2.5 · Major Scale
The circle of fifths
The circle of fifths is a visualization that helps you remember how many sharps or flats each major key has.
Climb by fifths
A perfect fifth is seven semitones up. Climb twelve fifths, each starting where the last landed, and you arrive back at the original note.
Sharps to the right, flats to the left
Each clockwise step is a rise of a perfect fifth. Count the steps from C and you can read any signature: clockwise adds a sharp per step, counterclockwise a flat.
C major · no sharps, no flats
Quiz
1 / 6Count the sharps below, then name the key.
F♯