | 5 | Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb |
| eb Minor | 6 | Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb,Cb |
| ab Minor | 7 | Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb,Cb,Fb |