The Circle Part 2

Last time we took a closer look at the Circle of Fifths.

Here it is:

Sharp keys are found on the right side, reading around clockwise.  Flat keys are found on the left side, reading counter-clockwise.  Sharps and flats are added one at a time, and in always the same order, when keys are viewed in intervals of Fifths or Fourths (reading to the right or left, respectively).  The order that these sharps and flats are added are consistent and also present a pattern.  Sharps are added to progressive key signatures in this order:

                                 F  C  G  D  A  E  B

So, G major has one sharp, and it is F#.  D major has two sharps, and they are F# and C#.  A major has three sharps: F#, C#, and G#.  And so on around the Fifths side of the circle.

If you read around the keys on the left side, you will read in a progression of Fourths.  Flats are added in a consistent pattern also.  F major has one flat: Bb.  Bb major has two flats: Bb and Eb.  Eb major has three flats: Bb, Eb, Ab.  Let's look at the pattern that emerges from the order of the way the flats are added:

                                 B  E  A  D  G  C  F

Compare that to the order of sharps.  It is the sharps order in reverse!  Way cool!

Now, let's say that you only have access to a Circle with key names (it doesn't show you the signatures).  What are you going to do?  Well, the first answer is that you are such a well-prepared musician that you have the keys memorized (which you should strive for) but failing that, you can just memorize three key signatures and figure out the rest using the Circle. 

The three to memorize: C major has no flats and no sharps.  Every tone in this scale is in its natural form.


                                    G major has one sharp.  That sharp is always F#.
                                    F major has one flat.  That flat is always Bb.


Now the trick using the Circle: Sharps and flats are always added in a consistent and predictable order.  If you need to figure out D major's key signature you would recall that F is added first....uh oh! Then what?! Look at the Circle.  Locate F.  Then read around clockwise. There is the order of sharps!  F C G D A E B 
So, D major would have F and C sharps. 



What about flats?  Recall that Bb is the first flat added, then it adds flats in the reverse order of sharps.  But if that is too much work, locate Bb on the Circle and read around counter-clockwise. There is the order of flats! Bb Eb Ab Db Gb Cb (Fb)


TAA DAAAAA!!
Who says music theory has to be boring?!