Quickly and easly explain the circle of 5ths!?

I don't understand it!!

Its a visual representation of the relationships among the 12 tones of the chromatic scale.

I dont know how to explain this quickly and easy... but if you look circle of fifth tool and take c major which is it by default. You look middle of an other color, there is an A.

That means A minor. If you look C major and A minor scales, you notice that they have same notes. Same thing occurs, when you take example G minor, and when you take 3 steps (this is mathematic thing that happens to be in musical theories :D) you see there an A# major. which have same notes than G minor and so on.

well... hope this helps you get an idea, theres a plenty of information it around the web if you want to look further, its wonderful tool for composing... and jamming. If your band plays chord progression in say B minor, you know the b minor scale, jam there a while and move to play D major scale over B minor chord progression and you just notice that... you need a beer or two ;D

-Emp

well thanks for all that!! i'm digging in to it, I mean i'm still kind of new to all the terminology. but i'll get it soon!

Circle of Fifths is a way to remember key signatures. For Major scales Imagine the Circle of Fifths as a clock with C being 12. C has no sharps or flats. Now if you go clockwise to 1 o'clock on the circle of fifths the next note is G (since G is the 5th note in C Major). G has 1 sharp note in it. Go clockwise again to 2 o'clock and you come to D (D is the 5 note in the G major scale). D Major has 2 sharps in the scale. If you continue clockwise each place on the clock up to 7 o'clock will let you know how many sharps are in the Major key. 7 o'clock on the Circle of Fifths is C# Major which all notes are sharp in the scale.

Now starting at 12 oclock again (C Major), if you go counter clockwise you are descending by 4ths. At 11 o'clock is F Major. F is the 4th note in the C Major Scale. F Major contains 1 flat note in its scale. If you continue going counter clockwise to 10 o'clock you will have Bb . Bb is the 4th note in F Major scale. Bb Major contains 2 flats. If you continue going counter clockwise (descending by 4ths) 5 o'clock is Cb Major which all the notes are flats.

Remember C is 12 and going clockwise (by 5ths) will let you know the next Major Scale and the sharps will increase by one. Going counter clockwise starting at C at 12 (descending by 4ths) will let you know the Major keys with flats in them.

The Circle of Fiths can be used to help with chord progressions as well, but that's another topic. If you need help I have seen some awesome Theory Lessons on here or you can message me and I can help you out the best I can. Good Luck!

every number is 3:2 the frequency of the number to the left
consonance of notes are roughly based on how close they are in the circle (how many overtones they share)
every string rings all the notes to the right of it, decreasing by half for every note.