The Circle of Fifths is a fundamental Music Theory tool that visually organizes 12 chromatic pitches into a sequence of fifths, where a fifth is seven semitones above a specific note.
Circle Order
The circle is typically arranged like a clock face with C Major at the 12 o’clock position. Going clockwise in the circle is known as The Sharp Side, as each step represents ascending a perfect fifth and adds one sharp to the they key signature. Going counter-clockwise is known as The Flat Side, as each step represents descending a perfect fifth (which is equivalent to ascending a perfect fourth) and adds one flat to the key signature.
Diagram
