Circle of Fifths?

Question

what is an effective way to memorize the melodic chart?

Answer 1

No memorization is necessary for the circle of 5ths. Just count your way to the next step of the circle. Most circles of fifths resolve down rather than up, so to get the next key in the circle, you count downwards 4 steps from the last. A common example would be this:

A minor -> (G, F, E,) D minor
D minor -> (C, B, A,) G major
G major -> (F, E, D,) C major
C major -> (B, A, G,) F major
F major -> (E, D, C,) B diminished
B diminished -> (A, G, F,) E major
E major -> (D, C, B,) A minor coming full circle

There are circles of fifths which resolve upwards (meaning you count up rather than down), but they are rare and sound very different. One example is found in the 2nd movement of Brahms' Piano Concerto no 2. The essential points to remember are these:

- count FOUR steps;
- count DOWN rather than UP;
- the interval of a fifth does not always have to be a PERFECT fifth. Meaning that in the example above, in the 5th step, I could have gone to Bb instead of B. Similarly, some circles of fifths have C resolving downwards to F# rather than an F. This is purely up to you, or up to the composer.

Answer 2

Come up with a clever way to link the two "letters" of the note and it's fifth...
A and E = AcE
B and F = BeeF
C and G = CoG
D and A = DadA and so forth.

After deciding on the words, put them on a flash card and glance at them a few times a day.

Hope this helps,
Mon :-)

Answer 3

Memorize your 5th's individually. Example C to G is a fifth. Eb to Bb is a 5th. Db to Ab is a 5th. etc.

Answer 4

the way i memorixed it was by doing it everyday... and trying to get as far as i can without looking at my scale sheet until i could do it the whole way. then i began to do it backwards (circle of fourths) and it will come to you. even if you try to do it twice a day it will be good for you.
good luck.