Circle of Fifths
A helpful tool for showing relationships between notes and chords, and another for finding harmonica positions.
Below are four images: the
Circle of Fifths; an
Intervals Indicator;
harmonica
Positions Indicator, and
Mode Indicator.
The Circle of Fifths is useful on its own for working out key signatures on music
score and for understanding the relationship between keys. Going clockwise around the
circle is ascending by a perfect fifth. Going anticlockwise around the circle you are
descending a perfect fifth OR ascending a perfect fourth.
The Intervals Indicator is intended to be placed in the center of the circle of fifths.
Point the arrow at the tonic/fundamental of the key, chord or scale you wish to study.
There is further explanation of how the Interval Indicator's digital notation is used
on the Intervalic Theory page.
The Positions Indicator is also intended to be placed in the center of the circle of fifths.
Point the arrow at the key of the harmonica you are playing, and look for the key you want to play in to
see what position you need to use.
Positions do NOT dictate which scale you play in.
That said some positions lend themselves more readily to some scales
and modes more readily than others.
With harmonicas marked with the key in 2nd position to point the
2nd position to the key of the harmonica.
For Example: Lee Oskar Minor key harmonicas.
The arrow and 1 point to the tonic of the key or chord you are studying.
The digital notation or numbers indicate each note's role in relation to the tonic.
Find further explanation on the Intervalic Theory page.
The arrow and 1st are the key harmonica you are playing. With the wheel pointed at the right note, look for the key of the song you are playing in and you'll see what position to use. If your harmonica is marked with the 2nd position key, then point 2nd at the key of your harmonica.
Point the mode you are playing, to the key you're playing in, from there you can see the related modes' keys.