Circle Of Fifths Robert Higginbotham (Page 3 of 4) in pdf

Circle Of Fifths Robert Higginbotham Page 3

F#, C#, G#, D#, E#, B#

B # is enharmonic with C, but now you know why the scale of C# contains a B#.

The ‘flat’ keys

Moving to the left on the wheel, the first key we get to is F.

F has one flat. The relative minor is D

Moving to the left our next key is Bb

Bb has two flats. The relative minor is G

Bb & Eb

Moving to the left our next key is Eb

Eb has three flats. The relative minor is C

Bb, Eb, and Ab

Do you see the pattern ?

Moving to the left our next key is Ab

Ab has four flats. The relative minor is F

Bb, Eb, Ab and Db

Two things happen when cycling through the flat keys

Each key inherits the flat of the next key on the wheel

The flat that is added is the fourth note of that scale

Moving to the left our next key is Db

Db has five flats. The relative minor is Bb

Bb, Eb, Ab, Db and Gb

Moving to the left our next key is Gb

Gb has six flats. The relative minor is Eb

Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb and Cb

Whoa… Hold the horses Cb ??? Isn’t that a B ? Well yes it is, but the scale already contains a Bb so it

can’t be a B, has to be a Cb.

So, what’s the use ?

As you can see, the Circle of Fifths is an excellent tool to determine key signatures.

Other good uses for the wheel –

You can quickly identify Blues Progressions (I-IV-V) chords in any key by going one to the left of

a key for the IV chord and then one to the right for the V chord. The same holds true for the

relative minor keys (i-iv-v). i.e. a G I-IV-V blues would contain G, C & D. An Am blues would

contain Am, Dm and Em.

Circle of Fifths

Printed: 10/12/2011

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Circle Of Fifths Robert Higginbotham Page 3