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Originally Posted by Swipter  Other than finding the minor or major of a chord or finding the fourth or fifth is there any other purpose for the Circle of Fifths? I understand the sharps and flats for each chord is there. |
All kinds of neat things can be found on the circle.
You mentioned The major and minor chords, the circle can give you what all the chords in a key will be. For example key of C. The C, F & G chords are the major chords and then right under the C, F & G are the three minor chords, Am, Dm & Em and the Bm7b5 is where? Yep right where it always is. It's a circle move it where D is at 12:00 O'clock, where is the C#m7b5? Yep right where it always is.
Got a three measure void leading to the Gm7 chord. What leads to the G, insert the D chord, what leads to D, insert to A chord, what leads to the A chord? Insert a E chord. Now which D, A or E? Kinda up to you. Which one fits best, D or Dm, A or Am, your choice.
What key is at 3:00 O'clock? A, how many sharps does it have? Answer, 3. What key is at 4:00 O'clock? E and how many sharps does it have? Four.
The circle can help you remember these memory pegs.....
Memory peg for the scales that have sharps = See God Destroy All Earth By F#irey C#haos.
Memory peg for what sharps will be in each scale = Fat Cats Go Down Alleys Eating Birds.
Memory peg for the scales that have flats = Farmer Brown Eats Apple Dumplings Greasley Cooked.
Find where these memory pegs are on the circle.
That F#irey C#haos also answers the question why it gets crowded at the bottom of the circle. There are 7 flats and 7 sharps ..... so they have to loop beyond the 6 O'clock position.
You have a choice of using the key of B or Cb. Which would you use? Five shaps are easier than seven flats.
You have a choice of using the key of C# or DB. Five flats are easier than seven shaprs.
You have a choice of using the key of F# or Gb. Both have five sharps or flats, flip a coin. Well, I think you would find B used more than Cb. We very seldom play anthing in C#, and I would use the Gb over the F#.
I'm sure the list goes on. Perhaps others will add more.
