Playing your major scales should be a part of your daily practice regimen.
However, practicing them in a “circle of fourths” or “circle of fifths” pattern is even better.
Let’s focus more on circle of fourths.
If you type “circle of fourths” or “circle of fifths” in google, you can actually find a host of other examples.
Notice that the keys go from: C >>> F >>> Bb >>> Eb and so forth.
If this were a clock, C would be at 12 o’ clock. F would be at 11 o’ clock. Bb would be at 10, and so forth.
This is the optimal way to play your scales. Start with C major. Play it all the way through (C D E F G A B C).
Then play your F major scale all the way through (F G A Bb C D E F). Then your Bb major scale (Bb C D Eb F G A Bb).
Why the circle?
Because music also happens to move in this same pattern (way beyond the scope of this article but I’ll touch on it a little bit). As you play chords and progressions later, you’ll find that any C chord going to any F chord going to any Bb chord will be a very popular progression and you’ll play it ALL THE TIME.
But here’s another reason to use the circle.
Because it lets you know how related the major keys are to each other.
If one just looked at a piano, they’d assume that C and Db, for example, were related because of how close they appear to each other on the piano. BUT THIS ISN’T TRUE.
The reality is that C and F are more related. This is why they are neighbors on the circle and not C and Db (or C#).
Let’s look at this.
The C major scale is: C D E F G A B C
The F major scale is: F G A Bb C D E F
Really take the time to analyze these notes. Notice anything?
Bingo! The only difference between the C major scale and the F major scale is ONE note. Notice that F major has all white notes just like C. The only difference is one black key and that’s Bb.
So here’s the golden rule.
***********
To get from one key on the circle to the next (going the counter-clockwise direction of C to F to Bb to Eb and so on), just take the 7th note of any scale, lower it a half step, and that gives you the ONLY difference between the current scale and the next one on the circle.
C major: C D E F G A B C
Count 7 notes… B is the 7th note.
Lower it one half step (remember half steps are from key to key with NO keys in between… whole steps always skip a key with ONE key in between). So in this case, we’d lower it from B to Bb.
This Bb represents the only difference between C and F major… and it’s true.
The only other thing we’d have to do is play these same exact notes (C D E F G A Bb C) but starting and ending on F instead of C (because this is the F major scale, not the C major scale anymore).
Make sense?
If you wanted to find out how to find the notes of the next major key on the circle after F major, you’d do the same thing.
Take the 7th note of F major, lower it one-half step to find the only change. Then start and end on the next key of your major scale.
VERY SIMPLE! Re-read this article until it clicks.
I hope this helps.
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August 15th, 2008
awesome post once again
August 15th, 2008
u better watch out jermaine. you’re giving out too much good information for free. but if people are like me, they will only imagine what your paid stuff has to offer if you’re this generous. Please PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEE keep this blog up. It’s the best thing you’ve ever done in my opinion. everything is organized and searchable and categorized. what more could your students ask for? im also checking out your radio show this tuesday. you guys are the best.
August 15th, 2008
you’ve opened my eyes to see why the circle is important. no one really talks about how to form one scale from the other but the “7th tone” principle makes a heap of sense. thx nick
August 15th, 2008
how do i subscribe?
August 15th, 2008
either put your e-mail in the box and it will send you a confirmation that you’ll need to click on via e-mail or you can use rss but that’s a little more advanced. if you use google or yahoo or any of the popular sites, they let you subscribe via rss and every time they update this blog, it will appear on your google home page or whatever service you use. if you use an rss reader, even better. a good one is bloglines.com.
August 15th, 2008
monica, i second that motion
August 18th, 2008
I absolutely love this help!! I’m a mom with 7 kids (and a pastor’s wife). I play keyboard for church and love to worship the Lord with music! Just can’t afford much on a small church pastor’s salary. I thank the Lord for all I can get because it helps me play better for HIM!! Thanks so much for this information. It is valuable and in my case…used for the Kingdom!! –I just wrote my first song the Lord gave me and I have to have music knowledge to put chords to it!! Thanks again!!
August 18th, 2008
This is a great lesson. I bought The Secrets to Playing Piano By Ear! I figured it out, but this lesson is much better and simple to understand. So I glad you post this one. The book doesn’t give you the answer if you don’t know what you’re doing and you begin to second guess yourself.
August 21st, 2008
Good stuff. I am a new member and i have learnt so much in the past two months.This lesson makes sense to me and sure will improve my keyboard playing
Nicholas
December 31st, 2008
Awesome! Thanks for all of your help. It’s good to share with others, that we as gospel musicians not only enjoy worship music, we also enjoy a variety of music that uplifts the soul, and love music. We as musicans have the capacity to share our emotions in the form of music. Thanks again.
January 3rd, 2009
Dear Jermaine.
I was going through your formula of building Major Scales with the help of the circle of fourths. As you go from step to another on the circle of fourth e.g from C to F to build a major scale and use yor formula of lowering the sixth note of the current scale, i had noticed another thing and its so simple to build the next scale without refering to the circle of fourths. I like to share with you and with others too. If you know the C Major scale you can build all the rest by loking at it and using your formula by lowering the sixth note by half step. Now for mine technique its simple. To build the next scale from C Major scale just look at the fourth note of the current scale. so if you are on C Major Scale the fourth note is F. so your next scale will be F and then use your formula of lowering the sixth note by half step. Now from F Major if you want to go for the next Scale just see the fourth note on the F Major scale and start from there. on F major scale the fourth note will be Bb, and then use your formula lower the sixth note by half step.There is no need to refer to the chart of circle of fourths.do you think i m right in this? please advice me. Thanks. Evan
January 3rd, 2009
You are right except you keep saying the 6th note. It’s really the 7th note or degree that you’re lowering a half step.
C major:
C D E F G A B C
In this case, “B” (the 7th note, not 6th) would be lowered a half step.
And going up to the fourth tone to start the next scale is absolutely right. It’s not that you don’t need the circle, it’s that you’ve just found another way to think about it. You’re still moving “circularly.” Most experienced musicians never use the circle because they just “know” it now. That’s the same thing you’re doing by taking the fourth tone of the scale. Soon, you won’t even have to do that inside your head because you’ll just know that C leads to F and F leads to B flat and B flat leads to E flat (and so on).
Good job on your observations. Just change what you said above from the 6th to the “7th tone” and you’ll be good to go!
All the best,
Jermaine
January 4th, 2009
Hi Jeramine.
Thanks a lot for correcting me for the mistake i did with the sixth note instead of writting seventh note.
God Bless you.
Evan
September 21st, 2009
Thanks for the site Jermaine, I just came across this site, it has really good information. I mess around on the keyboard, I someday hope to learn chords enough to where I could play professionally, and this circle of fourths/fifths concept is deep, never heard or thought of it. Does anyone know where it is derived from?
September 21st, 2009
Dear Mr. Jermaine. I sometimes get confused when looking at the circle of fifths or circle of fourth. while going from C to F,Bb,Eb, Ab,Db it is written in Flats signature instead of sharps as both the key resembles the same note. For example Bb is the same as A#. Do we really have to memorize as it is on the circle of fifths or as it is on the circle of fourth? In F major scale the notes are F G A A# C D E F. Do we must write it as F G A Bb C D E F?
Thanks for your great help in learning Music.
GOD BLESS YOU.
EVAN
October 9th, 2009
i’ve always loved to get some lessons from you like chord combinations but i haven’t seen any. i have been a member for about a month. bye for now.
October 28th, 2009
It’s great to see so many people with the hunger to learn this material. The energy is awesome…
October 28th, 2009
I realy apreciate you repeat this lesson now is clear for me circle of fourth thank you very much.Now I have a question.Do you a table like this for play solos in any key? please send it to me,thank a lot
October 29th, 2009
Where can I learn more about or order your 702 Starter course. I’m interested in learning your numbering system thank you jct
October 29th, 2009
Do you give lessons on the keyboard
October 29th, 2009
Do you teach the keyboard