Uploaded January 2017 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
The circle of Fourths and Fifths are a musical device used to clearly represent the order of Fourths and Fifths and their respective keys, showing how many sharps or flats in that key.
The interval of a Fourth, as learned in Lesson 2, is the distance of two whole steps and a half step, but can be easily found by playing a note on the E, A, D, or B strings and moving down one string. Associate the song "Here Comes The Bride" with a Fourth. The guitar is tuned mostly in Fourths, except for G to B, which is a Major third.
Easy device to memorize Fourths:
B E A D G C F (Beed Gook Uf)
A 4th away from B is E, a 4th away from E is A, etc.
After F, go to Bb:
Bb Eb Ab Db Gb Cb (B) Fb (E), etc...
Remember A#/Bb are the same note, D#/Eb are the same note, etc...
The circle of Fourths is shown in the circle diagram, going counter clockwise. Start on C and move to the left. Each time you move to the next note, a flat b is added to that key.
C (no flats)
F (one flat, Bb)
Bb (two flats, Bb, Eb)
Eb (Bb, Eb, Ab)
Ab (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db)
Db (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb)
Gb (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb)
Cb (All flats, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb, Fb)
Practice writing out fourths from all 12 tones in music and practice playing them on your guitar.
The Circle of Fifths is the interval of 2 whole steps, a half step, and a whole step. However, you can find a Fifth easily by starting on a note and moving your ring finger a whole step over and one string down, like playing a power chord.
Using the Diagram, Fifths move clockwise. Start on C and go through the order of Fifths.
C G D A E B F# C# G# D# A# E# (F) B# (C)
With each key, you add a sharp.
C (no sharps)
G (one sharp, F#)
D (two sharps, F#, C#)
A (F#, C#, G#)
E (F#, C#, G#, D#)
B (F#, C#, G#, D#, A#)
F# (F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, E#)
C# (All sharps, F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, E#, B#)
Practice them by writing them out from all twelve tones in music and by playing them around the guitar.
The circle of Fourths and Fifths are a musical device used to clearly represent the order of Fourths and Fifths and their respective keys, showing how many sharps or flats in that key.
The interval of a Fourth, as learned in Lesson 2, is the distance of two whole steps and a half step, but can be easily found by playing a note on the E, A, D, or B strings and moving down one string. Associate the song "Here Comes The Bride" with a Fourth. The guitar is tuned mostly in Fourths, except for G to B, which is a Major third.
Easy device to memorize Fourths:
B E A D G C F (Beed Gook Uf)
A 4th away from B is E, a 4th away from E is A, etc.
After F, go to Bb:
Bb Eb Ab Db Gb Cb (B) Fb (E), etc...
Remember A#/Bb are the same note, D#/Eb are the same note, etc...
The circle of Fourths is shown in the circle diagram, going counter clockwise. Start on C and move to the left. Each time you move to the next note, a flat b is added to that key.
C (no flats)
F (one flat, Bb)
Bb (two flats, Bb, Eb)
Eb (Bb, Eb, Ab)
Ab (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db)
Db (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb)
Gb (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb)
Cb (All flats, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb, Fb)
Practice writing out fourths from all 12 tones in music and practice playing them on your guitar.
The Circle of Fifths is the interval of 2 whole steps, a half step, and a whole step. However, you can find a Fifth easily by starting on a note and moving your ring finger a whole step over and one string down, like playing a power chord.
Using the Diagram, Fifths move clockwise. Start on C and go through the order of Fifths.
C G D A E B F# C# G# D# A# E# (F) B# (C)
With each key, you add a sharp.
C (no sharps)
G (one sharp, F#)
D (two sharps, F#, C#)
A (F#, C#, G#)
E (F#, C#, G#, D#)
B (F#, C#, G#, D#, A#)
F# (F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, E#)
C# (All sharps, F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, E#, B#)
Practice them by writing them out from all twelve tones in music and by playing them around the guitar.
