Music Theory For Guitar | 4 | Circle of Fifths
Added 2020-07-15 20:15:16 +0000 UTCWhere to Start • Lesson Archive • Recommended Lesson Plan • Book a Private Lesson
This is the fourth installment of my formal Music Theory For Guitar course. Be sure to check out the attached PDF.
Have a question? Ask on the weekly live Q&A, called Office Hours. Also, check out Practice Thoughts if you need help figuring out how to practice.
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Lessons in this Series:
Music Theory for Guitar | 1 | Major Scales
Music Theory for Guitar | 2 | Minor Scales
Music Theory for Guitar | 3 | Intervals
Music Theory for Guitar | 4 | Circle of Fifths (current lesson)
Music Theory for Guitar | 5 | Major Triads
Music Theory for Guitar | 6 | Minor Triads
Music Theory for Guitar | 7 | Diminished & Augmented Triads
Once you're done with this series, you'll know enough to move on to:
Music Theory Monday & CAGED System Basics
Other helpful links:
Scott's Recommended Lesson Plan
Searchable Lesson Archive
How to Join the Community Forum
Scott's Jam Tracks
Scott's Main YouTube Channel
Comments
Hi Ding - I think you'll start to see the application pretty quickly in Music Theory for Guitar II where we talk about chords in a key, what it means to be in a key, and how all this stuff results in making music. If you want to move through these lessons faster to get to that series, do it!
Scott Paul Johnson
2025-04-23 20:12:49 +0000 UTCI understand Scott already said that we’re not doing anything with this knowledge. However, I would love to know how does this help play better guitar. Or, to put it in a different way: when do one applies this information to playing real life guitar ?
ding hoang
2025-04-22 11:35:17 +0000 UTCUnderstanding the concept is important, applying it confidently to guitar could take a lifetime. Make sure you focus on goals like "I want to learn X set of songs" or "I want to be able to play with other people." Don't worry about completely memorizing this - just make sure you understand the concept.
Scott Paul Johnson
2025-03-17 18:58:13 +0000 UTCI didn’t have trouble getting the diagram but my head started hurting when I tried to relate it to the actual guitar 🥹 I will rewatch and practice until it makes sense
Erin
2025-03-17 18:09:43 +0000 UTCis it also because if keep going along after C# maj, you will get these G# maj, D# maj, two sharps will start to appear which will make things lot harder to label, two sharps will make the note up 1 (like from c to d), and you cannot keep adding these two sharps
Zzy
2024-03-14 06:54:11 +0000 UTCYep you got it! The key of G# Major would require a double sharped F. Thats how the circle works, and thats why there is some "enharmonic" keys, where they technically contain the same sounding notes, but they are labelled differently, like the Key of F# Major and the key of Gb Major
Scott Paul Johnson
2024-01-05 23:04:39 +0000 UTCOh, I’m guessing it’s because it would require double #s. So you’re saying that no one ever does (or should) say “the key of G# maj”? Instead ppl will/should say “the key of Ab maj”?
Gemma Smith-Vondras
2024-01-05 20:19:55 +0000 UTCWhy aren’t A#, G#, and D# on the circle of fifths? (Apologies if you mention this somewhere already….)
Gemma Smith-Vondras
2024-01-05 19:51:07 +0000 UTCHi Prod - The first priority of every scale is to have every letter of the alphabet in order, without skipping. When it comes to an F# major scale, F# G# A# B C# D# E# F# If we went from D# to F, we'd be skipping a letter of the alphabet. So even though E# and F are enharmonic (ie the same note), we need to call it E#
Scott Paul Johnson
2023-10-30 18:23:39 +0000 UTCWhen it comes to the F# major scale, why is the half step for E#: F#?
prodbymarvv
2023-10-30 06:17:23 +0000 UTCCool! I understood most of the circle of fifths, but never realized where the sharps and flats came in relative to the adjacent scale.
Ben Poe
2023-08-03 19:17:54 +0000 UTCYou can't have a Major scale with sharps AND flats. AND , you have to have every letter of the alphabet, in order, without skipping any or doubling any. So you can't have a major scale with G and G# or B and Bb for example. And you can't have a scale that skips any letter of the alphabet, like G# A# C Db Eb F G G# is technically following WWHWWWH but it's not a scale.
Scott Paul Johnson
2022-08-29 22:21:35 +0000 UTCYou can't have a scale with flats and sharps right? It is or flats or sharps. I have to look at it again! Thanks anyway for your fast answer. If I have more questions I will get back to you
Wouter Driesen
2022-08-29 17:20:34 +0000 UTCHey Wouter - this lesson shows every possible major scale. All of them! The notes B# and E# exist, but they are not the root notes of any scales. Think of it like this: C Major has no sharps and flats: C D E F G A B C If you raise every note of the scale one step, you get a C# Major scale: C# D# E# F# G# A# B# C# If you play a G Major Scale: G A B C D E F# G, you can't raise every note of the scale, because you'd have a note that was double sharp, like this: G# A# B# C# D# E# F## G# Major scales with double sharps don't exist, because we can just use Ab instead. The overlapping scales in the circle of fifths show the few areas where the root notes can be a sharp or flat without having any double sharp notes or double flat notes.
Scott Paul Johnson
2022-08-29 17:00:27 +0000 UTCDoes an B# of E# even exist? Not on the piano right? I get confused with the a # major scale. Does not matter which # scale it is. I start sharpening an E... is that possible? The G# major scale is difficult.. I think I have it, but not sure.
Wouter Driesen
2022-08-29 15:59:20 +0000 UTCYou also have to take the initiative and do it yourself brother, just experiment with it
Eduardo Nascimento
2022-05-27 00:11:55 +0000 UTCI cover that stuff in Music Theory Monday
Scott Paul Johnson
2022-04-18 13:16:09 +0000 UTCWhen will or how can we apply this and the previous exercises into songs and improvise?
Alliot Alderson
2022-04-18 11:25:55 +0000 UTCI already knew circle of 5ths and 4ths from jazz, but in all the times I have read and viewed it, no one but you has pointed out the most obvious "lightbulb" moment of them all! "Since C has no sharps or flats, then if you raise it a half step to C#, then everything else in the scale must also become sharp. Likewise with C flat." It seems so self-evident now, but this was like a slap on the forehead.
Mocha
2022-03-06 04:03:50 +0000 UTCI made it! I meant to refinish it years ago, but never got around to it. My brand was Wallingford Guitar Co. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.458107644215650&type=3 Here is a link to a few others I made!
Scott Paul Johnson
2022-01-22 19:13:32 +0000 UTCwhats the electric guitar beside you in this vid? brownish one to your right
John
2022-01-22 18:13:51 +0000 UTCWow, for some reasson this is most interesting one, man its coo fricking cool. I keep coming back to it and I just realised how the other side of the circle works, its a p5th from the other side, it just clicked wow. Only took 3 watches. Thank you sir.
Flamecrew9 At roblox
2021-11-30 08:12:50 +0000 UTCJust to follow up. What I meant to say one always goes up to the 5th letter including the one you started with when going up 7 semitones. If one tries this with 5 one always gets 4th letter including the one you started with, but for 3 do not get the same pattern. I am NOT including accidentals, just the letter names.
Walter T
2021-10-11 17:03:41 +0000 UTCI guess an interesting lesson would be to pick songs to learn that use some notions from music theory implicitly.
Walter T
2021-10-11 16:02:38 +0000 UTCThe process almost generates almost all of the natural notes until we finally get to the B to F#. It's easy to see that this operation results in the wwhwwhw intervals which shows you always have to sharpen the 7th note which is initially not sharp. Hence we retain the previous sharps. As you would say "pretty cool and weird" :-)
Walter T
2021-10-11 16:01:48 +0000 UTCEither or, but not both, right? Because 7 half steps from B would be F#, but 5 half steps from B would be E - so in that case, I would have to choose 5 half steps and not 7. Is that kind of what you're saying?
Scott Paul Johnson
2021-10-11 13:19:45 +0000 UTCFederer - I don't really read books on music theory. I did in college, but now I listen, write, and analyze music to keep thinking about music theory.
Scott Paul Johnson
2021-10-11 13:18:15 +0000 UTCThe interesting thing is if we raise a natural note by either 5 or 7 half steps we always get another natural note. does not work for any other step from 1 to 11.
Walter T
2021-10-10 20:47:20 +0000 UTCScott, what are your favourite books on music theory?
Walter T
2021-10-10 19:29:10 +0000 UTCThis is a lesson where using basic principles allows one to derive the schema of the circle of fifths. It's all based on the interval distances formula. Most people never truly go through the exercise. Great lesson Scott.
Walter T
2021-10-10 19:23:36 +0000 UTCB# is enharmonically the same as C - yes! The same tone. But if you're in the key of C#, you'll have to call that note B#
Scott Paul Johnson
2021-08-22 02:06:55 +0000 UTCI know you're keeping the letters of the alphabet, but B# would be C right?
Alejandro
2021-08-22 01:18:52 +0000 UTCThis lesson will take two weeks to "master." thanky ou for the circle of fifths infographics PDF. It's really nice.
Daniel Julian Erickson
2021-07-30 01:23:27 +0000 UTCLoved how you explained this, just mentioning the idea that this was created to organize scales by similitude clarified a lot about this map.
Magela Crosignani
2021-04-30 12:23:26 +0000 UTCHi Sen - great question. I don't often think about that because C is just C, but there are specific names, often associated with piano: check out this link: https://www.darkworld.com/mythos/school/Guitar-Fretboard-Notes-Middle-C.html A C chord will always be a C chord if it contains only C E and G, and different pitches don't change the fact that it is a C chord.
Scott Paul Johnson
2021-04-12 15:42:57 +0000 UTCI found this class is very helpful. But I found 1 thing is a bit confusing. When I say C major scale. There are many C's on the fret board. And in my understanding, not all C's has the same pitch. One C might be the octave of another C note. How do I know which C to start with when we say a song is C major. Or put 1=C on the tab. Further more, when I make a chord (say C chord on C major scale), As long as it is C E G notes it is fine? even some C's have different pitch?
Sen Han
2021-04-12 03:46:39 +0000 UTCHow does anyone grip a pick without licking their finger!? It's like opening one of those produce bags at Walmart with a mask on...
Keenan Spencer
2021-03-09 20:45:44 +0000 UTCHi Sutil! Did you watch lesson 1 first? That might help! If you did and you're still confused, you may want to review previous lessons
Scott Paul Johnson
2021-02-11 21:46:34 +0000 UTCDid I miss something? Do I need to go back? What are those sheets he is writing on that have a bunch of notes? What do they represent?
Subtle System
2021-02-10 18:43:52 +0000 UTCThe finger lick is weird, I agree. But it helps me grip the pick!
Scott Paul Johnson
2021-01-13 22:43:21 +0000 UTCThere are 3 types of people: 1. Strange people who write "G" backwards. 2. Funny people who lick their finger before start playing Guitar and 3. Genius people who are 1+2! 🙌🏻
DeDé
2021-01-11 19:17:08 +0000 UTCHell yeah! Thats what the homework is for! Glad it feels pretty obvious now.
Scott Paul Johnson
2021-01-10 00:42:11 +0000 UTCTotally makes sense. Once I actually sat down and filled out the accompanying circle of fifths worksheet it makes it pretty obvious you have to stop at a certain point!
OhioMike1987
2021-01-09 22:01:00 +0000 UTCA# major isn't really a scale because it would have to include notes that are double sharped. It would look like A# B# C## D# E# F## G## A#. Gb (G flat) is the same note as A# and that scale can be made without any double sharps or double flats
Scott Paul Johnson
2021-01-09 05:20:13 +0000 UTCJust watched this for the first time, great lesson btw! Why are some scales missing? For example, where is A#?
OhioMike1987
2021-01-09 03:03:14 +0000 UTCSo good! Thanks for all the time you put into this Scott. Was wondering if you could recommend an iPad app to use for the homework. Thanks!
Sean McClintock
2020-12-21 14:58:05 +0000 UTCThank you for your great presentation on circle of 5th. Very well lesson, explained wonderful and simple to learn and understand clearly and easily.
Sweetness
2020-12-10 03:13:30 +0000 UTCThanks Scott ! This was one of those scary looking theory things I couldn’t understand . Can’t believe how straight forward you made it !
Emma.T
2020-11-22 23:50:46 +0000 UTCIt’s more from chords in a key, like the first week of Music Theory Mondays
Scott Paul Johnson
2020-09-12 20:31:00 +0000 UTCI've recently understood that "The I Iv V Blues Chord Progression" is from Circle of Fifths, isn't it?
Konstantin
2020-09-12 19:04:57 +0000 UTCThis is a fabulous explanation. I tried to read Circle of Fifths in Wikipedia . But I didn't manage to understand it at all. Using your explanation it took only a few minutes to get everything.
Konstantin
2020-09-12 17:32:49 +0000 UTCBrilliant, thank you so much, great teacher
Lyn Plumpton
2020-08-25 16:02:47 +0000 UTCMind-blown!
Park Burford
2020-08-12 03:24:44 +0000 UTCyes
Scott Paul Johnson
2020-07-23 20:12:22 +0000 UTCIn terms of playing E# in a progression, is it just an F chord?
Nelson Sharp
2020-07-23 19:48:12 +0000 UTCE# is F, but if we’re playing an F# Major scale, we can’t have F AND F# AND no E at all. We call it E# in the key of F#
Scott Paul Johnson
2020-07-23 18:18:55 +0000 UTCin the middle of watching, but how can an E be #?
Nelson Sharp
2020-07-23 18:15:44 +0000 UTCAwesome! So glad you enjoyed it!
Scott Paul Johnson
2020-07-18 03:33:54 +0000 UTCBravo! This was the clearest explanation of the circle of fifths that I’ve seen! Thx Scott!
Shelley Francisco
2020-07-17 09:56:23 +0000 UTC
