Cycle fifths

In Music, one calls cycle of the fifths , a succession - ascending or downward - of notes separated by intervals from perfect fifth.

One will note that the cycle of the fifths is found, first of all, in the order of the deteriorations to the key - Dièse S constitutive, by ascending fifths, and constitutive Bémol S, by downward fifths -, then, and consequently, in the order of the diatonic scales and the Tonalité S: for example, the range of major D has as close tonalities, the ranges of G major and major the - is, the preceding one and the following one of D , in the cycle of the fifths.

The particular property of the perfect fifth - divided with the perfect fourth which is its inversion - is of being able, by juxtaposition, to constitute a cycle traversing all the notes of the Western range , i.e., not only seven degrees of the diatonic scale, but also, the twelve degrees of the chromatic scale:

mi♭, si♭, F, C, ground, D, the, semi one, if, fa♯, do♯, sol♯, then ré♯, Enharmonie of mi♭ , which closes again the cycle.

In the old systems of agreement, the cycle is sometimes not refermable , because of the selected acoustic report/ratio - example of the Tempérament mesotonic, whose third are pure, with the detriment of the fifths. The Enharmonie is not then possible any more.

See too

External bonds

  • To easily use the cycle of the fifths with its instrument

Simple: Circle off fifths

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