Alright, so my teacher wrote me our a little circle of fifths thing, could someone explain?

Alright, so an A flat scale has 4 flats, I got that, but where do you put those flats? Alright, so once I understand where the flats go, and I want to make an A flat chord, I take the first, third, and fifth of that scale, right?

Flats always go in this order B-E-A-D-G-C-F. The scales represented are F (which has one flat, that is, B flat) B flat, E flat, etc. in the same order as above. In major, you can tell what scale it is, since the next to last flat will tell you. B flat has a B flat and an E flat.

You are correct the 1st 3rd and 5th make up a chord in a particular scale.

Are you playing in minor or major?
If you are doing a A flat minor you are looking at Ab, Bb, Cb, Db, Eb, Fb, Gb, Ab

If you are playing in Major you have Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, G, Ab

I believe they go in order of the circle. That is one way to make an a flat chord.

Every five notes starting from C you add 1 #
C (no sharp/flat) (count 5) G (+5) D (+5) A (+5) E (+5) B(+5)
Then starting in F add flats
F (one b) (count 5) Eb (note it has two be b b/c E already exists) (+5) Bb(5) Fb(+5) Cb
That's all there is to it.
Good luck

Okay - here is a simple mental device.

Shaprs appear in ONE order - if there is ONE shapr, it is F#, if there are two shaprs, they are F# and C# etc.

The flats are in the REVERSE order - One flat is Bb, two flats are Bb abd Eb ...

here is the memory tricK to remember the order:

Sharps:
Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle

Flats:
Ballte Ends And Down Goes Charles' Father

Thus, Ab has four flats by the circle of fifths, those flats are Bb, Eb, Ab, and Db ...

So, you take the notes A B C D E F G A and plug in the four flats:
Ab Bb C Db Eb F G Ab(again)

To make the I chord in the key of Ab, take the root, third, and fifth .... thus:
Ab C Eb

http://www.circle-of-fifths.net/
http://randscullard.com/CircleOfFifths/

These two sites are GREAT for helping understand the circle of fifths.

do you know the orders of flats/sharps?

ALWAYs with key signitures the sharps/flats will be in this order
FLATS(all said notes are flat)
B,E,A,D,G,C,F

SHARPS
F,C,G,D,A,E,B

OR THE OPPOSITE ORDER

So... if you have four flats, you must have B,E,A,D flats

Hope its helpful

Anna

The first, third and fifth of that scale will only make a major chord....there are many other types of chords.