Explain the major and minor keys using the circle of fifths.

The circle of fifths is an expression used to describe the relationship between the twelve chromatic notes of the musical scale (A-G with sharps and flats in between). By using the circle of fifths, you can easily explain links from major to minor keys and also the key signature of each key. To create the circle of major keys, you start with C, and count up by the interval of a fifth to G, continuing to count up fifths D, A, E and so on. These are the major keys in the clockwise order of the circle of fifths: C, G, D, A, E, B, F#/Gb Db, Ab, Eb, Bb, F. One thing to remember is that after B, the next step is F#/Gb. The accidental is added because a perfect fifth from B is F#, which is the same as Gb, as these notes are enharmonically related. To find the relative minor of each major key, count three semitones down from the major, for example the relative minor of C major is A minor, which is three semitones below C. The major keys and their relative minors both have exactly the same key signature, however the minor key always has an extra added sharpened 7th which does not appear in the key signature, but will appear in melodic notation of a piece.