Music Theory - Using the Circle of Fifths for Minor Keys

[herculeslite]

Your videos are great, and are helping to shed light on something I have been trying (unsuccessfully) to teach myself from books. Thank you so much.

[vgarga73]

Thanks for this vedio. Lot informative. I think those who did not devote time or din't apply mind to understand seemingly hard concept disliked it.

Keep it up.

[SaraJacob97]

Thanks for the video but I still don't understand how use harmonic and melodic minors.

[teamvibralux]

I don't see why there are so many dislikes on these circle of fifths vids. I guess people are just assuming it's wrong because they don't get it haha

[ltveco8]

why so many dislikes this guy is awsome

[TheHunnyhillbees]

Very helpful video - thank for posting

[musictheoryguy]

Thanks for the kind feedback! Glad to hear you found my video(s) useful.

[Jirobou196]

What is up with all the dislikes? This guy just saved my grade in Music Theory I! Thanks man.

[BarryHan]

thank you so much for these videos! it really helps me alot. Could i ask you please to upload more videos on grade 4 ABRSM guide? Rewriting of rhythm in terms of time signature given.. greatly appreciate...

[MSGamer2218]

Your really helping me learn my stuff man! I've been trying to figure out the circle of fifths for months! I'm ADHD and that can make things like circle of fifths very very difficult. But your patient and you really stripped down this concept to nuts and bolts, all the while keeping it's total complexity in perspective! Your saving my life with these videos!! I'm learning what I couldnt have learned anywhere else(: THANK YOU SO MUCH!! keep up the good work, your awesome!!

[silverparapluie]

Thank you SO much! These videos must take a lot of time and effort on your part but they are much appreciated. Your tutorials brilliantly clarify the rather dry and at times confusing ABRSM theory book. Natural minor scales logically explained in a few minutes and as a result all has become clear for melodic/harmonic minor scales! Could I ask you please to upload a video that teaches how to calculate the key of a piece of music when the key signature is not given as per grade 2 ABRSM theory?

[musictheoryguy]

@silverparapluie It's so nice of you to take the time to write such a kind message - thank you! I'm delighted that my videos have been useful to you. I'm currently working my way through a long list of other ABRSM theory videos and they'll get uploaded as soon as they are available. I'll add your request to my list and hopefully it will appear here soon. Thanks again and best wishes.

[BwillBwill1]

dude, why when i use a piano scale generated for.. example Ab minor, it has 5 flats when you say its 7?

[musictheoryguy]

@BwillBwill1 Ab minor - does indeed have seven flats: Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb, Fb. I wonder if you are counting the Cb as B natural and Fb as E natural hence why you are only counting five? Although Cb is the same as B and Fb the same as E when *writing* a scale it must follow the rule that there must be a note on every line and space of the stave. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

[BwillBwill1]

@musictheoryguy you're absolutely right , got it

[WillingToPooNvm]

my music teacher's a dick

[iforgotmyusername0]

u are good...

[norjiako]

thsnks for the great video.quick question tho, wondering why did you put A# under the Bflat... since its not on the sharp side of the circle shouldn't it be okay left as it is? or did you just do it for continuity? thanks

[michaeljforde]

@norjiako The A# is there on the flat side of the circle because there seven types of sharp minor keys, but only six parts per half - therefore the crossover to the other side. A# is the last of the minor keys on the sharp side (and is relative to C# major). Enharmonically, Bb minor (with five flats) is related to Db major. It is the same as Ab minor (as shown above) being on the sharp side of the scale (related to Cb major) or enharmonically, G# minor, as related to B Major.

[DoomsDayCheezits]

Thank god, I didn't know how to count either, lol. Two birds with one stone.

[P1lotBoy]

Thanks a lot. Very useful.

[sincoseis]

this video just blew my mind!!!

[songbird323]

thank you . this was very informative !! i deffintely needed help . i've been having some trouble in my music theory class .

[amandacorndolly]

I have just watched this and the 2 previous. very helpful and extremely clearly and well presented.

I had been trying some theory exercises. they ask you to write, without key signature a scale of A major. this was ok but then it asked for the scale of a minor either harmonic or melodic. then I was stuck. more on minor keys would also interest me.

how to create the different type of keys etc.

[musictheoryguy]

Many thanks for your suggestions and kind comments.

I'm currently putting together some videos about clefs (as of 1 Aug 2010) but once these are uploaded it is my intention to focus on the different types of scales - the question you refer to seems to be an all-too-common problem for students studying music theory. Once they are released I'll drop you a line.

Many thanks again for your comments and do keep watching!

Best wishes.

[calmclownful]

When looking at a staff and the Key Signature, how do know if it's Major or Minor. Like for Example, I was looking at the Key Signature for "Since I've been loving You" by Led Zepplin, the Key Signature as I saw it to be was Eb Major. Jimmy Page starts off on a C Minor riff. That confused me because I didn't whether it was written in Eb Major or C Minor. Or is all the same because C Minor is relative to Eb Major?

[musictheoryguy]

You won't be able to tell whether a song is minor/major from just the key signature - you also have to look at the notes and listen to the track. Listening is often the best way to tell (roughly: minor=sad, major=happy). Using your example of Eb Maj and C min - the latter would normally have B naturals in the melody as it is the raised 7th of C Minor. This is quite tricky to explain in this short space but I hope this helps a little. Perhaps a topic for another of my videos...?

Best wishes.

[calmclownful]

@musictheoryguy That does help. Because I actually thought that you could tell just from looking at the Key Signature whether or not it was Major or Minor. Thanks.

[MsMora4]

Thanks a lot! That really helped me.

Is there another video for different types of  minor keys??

[musictheoryguy]

Thanks for your message. I don't currently have any other videos which tackle minor keys - this one mentions harmonic and melodic minor scales. If you could let me know what else you'd like to know, let me know and I'll see what I can put together.

Best wishes.

[guitgeo]

Excellent instuction on circle of 5ths...best on youtube...a very lucid explanation....

[TheBeatlesfan1991]

is this only used for the minor? and theres another one used for the Major?

[musictheoryguy]

This video uses the circle of 5ths so that it is relevant for just minor keys. I have another YouTube video which explains how the circle can be used for major keys. Click on the links above to take you to my other videos.

Best wishes.

[gokebe]

you sound like Richard Dawkins, good tutorial though

[scrollandkey]

What about e # minor of b# minor .. do they ever come up in enharmonic stuff ?

[musictheoryguy]

Hi. You can only have a maximum of 7 sharps or flats per key (there are only 7 notes, ABCDEFG, hence the limit). E# & B# minors do not exist as they would exceed the number of sharps in a key signature. This is quite tricky to explain in this small space so if you need further clarity contact me directly through my YouTube mailbox. Best wishes.

[Tubztele]

What does enharmonic mean, does that mean matching a relative key to its melodic partner?(just a guess) Whats your definition

[jcuchiara]

@Tubztele Enharmonic is the term used to describe a note with 2 names. The example he gave is F# / Gb All the black keys on a piano are enharmonic.

[tazorama787]

listen at around 6:14 you can hear something in the background like music or something happening for a couple seconds :P solid vid, just listen to it over again to get it

[violetsky0036]

Thank you so much, I'm a beginning piano student and this really helps.

[5lick000]

I dont know what i was thinking about i. was making it harder that it is.Can u play some of what you are showing, thats where i get a little tangled.

Thanks for your time.

[5lick000]

still dont get it

[musictheoryguy]

Sorry to hear that it still doesn't make sense to you. Is it creating the circle itself or its application to minor scales which is causing the confusion? Either way, do let me know and I'll try and clarify.

[mxrider139]

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!! im so happy you have no idea, This was a godsend video.....1000% perfect.

[rwacowboys]

VERY HELPFUL, changed my attitude towards learning music fundamentals, and my methods. Musictheoryguy uses simple teaching methods, that guarantee that you will understand the material, so far the CIrcle of Fifths videos were great. Very simple after watching tutorials.

thanks

[baileyandmicha4lyf]

Firstly, I'd like to say thankyou for this. I've never been able to understand the circle of fifths and now I do, thanks.

Secondly I just have a question about majors and minors on the circle, In A minor we go clockwise for sharps and anti-clockwise for flats but how do we know when to stop seeing them as flats and see them as sharps (if you get what I mean) e.g in A minor would Eb have sharps of flats? or both?

Thanks, Hope that made sense :)

[musictheoryguy]

A key signature called E 'flat' minor would never have sharps in the key signature (as it's name is called x 'flat'). Similarly, if the key signature is called D 'sharp' minor it will only have sharps in the key signature.

Other keys (those without a # or b in its name) will speak for themselves e.g. F minor could only have b's in the key sig because it you counted the clock for #'s you'd count 8.  This is more sharp's than are possible to have in a key signature.

Hope this all helps...

[baileyandmicha4lyf]

Thanks, I got in now lol

[lesserepiphanies]

Thanks for posting this - Ihave benefitted from the clear presentation.

[ThePixiePoet]

YOU ARE GREAT!!!

THis is the best explanation on the web for Circle of Fifths that I've found thus far!

[musictheoryguy]

I honestly can't remember! I have used this version of the circle for years and whilst I remember being taught the major version of the circle at school I can't remember whether I learnt the minor version from a teacher, by reading about it in a book or whether I created the minor version by myself.

In any case, glad you find this version easy to use - it has certainly helped me on numerous ocassions over the years!

[GeneralEclectik]

is this your own version of the circle, or what you were taught? yours seems easier than mine.

[UnchainTheNight1]

i completely understand this, but how do you apply it?

[musictheoryguy]

Good question!

The aim of my video was to help those studying for a theory exam (such as ABRSM) so I purposefully didn't tackle application merely the theoretical understanding of minor keys via the circle of fifths. Apologies if you were hoping it would answer your application question.

The application of keys is a very big (sometimes complex) topic which I do hope to explore in a future video. Watch this space...

[DvineINFEKT]

so we can expect more videos in this topic?

You are the "Musictheoryguy" and i've watched and learned from your videos...You do a great job teaching, and I really hope for more stuff soon! You broke down the circle for me in a way that no teacher I ever had did. And it helped IMMENSELY.

Please do more. ^^ Theory is very valuable to musicians, and I'm only just getting my feet wet in it. Maybe one on scales? or chord formations? anything like that ^^

[yawoza]

more plz!!!