How to Use the Circle of 5ths

A long time ago, music theorists came up with the circle of 5ths. This particular tool is a simple and mathematical way to get to know your key signatures for songs.

Whenever you have #s or bs in a song, it is because there is a key signature attached (meaning that you will play the black notes instead of the white). This is done with every scale and key signature in order to keep the same spacing of half notes and whole notes in the scale and song.

With the circle of 5ths, you can find an easy way to get your key signatures and spacings, so that everything sounds exactly right when you are playing your music.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Start in the middle, with C. This is your first scale and will have no sharps or flats. The scale will be played with the notes: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C.

2. Count up five notes, starting with C as 1. You should land on G. This is your second scale. As soon as you are on the second scale, you will add one sharp. (This is always F#). Your scale will be played with the notes: G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, G.

3. Count up five more notes, starting with G as 1. You should land on D. This is your third scale and will add another #, always being C#. Your scale will be played: D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D.

4. All of your # scales will add on the #s by counting up 5 then adding one #. The scale with all the sharps will be C#.

5. In order to find the correct #s, use the same method. However, start with F as the first #. Then, count up 5. The next # will be C, and so on. Your order of #s will be F, C, G, D, A, E, B. This is why the G scale always starts with an F#.

6. If you want to find the bs, instead of #s, simply count backwards. Once again, you will start on C, which has no #s or bs. Then, count back 5 notes. You should land on F. This will have 1 b.

7. Count back 5 more from F, counting F as 1 in order to get your next b scale. You should land on B. However, the order of bs will make this scale Bb. Continue counting back 5 for all of the b scales.

8. If you want an easy way to add on the b key signatures, follow the same method as the #s. You will start on B as your first b for the key signature. Then, count back 5. Your second b will always be E. The order of flats is B, E, A, D, G, C, F.

Tips & Warnings

• Play out the scales as you find the sharps and flats to the circle of 5ths. You will notice that they always keep the same spacing. This is: M2, M2, m2, M2, M2, M2, m2. (Major is M - whole step and minor is m - half step).
• Draw your own circle of 5ths in order to see how the pattern intertwines by using the different key signatures.