gen-define-the-circle-of-fifths-and-give-one-short-worked-exampl-14eb

Define the circle of fifths and give one short worked example.

# Circle of Fifths The **circle of fifths** is a visual diagram that arranges the 12 musical keys in a circle, with each key positioned a perfect fifth interval (7 semitones) above the previous one moving clockwise, or a perfect fourth below moving counter-clockwise. **Key features:** - Shows relationships between keys - Displays key signatures (number of sharps or flats) - Adjacent keys differ by only one sharp or flat - Useful for modulation, chord progressions, and understanding key relationships ## Worked Example **Starting from C major, find the next three keys clockwise:** 1. **C major** → 0 sharps 2. Count up a perfect fifth (7 semitones): C → G **G major** → 1 sharp (F#) 3. Count up a perfect fifth from G: G → D **D major** → 2 sharps (F#, C#) 4. Count up a perfect fifth from D: D → A **A major** → 3 sharps (F#, C#, G#) Notice that each key adds one more sharp, and they accumulate in order: F#, C#, G#.