Hello

Instrument: Baritone Saxaphone
I am to play the circle of forths for a band test. (only G to D flat)
Although i realise for G i would start at E on the circle i don't understand what notes to play for each scale ..as i forgot too tell you we have to play the scale up and down for each note. how do i know what notes too play ... so i would ask you too please tell me the notes and which onjes are flat and asharp so i can practice this .. TETS IS TOMOROOW AFTERNOON! !! ! PLEASE HELP !> and please don't refer me to a website they never help !> honestly ! Thanks ever so much JISKHA

Thank you for using the Jiskha Homework Help Forum. I know you do NOT want a Web Site but I can not draw the "Circle of Fifths/Fourths" here and you need to see it. There is also a great explanation on this site and the key of G is right there!

circle of fifths/circle of fourths (circle of 5ths/circle of 4ths)

You didn't give me the website address.

Mike, I am so sorry but I've tried twice to post the site for "Circle of Fourths & Key of G" but apparently there is a software error, either on the new server or . . . . .?

My girl friend thinks that the saxaphone is not a preaty sound and i play it all the time what should i do get rid of her or the sax

Well, this is my THIRD attempt. Apparently it is impossible to copy the "circle" but here is the explanation that went with it:

The Circle of Fifths / Fourths
The Circle of fifths has a big importance in music theory.

What is The Circle of Fifths?

Some people call it The Circle of Fourths, The Cycle of Fifths or The Cycle of Fourths..anyway.

The Circle of Fifths tells you how many sharps or flats are in a given key. Actually, there are other purposes for the "The Circle of Fifths" like chord substitution or determining the best transition or move (modulation) to another key. But we won't go into that here. You can see the circle of fifths diagram below;

The numbers on the inside of the circle show how many sharps or flats would be in the key signature for a major scale built on that note. Thus a major scale built on A will have three sharps in its key signature. Relative minors are shown in blue and you can find accidentals for each key in parenthesis.

While there are 15 Major Key Signatures, bear in mind that three keys are enharmonic;

B is the same sounding scale as Cb, F# is the same sounding scale as Gb, C# is the same sounding scale as Db.

Below you can find the order of sharps and flats. You can see that the order of sharps is circle of fifths and the order of flats is circle of fourths.

No matter you play guitar, piano or any instrument, please just memorize these seven letters in order, that's it! Now you can easly find the number of sharps and flats in a given key.

---------->sharps(#)

F C G D A E B

flats(b)<-----------
For example, you need to know G key;

Start counting from F to G (F, C, G). Then don't count G and note before G this is C; G major key just have F#.

A ===> F, C , G, D, A ====> A has F#, C#, G#

D ===> F, C, G, D =====> D has F#, C#

It is easy, isn't it?

But there is an exeption. You should remember that F has Bb

What about flats;

You need to know Ab, again count but this time B to F direction.

Count until A and one more letter (B,E,A and D) so Ab has (Bb, Eb, Ab and Db)

Here another one Bb (B, and one more letter E) Bb has (Bb and Eb)

Try to fill above circle of fifth / forth chart.

* Back to Music Theory page from Circle of Fifths / Fourths page
* Back to Home Page from Circle of Fifths / Fourths page

The circle of fifths and the circle of fourths are totally different! the fourths is major scales and the 5ths is minor scales! THEY R NOT THE SAME!!!!!!!

She's got to go...or you need to improve your tone. The saxOphone, not saxAphone, is probably capable of more different tone variations than any other instrument (save the pipe organ and electronic instruments). There is the raspy, screaming sound of blues or rock players to the breathy, subtonal sounds of old school jazz tenor players...and many other variations in between. Try this...record and play the first three notes of Misty. Then listen to it. Would you buy a recording of Misty that sounded like that. It should be precisely on pitch, pleasant sounding and timed in a way that is acceptable for a performance. New saxophonists often have tonality problems that can only be remedied with close and critical listening.

To play the circle of fourths on the baritone saxophone, starting from G and going up to D flat, you need to know the notes and which ones are flat or sharp for each scale. Here are the notes for each scale:

G Major: G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, G
A flat Major: A flat, B flat, C, D flat, E flat, F, G, A flat
D flat Major: C# (Db), D flat, E flat, F, G flat, A flat, B flat, C# (Db)

These are the basic notes for each scale, going up one octave. To play the scales up and down, simply reverse the order of the notes when coming down. For example, for G Major going up, you would play G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, G. When coming down, you would play G, F#, E, D, C, B, A, G.

To remember which notes are flat or sharp, you can use the circle of fifths/fourths. The circle starts with the key of C and goes clockwise. Each step clockwise adds a sharp to the key signature, and each step counterclockwise adds a flat. So, for example, G Major has one sharp (F#) because it is one step clockwise from C Major, which has no sharps or flats.

To practice these scales, start by playing them slowly and make sure to play each note accurately. Use a metronome to keep a steady beat and gradually increase the tempo as you become more comfortable. Practice playing the scales up and down several times to build muscle memory and improve your technique.

Remember to also pay attention to the quality of sound you produce on the saxophone. If your girlfriend finds the sound unpleasant, it may be worth considering how you can improve your tone. Experiment with different mouthpiece setups, reeds, and air control techniques to find a tone that is pleasing to you and others. Record yourself playing and listen back to identify areas for improvement. Seek feedback from your band director or private teacher for specific guidance on improving your tone production.