NAME _______________________________DATE: ________________

SLICING THE CAKE – Quadrants in the circle of fifths

On the circle of fifths (see below), the three major chords of a particular key are found to the immediate
right & left of the key chord. So in the Key of C major, G & F. These are the three ‘Primary chords’. The
one to the right is the ‘dominant’ (G in this case). This is the chord that ‘establishes’ a particular key.

The three minor chords (the secondary chords) are found inside the circle from those chords. So for C
major Am, Em & Dm. (each is the ‘relative minor’ of the major chord outside it)

So a ‘cake slice’ around a key gives you all the chords of that key (except that pesky chord seven).

Exercise 1- Cake Slice. Use the circle of fifths below to find out the answer to the following questions:

1) What are the chords of the key of D major?

i) Major ___ ___ ___ ii) Minor ___ ___ ___ iii) in alphabetic order: 1 2 3 4 5 6
(write the chord above the number)
2) What are the chords of the key of Ab major?

i) Major ___ ___ ___ ii) Minor ___ ___ ___ iii) in alphabetic order: 1 2 3 4 5 6
(write the chord above the number)

3) Write the chord sequence 1625 in each key D major: 1 6 2 5 Ab Major: 1 6 2 5

(write the chord above the number)

Exercise 2 – Modulation To establish a new key you need to establish the dominant of the new key. So
to change key (modulate) from D major to Ab major you need to precede it with it’s dominant i.e. Eb (i.e.
chord 5). You might also precede that with the 2 chord of the new key i.e. Bbm. This is a 251.
So a 2 5 1 onto Ab (with 7ths added) is: Bbm7 Eb7 Ab

Write the sequence 1 3 6 4 in Bb and then change key to E major and write the same sequence
preceding the new key with chords 2 & 5 for the new key (write the chord above the number)

Bb major 1 3 6 4 E major (2 5) 1 3 6 4

The next chord (to the right) is the dominant (5th) of the last
Treble Treble
Clef Lines Clef
Spaces
F (Food) E
D (Deserves)
B (Boy)
C 
G (Good)
A
F
E (Every)

Bass Clef
Bass
Clef Spaces
Lines
G (Grass)
A (Always)
F (Food) E (Eat)
D (Deserve) C (Cows)
B (Boys) A (All)
G (Good)