EGE_11

TEACHING MUSIC IN
ELEMENTARY GRADES

Activity 4
(Circle of perfect 5th’s and 4th’s of Music)

Submitted by:
Angelene Buaga, BEED III-A

Submitted to:
Sir Kassel Kate Dale Cadelina
WHAT IS THE CIRCLE OF FIFTHS?
The circle of fifths is an amazing tool to use when introducing students to key signatures,
scales, and chords. As soon as my students have mastered one or two octave scales and a few
chords, I give them a copy of the circle of fifths and explain to them how it works.
Of course their responses are varied, and can range from an excited response like “Wow,
that’s so cool!” to a ho-hum-can-we-move-on-please “OK”
But when I show them how it can HELP them memorize their scales and key signatures, the
hesitant students are much more receptive to the idea of using the “rainbow circle with all the
letters on it”.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The circle of fifths is a visual way to show the relationships between all 12 tones of the scale,
including major & minor keys and their key signatures. It has been used since the 17th century!
If you’re new to the idea of the circle of fifths, here’s a brief description that is very similar to
how I introduce the circle to someone who is unfamiliar with it.
Sharp Keys
1. The key signatures start at the top of the circle with no sharps or flats and move
clockwise around the circle adding one sharp at a time (then removing a flat as you
continue around the circle).
2. If you start at the top with the key signature that has no sharps or flats, then look directly
below that key signature, that’s the name of the major key: C Major.
3. On the piano, if you start on C and go up 5 notes (counting C), that’s a 5th, and the top
note is G. That’s also the next key on the circle: G.
4. Add a sharp to the C major key signature, and you get the key signature for G major: 1
sharp, F-sharp.
5. Next start on G and go up a 5th to D. That’s the next key around the circle. Add another
sharp to the key signature, and you now have 2 sharps for the key of D Major.
6. Keep moving clockwise by 5th and adding a sharp to the key signature each time.
Enharmonics
1. Once you get to the bottom 3 keys, you’ve reached the enharmonics. The circle
transitions from sharps to flats as you keep moving clockwise by 5ths: B = C-flat, F-
sharp = G-flat, C-sharp = D-flat.
2. Flat Keys
3. Keep moving clockwise by 5ths and as you go through the flats, take away a flat for each
key as you move around the circle.
4. Keep moving by 5ths until you’re back at 0 flats and you’ll be back to C major.
Minor Keys
1. The inner wedges are the relative minor keys, which have the same key signature as the
major keys of the same color.
 2. C major’s key signature has no sharps and no flats, so that means A minor’s key
signature also has no sharps or flats.
3. These two keys are related because they share a key signature, like you’re related to your
(choose a family member) because you share a last name, so we call A minor the
“relative minor” of C major.
Arrows
1. The purple arrow reminds you that you can move clockwise by 5ths, adding a sharp as
you go around, then removing a flat.
2. The orange arrow shows that you can also move counterclockwise, and you’ll move up
by 4ths instead of 5ths. So C to F is a 4th. F to B-flat is a 4th, B-flat to E-flat is a 4th.
3. But moving clockwise by 5ths is the traditional way to use the circle.

The Circle of Fifths is a continuous string of notes that are at intervals of a perfect 5th apart.
 C is a perfect 5th above F, F is a perfect 5th above Bb, Bb is a perfect 5th above Eb, and
so on. This string of perfect 5ths eventually leads back to its starting point (C), and so
becomes a circle.

Going up rather than down : C is also a

perfect 4th below F, F is a perfect 4th below
Bb, Bb is a perfect 4th below Eb, and so on.
The Circle is therefore also called the
Circle of Fourths. They are both the same
thing. I always refer to it as the 'Circle of Fifths' to avoid confusion. Alternating between these
two movements, going up a 4th, then down a 5th, one can play all twelve tones of the Circle
within the span of one octave.

Audio6.1 (http://www.jazclass.aust.com/improvisation/im05/im061.mid)
The Circle of Fifths Diagram
reflects the close natural acoustic
bond that exists between any one tone and its associate a perfect 5th higher (or a 4th lower) in
pitch.
The Overtone series
Each ("fundamental") tone constitutes not just one single pitch by itself, but is
accompagnied by a series of higher pitches formed by progressively shorter divisions of
the fundamental wavelength. This produces the socalled "Overtone series". The first
"overtone" (also aptly called "partial": hase a wave length of half the fundamental's, the
next one one third of the funadamental, followed by a quarter, and so on. The number
given to each member of this Overtones series corresponds with its fraction of the
fundamental wavelength it represents.
In the Overtone series for the fundamental C, as shown below, partial number 2 is
another C (one octave up). Partial number 3 is a G, a perfect 5th above that, and number
4 is yet another C, this time a perfect 4th above the G.

Audio 6.2 (http://www.jazclass.aust.com/improvisation/im05/im062.mid)

Within this lower

segment of the series the G is the first "foreign pitch" amongst the first three Cs. This
has the effect that whenever a G (or G chord) needs to be "resolved" (move to a more
stabel place) in a musical context, it tends to move to its closest related fundamental tone
: C.
 Likewise the Overtone series for the fundamental tone of F, has a C as its third partial.
This C when required to be resolved will move to its closest fundamental : F.The
Overtone series for the fundamental tone of Bb, has a F as its third partial. This F when
required to be resolved will move to its closest fundamental : Bb.

The Circle of Fifths is therefore a continuous string of interlocking partial 3 to related

fundamental tones which eventually connects up back with its starting point. This inherent
accoustic bond is extensively used as a tool in harmonies of Western music to move from one
chord to the next and thus stringing together chord progressions.
The Circle of Fifths underlies numerous principles and elements of all styles of Western Music.
For the purpose of improvisation it is important to know that the Circle of Fifths is the most
powerful engine of harmony movement (chord progressions) in Western Music for the past 300
years. In other words : chord progressions tend to move along segments of the Circle of Fifths.

Some typical examples

 In J.S.Bach's Prelude Nr.1 of his 'Weltempered Clavier Album 1' the chord progression
for the first 12 bars is as follows :
C - Dm7 - G7 - C - Am - D7 - G - Cmaj7 - Am7 - D7 - G - Go -
 In Serenade (Ständchen) by Franz Schubert the Chord progression (after 4 bars
introduction) starts like this :
Dm - Gm6 - A7 - Dm - A7 - Dm - Dm - Gm6 - C7 - F -
 Chopin's very simple but beautiful Prelude No.7 (Op.28) goes like this :
E7 - E7 - A - A - E9 - E9 - A - A - E7 - E7 - A - A - F#7 - Bm7 - E9 - A - A-
 The Chord progressions of 'Hey There !' and 'Where's Woody ?', like numerous other I
- VIm - IIm - V7 progressions are also continuous Circle of Fifths segments.
1. 'Hey There !' : C - Am - Dm - G7 - C - Am - Dm - G7 - C -
2. 'Where's Woody ?' : F - Dm - Gm - C7 - F - Dm - Gm - C7 - F -
 The three chords for the 12 bar Blues are also three adjacent members on the Circle of
Fifths :
1. Blues in C : V = G I = C IV = F
2. Blues in F : V = C I = F IV = Bb
3. Blues in A : V = E I = A IV = D
 MUSIC THEORY
UNIT3: Circle of4ths

Basic Terminology:
Key: A default set ofpitches.
Key Signature: a way of displaying a key inmusic.
Mode: an order of pitches using a key/key signature, often presented
as a scale or following certain melodic tendencies around a
particular TONALCENTER.
Scale: an order of pitches in either ascending or descendingpattern.

CIRCLE of Fourths or Circle of Fifths

The Circle of 4ths/5ths is an organizational tool to help us categorize keys and

scales.It also appears (or at least portions of it) in countless other situations in
musical study and performance. It is an invaluable tool to learn. Memorize both
the “circle” and the “order ofaccidentals”.

At the top of the circle is the Key of “C”. The Key of “C” has no sharps or flats.
As one progresses around the circle, the keys are arranged by the number of
accidentals in the key. The closest keys, clockwise and counter clockwise, to “C”
have one accidental.

The next closest have 2 accidentals and so on, until you reach the final keys with 7
accidentals.
 It is considered the “CIRCLE of 4ths”, if when you progress clockwise from
“C” you are going to keys with flats. Each note is the interval of a Perfect
4th when you count up (ex. C going up to F…C,D,E,F)
It is considered the “CIRCLE of 5ths”, if when you progress clockwise from “C”
you are going to keys with sharps. Each note is the interval of a Perfect 5th
when you count up (ex. C going up to G…C,D,E,F,G)

How to use the Circle to figure out EVERY Major key or scale

Determine the number of accidentals needed for a key by its position in the
circle (ex. Ab- is the 4thkey around the circle on the side with flat
accidentals,therefore Ab major has 4flats)
Determine which notes receive the accidentals by taking the number of
accidentals from the “Order of Accidentals” list in order. (ex. Ab has 4 flats.
The first four flats in the Order of Accidentals in the “flats” row are: B, E,
A,D)
You now have all the information necessary to correctly write in music
notation or by letter name EVERY majorscale.

Minor Scales
Parallel Minor Keys- modes/keys that are related by letter name (ex. F major
and f minor)
Relative Minor Keys- modes/keys that are related by the same key
signature (ex G major and e minor)

If given Major and you need to find a relative minor: (pick a method)
“6thNote”method:
To determine the relative minor key from a major key, simply start on
the 6thnote of the given major scale. This gives you the starting
pitch. Use the same key signature for the minor scale as for
themajor.
This is the same as going down a half step and then a whole
step (changing letter names on both notes as youcount).
“Circle of 4ths”method
Take the given Major Key and move COUNTER-CLOCKWISE
3 positions. This gives you the name of the starting minor
keypitch.
Use the same key signature asmajor.
 Remember there are a few keys which use/require enharmonic
equivalents. (ex. C# Major will move to Bb and will need to
change Bb to A# minor to keep the accidentals thesame)
IF given a MINOR key and you need to find the relative MAJOR: (pick a method)
“Step and a Half”method:
Count up a whole step and then a half step from the given minor
keynote (make certain to change note letter names as you count
bothsteps)
This gives you the name of the MAJOR key (relative) that shares
thesame key signature as the minor key inquestion.
“Circle of 4thsmethod”
Take the given minor key and move CLOCKWISE 3positions.
Remember that there are a few keys which require
enharmonic equivalents

FORMS OF MINOR

There are 3 main types of minor scales that we will study, they are:
natural minor- (Aeolian mode) this form of minor is the easiest, there are no note
modifications. From the 6thscale degree of the major scale, start and apply the key signature
to the new scale. (ex. G major = e minor; notes are: e,f#,g,a,b,c,d,e) harmonic minor- this
form of minor changes one note from the natural minor scale.
The 7thnote in the minor scale is raised a half
step
(ex. G maj = e min; notes are e,f#,g,a,b,c,D#,e)
melodic minor-this form of minor raises the 6thand 7thnotes from the natural minor scale
when the scale ascends. When the scale descends the notes return to their original position in
the key.

(ex. G maj = e min; notes are e,f#,g,a,b,C#,D#,e-ascending e,d,c,b,a,g,f#,e-descending

Writing Key Signatures

Flat key signatures follow the “order of accidentals” for

flats. Symbols always stay attached to the staff and do not
use ledger lines.

Flat key signatures begin with Bb. The next flat (Eb) is
added a 4thhigher. The next flat (Ab) is added a 5thlower.
The pattern continues- up a 4th, Down a fifth.
 Sharp Key Signatures follow the “order of
accidentals” for sharps. Symbols stay attached to the
staff and do not use ledger lines.
Sharp key signatures begin with F#. The next sharp
(C#) is down a 4th. The next sharp (G#) is drawn up a
5th. This pattern continues until the 5thsharp (A#). This
sharp is drawn down a 5thto keep the remaining sharps
on the staff. Other than this the pattern remains thesame.
TRANSPOSING

If given a melody pattern or a series of pitches, the notes could be converted into
anyMajor or Minor key so long as you can identify the scale degrees of the notes in your
given key.

I. So, if the following notes were given in the key of C major are:

C F E D G A G B C
1 4 3 2 5 6 5 7 8(1)

That SAME pattern of notes could be changed to a new Key, such as G major (1 sharp, F#):
G C B A D E D F# G
1 4 3 2 5 6 5 7 8(1)

This simply replaces the scale degree for each note in the original with the scale degree
of the note in the new key.

If the same melody or pitch pattern needed to be converted into MINOR, you would simply
find the key signature of the requested MINOR key and apply any changes to the key based
onwhich Form of Minor is requested (natural, harmonic,melodic).

SO, if the original melody was to be converted into G MINOR in harmonic form (2 flats,
Bb and Eb):
 First, figure out the key signature and the SCALE for the needed MINOR key form:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
G A Bb C D Eb F# G
(F# is the result of raising scale degree 7 a half
step)

Then apply the original melody or melodic pattern by scale degree to get the correct answer:

G C Bb A D Eb D F# G
1 4 3 2 5 6 5 7 8(1)

References:
Retrieved from: Nov. 19, 2020 http://www.jazclass.aust.com/improvisation/im06.htm
Retrieved from: Nov. 19, 2020 https://melodypayne.com/introducing-the-circle-of-fifths-to-
your-students/
Retrieved from: Nov. 19, 2020 https://www.google.com/url?
sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.cbsd.org/cms/lib/PA01916442/Centricity/Domai
n/2246/circle
%2520unit.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiL8Miomo7tAhUXH3AKHYiHDnoQFjAOegQIBRAB&usg=
AOvVaw2EeF-8tZ9Il_zrdNAfObHl