So, what is the circle of fifths, what is it for, and most importantly, how to use it?
Let's give a definition: circle of fifths, circle of fifths, diquint system- this is a closed two-way sequence of keys, reflecting the degree of their relationship. It is visually depicted in the form of a circle, from which it got its name. The sequence contains major keys paired with their parallel minor keys. When moving clockwise along the circle of fifths, the tonic of each subsequent major key stands from the previous one (up) by a pure fifth, and one sharp is added in the recording at the key. When moving counterclockwise, the interval (down) is a perfect fourth, and flats are added to the notation. Since an octave consists of 12 semitones, a fourth of 5, and a fifth of 7, then 12 quarts or 12 fifths make up several octaves and therefore the thirteenth keys, if counted in any direction along the circle of fifths, coincide with C major. Since 12 is coprime with 5 and 7, all keys can be obtained by considering any 12 in a row in a circle. It also follows from this that the keys will eventually coincide if we move in opposite directions (for example, Ges=Fis). Therefore, usually only 5-7 steps are used in each direction, leaving keys with a large number of accidental signs only in theory.
For the first time, the circle of fifths was depicted by the Ukrainian musical theorist Nikolai Pavlovich Diletsky in 1679. A detailed description of it was given by Johann David Heinichen ( German composer, theorist (1683-1729)) in 1711. In all keys quarto fifth circle such works as cycles of 24 preludes by Chopin and Shostakovich were written. J.S. Bach showed the equality of all keys by writing the famous Well-Tempered Clavier.
The purpose of the circle of fifths
fifth circle used in solving several problems:
- search for related keys;
- determination of the number of key characters of a given tonality;
- determination of the degree of kinship of tonalities.
Search for related keys in the circle of fifths
Keys of the first degree of kinship (in other words, related) include those majors and minors that differ from the original key by one sign. In the circle of fifths, all the connections of keys are visible at a glance. Related keys include keys that are in a circle in the neighborhood of the original one, as well as parallel to them and to the original one. Theorists also refer to the first degree of kinship: the minor subdominant key of the same name - for majors (for example, for C major - F minor); major dominant key of the same name - for minors (for example, for A minor - E major). This is due to the harmonic types of the corresponding modes: the sixth step goes down in the major, and the seventh step goes up in the minor (they are included in the corresponding tonic chords).
Determining the number of characters for a key
In some models of the circle of fifths, the number of characters in the key is marked above the tone. As a rule, a number is set from 0 to 7 (tones with a large number of characters are not used in practice). Nearby is the designation of the sign itself - flat or sharp. If there is no such hint, it will not be difficult to calculate. Just move from C major in the right direction, counting the steps until you find the key you are looking for. Determining the degree of relationship of keys How closer friend two given keys stand next to each other, the closer the degree of kinship. If the distance between the tones is one step, this is the first degree of relationship. Two steps - the second, three - the third (according to the Rimsky-Korsakov system). If there are more than 3-4 steps between keys, they do not talk about kinship.
Explanation of the principle of the device and operation of the circle of fifths
The circle of fifths is usually depicted as a circle or spiral. The note C is indicated on the top point (the letter C or the syllable "Do"). Further clockwise are the notes sol, re, la, etc. Back - F, B-flat, E-flat and so on. This order (to the top) is traditional, because in C major there is not a single sign at the key.
Quarts and fifths
The note indicated on the circle corresponds to the major tonic of the given key. Often another note is placed below it for convenience. It denotes the tonic of the parallel minor key. For example, under cdur may be am(exactly lower case). The interval between adjacent notes on a circle is equal to a fifth or a fourth. For example, when moving from C major clockwise, the nearest key to the right will be G major. It is in the range of fifths (up) or fourths (down). When moving backwards, the nearest tone is F. It is on the interval of a fourth (up) or a fifth (down). Actually, because of this movement in fourths and fifths, the system got its name. If you move from C major up in fifths, then in each next key there will be more signs with a key of one sharp (or less than one flat). In the opposite direction - one flat more (or one sharp less).
To determine which chords are in which key, the easiest way is to use the circle of fifths, on outside which major keys, on the inside - minor. By choosing the chord we need as the tonic (or, more simply, by determining the key), you can find all the tonal chords. Above is an example for the key of C MAJOR and F MINOR.
minor tones. Alteration in major and minor.
Alteration means change.
Accidentals are signs that change the note.
A sharp is a sign of raising a note by a semitone.
A flat is a sign for lowering a note by a semitone.
Becar is a sign that cancels the action of a sharp or flat.
Signs are random, which are placed near the note and act for one measure, and
key signs that are set at the key and remain throughout
the whole melody.
The order of occurrence of sharps: fa, do, salt, re, la, mi, si.
Flats appear in reverse order.
Circle of fifths called a system in which all keys are of the same fret
arranged in perfect fifths.
Major tonalities are located from the note To: up ch5 - sharp keys,
down on h5 - flat keys.
C Major – G Major – D Major – A Major – E Major – B Major
C Major – F Major – B Major – E B Major – A B Major – D B Major
To determine the key signs in a minor key, you need to go to
parallel major key and use the circle of fifths or
build on the same principle a circle of fifths of minor keys from the note la.
Alteration steps in major: II # b, IY #, YI b
in minor: II b, IY b #, YII #
TICKET #7.
1. The main triads of the mode, their circulation and connection.
Main triads fret are triads built from the main steps of the fret.
On the I degree - tonic triad (T 5/3)
On the IY step - subdominant triad (S 5/3)
On the Y degree - dominant triad (D 5/3)
The main triads in major are major, in natural minor they are minor. In addition, a minor subdominant appears in the harmonic major, and a major dominant appears in the harmonic minor.
The main triads have inversions.
major minor resolution
Т5/3 I b3 + m3 m3 + b3
Т6 III m3 + ch4 b3 + ch4
Т6|4 Y ch4 + b3 ch4 + m3
D5/3 Y T, T6/4
connection chords is called the connection between chords through smooth voicing. Each voice in the chords should move smoothly, without jumps.
Connection of the main triads in C major:
T5|3 S6|4 T5|3 D6 T5|3 T6 S5|3 T6 D6|4 T6 T6|4 S6 T6|4 D5|3 T6|4
The alternations of different chords in a fret form chord progressions.
Hello, dear readers of the site site. We continue to study musical art, and interesting moments associated with it. Today we will look at another pattern that helps to quickly calculate all possible scales with their key signs. Let's start from afar, one might say, from the origins of this knowledge... In one of the articles we wrote about ancient Greek philosopher, who devoted a lot of time to the study of music and gave it one of the most important values in human life. Among other things, he was, as you remember, a mathematician and tried to explain many phenomena using algebra. Also known is his doctrine of intervals, which he brought to music. Moreover - the whole universe, according to the scientist, carries something like musical harmony. Harmony is unthinkable without intervals, so even between planets solar system, Pythagoras was sure to exist.
So, do we need to constantly apply the formulas for constructing major or minor scales in order to build the scale we need? You can use it, or you can just remember how many characters (sharp or flat) each key has. In determining how many characters are in the key of a particular key, the fifth circle of keys will help us. What is its meaning?
As we said above, Pythagoras was looking for ways to apply the mathematical approach to music and the circle of fifths - there is confirmation that music really is somewhat similar to mathematics ... Take, for example, the key of C major - the simplest key and build up from the tonic.
Get the note G and the key of G major, with one key sign.
Further from salt, a pure fifth (hereinafter part 5) up - get the next key already with two sharp signs at the key. By the way, in order to find out what exactly the note will be at which the sign will stand, you need to build part 5 up, but not from the tonic, but from the first key sign (the F-sharp note, which was at the key in G major).
Thus, you will no longer have doubts about the next key with the tonic "D" and two signs in the key of F-sharp and C-sharp - everything corresponds to the key of D major.
And so we move until we reach the key, in which as many as seven sharps in the key - this is the key of C-sharp major.
With flats at the key, everything is the same, only we move down to h.5 down from the desired note. For example, again from "do" in C major - we get the note "fa"
and the tonality of F with one flat sign at the key, so this is F major.
And if we want to define the second key sign in the next, then from the note next to which the flat stands with the key, we build h.5 down and get a new key sign.
In our case, we get the note E-flat and it turns out in the third key from C-major (if we move to the flat side) there will already be signs of B-flat and E-flat at the key, which is true for the scale of B-flat major.
Thus, you can get absolutely all possible keys up to seven flat signs with a key. We just build sequentially part 5 from the tonics of all keys (starting with C major) and each time there will be one more sharps. Also with flats, only h.5 we build down.
As for the minor, minor scales are identical to major ones in terms of the number of characters in the key, these are just keys parallel to them. It’s easy to find them, for the same C major - we take it from the tonic (note “to”) and build down the interval of a minor third (1.5 tones) the resulting note is the tonic of the parallel minor key (A minor).
But for guitarists, it is probably more convenient to simply remember the fingerings of all the necessary scales in all their positions and then it will not be necessary to count the formulas of major or minor scales each time, and also use the circle of fifths described in this article. With the experience of playing, you will memorize all over the fretboard and will not even think much about it.
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The Circle of Fifths (or Circle of Fifths) is a graphical scheme used by musicians to visualize relationships between keys. In other words, this convenient way organization of the twelve notes of the chromatic scale.
Quint circle of keys(or fourth-quint circle) - is a graphical scheme used by musicians to visualize relationships between keys. In other words, it is a convenient way of organizing the twelve notes of the chromatic scale.
For the first time, the circle of fourths and fifths was described in the book "The Idea of Musician Grammar" from 1679 by the Russian-Ukrainian composer Nikolai Diletsky.
Page from the book "Idea of Musikian Grammar" showing the circle of fifths
You can start building a circle from any note, for example, to. Further, moving in the direction of increasing the pitch, we set aside one fifth (five steps or 3.5 tones). The first fifth is C-G, so the key of C major is followed by the key of G major. Then we add another fifth and get a sol-re. D major is the third key. After repeating this process 12 times, we will eventually return back to the key of C major.
The circle of fifths is called the circle of fifths because it can also be built with the help of fourths. If we take the note C and lower it by 2.5 tones, then we will also get the note G.
Notes are connected by lines, the distance between which is equal to half a tone.
Gayle Grace notes that the circle of fifths allows you to count the number of characters in the key of a particular key. Each time, counting 5 steps and moving clockwise along the circle of fifths, we get a key, the number of sharp signs in which is one more than in the previous one. The key in C major does not contain accidentals. In the key of G major there is one sharp, and in the key of C sharp major there are seven.
To count the number of flat signs at the key, you must move in the opposite direction, that is, counterclockwise. For example, starting with a do and counting down a fifth, you will come to the key of F major, in which there is one flat sign. The next key will be B-flat major, in which there are two flat signs at the key, and so on.
As for the minor, the minor scales, identical to the major scales in the number of signs at the key, are parallel to the (major) keys. Determining them is quite simple, you just need to build a small third (1.5 tones) down from each tonic. For example, the parallel minor key for C major would be A minor.
Very often, major keys are depicted on the outer part of the circle of fifths, and minor keys on the inner part.
Ethan Hein, professor of music at State University of Montclair, says that the circle helps to understand the device Western music different styles: classic rock, folk rock, pop rock and jazz.
“Keys and chords that are close together on the circle of fifths will be considered consonant by most Western listeners. The keys of A major and D major have six identical notes in their composition, so the transition from one to the other occurs smoothly and does not cause a feeling of dissonance. A major and E flat major have only one note in common, so the transition from one key to another will sound strange or even unpleasant,” explains Ethan.
It turns out that with each step along the circle of fifths in the initial scale of C major, one of the tones is replaced by another. For example, moving from C major to the neighboring G major leads to the replacement of only one tone, and moving five steps from C major to B major leads to the replacement of five tones in the initial scale.
Thus, the closer two given keys are to each other, the closer the degree of their relationship. According to the Rimsky-Korsakov system, if a distance of one step between keys is the first degree of kinship, two steps is the second, three steps is the third. Keys of the first degree of kinship (or simply related) include those majors and minors that differ from the original key by one sign.
The second degree of kinship includes keys that are related to related keys. Similarly, the keys of the third degree of kinship are the keys of the first degree of kinship to the keys of the second degree of kinship.
It is with this degree of relationship that these two chord progressions are often used in pop and jazz:
E7, A7, D7, G7, C
“In jazz, the main keys most often change in a clockwise direction, and in rock, folk and country, they change counterclockwise,” says Ethan.
The appearance of the circle of fifths was due to the fact that the musicians needed a universal scheme that would allow them to quickly identify the relationship between keys and chords. “If you understand how the circle of fifths works, you can easily play in the selected key - you do not have to painfully select the right notes,” concludes Gale Grace. published
This article is devoted mainly to beginner guitarists, but it may be useful for people who are mastering another instrument.
We decided to briefly tell why, while playing, some combinations of notes sound beautiful, while others, to put it mildly, cause pain in the ears, and also where the ill-fated sharps and flats come from in keys. In our opinion, this is the minimum that every self-respecting musician should know.
You may have seen this picture:
It depicts a circle of fifths. Do not be afraid of this terrible phrase, because in fact there is nothing complicated about it. He just simply shows signs at the key in minor and major keys. In this case, it makes no sense to explain what major and minor keys are, but what are the signs at the key and where they come from, we will try to explain with pleasure.
Let's turn to the following picture, which shows piano cleats:
Notes are inscribed on each key:
C=do, D=re, E=mi, F=fa, G=sol, A=la, B=si
You ask why they didn't sign the black keys? It's very simple, they have the same names as the notes around them. A simple example: a black key between the note C and D . We can call it either C# (sharp) or Db (flat), which is equivalent. Those. if we name it in honor of the note standing in front of it, we add a sharp, if it is followed by a flat. We go further. Two adjacent notes are separated by a semitone, and do not forget about the black keys, these are also notes (on the guitar, a semitone corresponds to 1 fret, and a tone, respectively, to 2 frets).
It's time to move directly to the tonalities.
Each major key has its own parallel minor key, and vice versa, and they are called so because they have the same set of accidentals (sharps or flats) in scales. Speaking in simple terms, the gamma is a scale, those notes that are “acceptable” in these keys (of course, this is not always the case, but we will not delve into more difficult cases). Where do they come from? Everything is very, very simple. In the picture with the piano you can see the formulas for minor and major. What do they mean? It is generally accepted that there are seven notes, so we will have 7 notes in the scale. As you know, everything is better understood with an example.
Let's say we want to build major scale from the note C and find out what chords are in this key, and find the minor key parallel to it. Easily!
We take the major key formula M=t+t+pt+t+t+t+pt:
- C+t=D
- D+t=E
- E+pt=F
- F+t=G
- A+t=B
- B+Fri=C
As a result, we got the C major scale: C D E F G A B . As it turned out, we have no signs in it. In the same way, we will do the same for the minor key, only according to the formula for the minor m = t + pt + t + t + pt + t + t (do it yourself with any key to fix it), and if you make minor scales for different notes, then it turns out that the minor scale from the note la also has no signs. As you probably guessed, A minor will be parallel key for C major. Also, in this example, you can see interesting property: to find out the parallel minor key for major, you need to subtract 1.5 tones from the tonic (the main note, after which the key is named, in our case C) , and vice versa, add 1.5 tones to the minor key tonic.
To consolidate, consider a quick example
Let's build a major scale from the note sol (G):
- G+t=A
- A+t=B
- B+Fri=C
- C+t=D
- D+t=E
- E+t= !attention! F# (we hope you understand why)
We got the gamma: G A B C D E F# . We subtracted 1.5 tones from the note G and got a parallel minor key em . Look now at the circle of fifths. Did everything fit?) See how simple everything is, and no magic.
By analogy, it is done for all other keys.
In conclusion, it remains to tell how to understand the chords from which notes in the scale will be major and which minor.
Each note in the scale has its own degree. 1 to 7 . So, if we paint them in steps (for example, let's take C-major, a-minor), we get:
steps: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 or for minor 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Notes: C D E F A B C A B C D E F G
The first note is always the main note and is called the tonic. Next in seniority are the notes at the 4th and 5th steps - subdominant and dominant, respectively. Chords built from these steps will always be the same as a chord built from the root, i.e. C-major, F-major, G-major, or: a-minor, d-minor, e-minor. Chords built from other steps will always be opposite.
And finally, for those who did not give up and mastered everything to the end, an example for the key is G-major.
steps: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Notes: G A B C D E F#
- step - G-major
- step - a-minor
- step - b-minor
- step - C-major
- step - D-major
- step - e-minor
- step - F#-major
That's all! Success in learning!
