circle of fifths
Key signature map
The circle of fifths is a diagram arranging the twelve musical keys in a circle, each separated by an interval of a fifth from its neighbors.
Moving clockwise adds sharps; counterclockwise adds flats.
Musicians use it to understand key relationships, chord progressions, and modulation: The circle of fifths shows why G major has one sharp and D major has two.
Music organized around tonic
- modulationVarying signals to transmit
- transpositionSwapping positions of elements
- enharmonicSonically identical, spelled differently
- diatonicSeven-tone scale-based
chromatic · interval · pitch · scales · dominant · subdominant · tonic · relative
Fine-edged, or astute
- flatLacking vertical variation
- naturalNot artificially produced
- accidentalOccurring by chance
- clefStaff pitch indicator
staff · notation · signature · major · minor · transpose · parallel · relative
Group of three
- seventhOrdinal for seven
- chordNotes sounded simultaneously
- rootUnderground absorbing structure
- progressionSequential forward movement
cadence · resolution · dominant · subdominant · tonic · augmented · diminished · secondary
Harmonious sound combination
- dissonanceLack of harmony
- harmonizationCreating consistency across systems
- polyphonySimultaneous independent melodic lines
- homophonySame-sounding different words
counterpoint · resonance · tuning · texture · voicing · tension · release · function
tonality
Music organized around tonic
- modulationVarying signals to transmit
- transpositionSwapping positions of elements
- enharmonicSonically identical, spelled differently
diatonic · chromatic · interval · pitch · scales · dominant · subdominant · tonic · relative · solfege
sharp
Fine-edged, or astute
- flatLacking vertical variation
- naturalNot artificially produced
- accidentalOccurring by chance
clef · staff · notation · signature · major · minor · transpose · parallel · relative · enharmonic
triad
Group of three
progression · cadence · resolution · dominant · subdominant · tonic · augmented · diminished · secondary · arpeggio
consonance
Harmonious sound combination
- dissonanceLack of harmony
- harmonizationCreating consistency across systems
- polyphonySimultaneous independent melodic lines
homophony · counterpoint · resonance · tuning · texture · voicing · tension · release · function · substitution
- harmonyharmony, chord, chords, triad, triads
- sheet musicsheet music, treble clef, score, notes, scores
- music theorynote, notes, chord, chords, harmony
- chord progressionsprogression, chord change, twelve-bar blues, twelve bar blues, blues progression
- musical keysC major, C minor, D major, D minor, E major
circle, circuit, fifth, circles, circular, circulate, encircle, circulation, semicircle