Guitar lessons, the circle of fifths.
The circle of fifths is a really good way for organizing the twelve major scales into what we call - the key signatures.
In every major scale there are root notes.
These root notes are the key in which the piece of music was composed in.
This root note has within it a number of other notes which can be, sharps, or flats.
When a piece of music is written down on a Stave, it will tell by a symbol which is placed behind the clef on the stave.
The symbols will be marked like this, hash # equals sharp, b equals flat, so if the root note is G major which has only one sharp which is F sharp it will be marked as described above with a hash symbol.
It will not have an F beside the hash sign.
This is why it is vitally important to know the scales and how many sharps and flats are in each scale.
You may find it informative to know there are no sharps or flats in the C major root note.
This is how the circle of fifths are made up in each root note.
As mentioned above there are no sharps or flats in the C major scale.
This is the only major scale made up with pure natural notes.
All other keys will have sharps and flats in them, and each one of these scales will have a unique key signature within it.
So we move onto the next scale.
To find the fifth note up from C major we must count the notes therein.
So we have, first note C moving on to D, next E, up to F, and finally G, which is the fifth note from C.
Next if we want the fifth note in the scale of G then we use the same counting method only this time we start at G.
So let's do it and find out what the fifth note in the G scale is.
G, A, B, C, D.
So now we find that the D note is the fifth note in the G scale.
But let us not forget within the G note scale there is a sharp.
Do you remember it, of course you do, it is the F# sharp.
Now let us take the D scale note and find out what the fifth note is.
Using the same method we count, D, E, F#sharp, G, A.
So there you have it, A is the fifth in the scale of D.
That's how simple it is finding the fifths in the major scale structures.
Just remember, learning the guitar scales is a vital component in becoming a great guitar player.