The quint circle of tonalities, or, as it is also called, the quart-quint circle - in music theory is a schematic representation of successive tonalities. The principle of arranging all the tonalities in a circle is based on their uniform distance from each other over intervals of pure fifth, net quarte and minor third.
The music uses two main frets - major and minor. Today we will take a closer look at the quint circle of major keys. The quint circle of major keys was created to make it easier to understand the existing 30 keys, major of which are 15. These 15 major keys are in turn divided into seven sharp and seven flat ones, one key is neutral, there are no key signs in it.
Each major key has its own parallel minor. To determine such a parallel, it is necessary to build down the “minor third” interval from the given note of the selected major key. That is, count three stages (one and a half tones) from this starting point in the direction of lowering the sounds.
How to use the quint major keys circle?
This schematic drawing gives an idea of the order of scales. The principle of its operation is based on the gradual addition of signs at the key as this circle passes. The key word "quint" should be memorized. On this interval are based the construction in the fifth circle of major keys.
If we move in a circle from left to right, in the direction of raising the sounds, we will get sharp tonalities. By following, on the contrary, from right to left in a circle, that is, in the direction of lowering the sounds (that is, if you build the quints down), we will get flat flat tones.
We take a note up to the starting point. And further from the note to the upward direction of the sound we build on the quints of the note. To build the interval of "pure fifth" from the starting point, we calculate five steps or 3.5 tones. The first fifth: do-salt. So, G major is the first key in which the key sign should appear, naturally sharp and naturally it will be one.
Then we build a quint from salt - salt-re. It turns out that D major is the second key from the starting point in our circle and there are already two key sharps in it. Similarly, we calculate the number of sharps in all subsequent keys.
By the way, in order to find out exactly which sharps appear at the key, it is enough to memorize the so-called order of sharps once: 1st — fa, 2nd — do, 3rd — salt, then — re, la, mi and s - also by quints, only from the note fa. Consequently, if there is one sharp in the key, then this will be F-sharp, if two are sharp, then F sharp and C sharp.
In order to get the flat key in the same way, we build the quint, but following the circle counterclockwise - from right to left, that is, in the direction of lowering the sounds. We take the original tonic note to, because in C major there are no signs. So, from to down or counterclockwise, as it were, we build the first fifth, we get - do-fa. Therefore, the first major key with an emblem at the key is F major. Then we build a quint from fa - we get the following key: it will be in B-flat major, in which there are already two flat.
The order of the flat, which is interesting, is the same order of the sharps, but only the read is mirrored, that is, on the contrary. The first flat will be - si, and the last - fa.
In general, the quint circle of major keys does not close, its device is rather more like a spiral. With each new quint, there is a transition to a new round, as in the spring and transformations continue. With each transition to a new level of the spiral to the next key, the signs are added at the key. Their number grows in both flat and sharp directions. Just instead of the usual flat and sharp there are double signs: double sharp and double flat.
Knowing the laws of harmony is easier to understand music. The Quint circle of major keys is another proof that the diversity of frets, notes, and sounds is a well-coordinated mechanism. By the way, it’s not necessary to build a circle. There are other interesting schemes - for example, the thermometer of tonalities. Good luck!
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