This is the Circle of Fifths. From now on referred to as "The Circle". The Circle (sometimes known as the "cycle", is super handy for those who are still a bit fuzzy in the ways of keys and key signatures. At first glance, we see that it represents the key signatures arranged in a way that they increase in sharps or flats as one reads around in either direction. We also see that both major and minor keys are represented. What you may not see at first glance is all of the patterns. Let's take a closer look.
Prerequisite knowledge: a key signature is the shorthand representation of the notes that need to be altered from their natural tones throughout a piece of music to play in the proper key. The key signature remains in effect throughout the entire piece or until it is changed with another key signature. Accidentals (a flat, sharp, or natural sign written into the music) can alter the effect of the key signature, but are only valid through the measure in which they are written.
The first pattern can be found in the sharps themselves. The last sharp added to any major key is one half-step lower than the key name. In the key of D major, for example, the last sharp added is C#. C# is a half-step lower than D. A# is the last sharp added in the key of B, and so on.
On the flat side, the last flat added is the key's fourth scale degree. So, for example, in the key of Bb the fourth scale degree is Eb, which the last flat added to the signature. You can see this for yourself if you write out the scale and counting the scale degrees, starting with the key name note labelled as 1:
Bb C D Eb F G A Bb
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 (8)
There's more awesomeness within the Circle. Check back for Part 2!
No comments:
Post a Comment