Lesson 10
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music.
Circle of 5th's Chart
The circle of fifths is a diagram that shows the relationship between different keys in music. The keys that include sharps appear on the right of the circle, while the keys that include flats appear on the left. The key of C major, which doesn’t include any sharps or flats, sits at the center. If you follow the chart clockwise, you’ll see that a sharp is added with each key: C major contains no sharps, G major contains one sharp, D major contains two sharps, and so on. Additionally, you may have noticed that the pitches that correspond with each key are a perfect fifth higher than the previous pitch that followed in the circle (the distance between C and G is a perfect fifth, the distance between G and D is a perfect fifth, and so on). This is why the chart is known as the circle of fifths.
On the guitar, the circle of 5th's form a linear pattern
As we go up in 5ths from C, we get scales and keys with more and more sharps. The reverse is true as we go down from C, we get scales—and key signatures—with more and more flats.
The Circle of 5ths
Many songs use the circle of 5ths. Here is one of the greats.
The Partial Capo
Kaepo
