Lecture Notes: Creating the Circle of Fifths

Introduction

• The Circle of Fifths is a visual tool for music theory, illustrating the relationships between different key signatures.

Steps to Create the Circle of Fifths

Drawing the Circle

1. Start with a Circle
   • Draw a circle similar to a clock face.
2. Mark Key Points on the Clock Face
   • Add 12:00, 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00 to the circle.
3. Fill in the Remaining Hours
   • Add 1:00, 2:00, 4:00, 5:00, 7:00, 8:00, 10:00, and 11:00 to complete the clock face.

Learning the Series of Letters

• Memorize the Sequence: F, C, G, D, A, E, B
• Mnemonic Aid: "Father Christmas Gave Dad An Electric Blanket" (use only the first letters of each word).

Constructing the Circle

1. Place C Major at the Top
   • C major has no sharps or flats in its key signature, so it is positioned at the 12:00 location.
2. Arrange Other Keys Using Mnemonic
   • Place F before C, and G, D, A, E, B after C following the mnemonic order "Father Christmas Gave Dad An Electric Blanket".

Completing the Other Side of the Clock

1. Reverse the Mnemonic
   • Reverse the order of letters from the mnemonic: B, E, A, D, G, C, F.
   • Example mnemonic: "Blanket Exploded And Dad Got Charred Feet".
2. Add Flats to Each Letter
   • Place each letter from the reversed mnemonic on the clock, adding a flat symbol next to them.
   • The order is B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭.

Important Notes

• C and F are not used with flats as they complete the circle by being part of the sharp side.

Conclusion

• You now have a completed Circle of Fifths.
• The Circle of Fifths can be used to determine sharps and flats in key signatures.
• Refer to additional resources or videos for further details on using the Circle of Fifths in music theory or composition.

Additional Resources

• Explore more videos to learn how to apply the Circle of Fifths for music composition.