Standard counterpoint theory advises you to avoid parallel fifths and most classical music composition tried to do this. "Parallel fifths and octaves are prohibited in most books that prescribe "rules"...and if used to excess tend to create the effect of one voice being eliminated, not only because of its lack of independence, but because the overtones tend to make the two separate sounds coalesce" as one of my old harmony books says. You are normally advised to watch out for accidentally creating them between different voices of 4-part harmony too.

Of course this advice has not always been followed and even the greatest composers have used them sometimes. But in general probably not a good idea to use them a lot.

Similar advice usually applied to consecutive octaves (but that didn't stop Django or Wes Montgomery!).

There is a brief wikipedia article here: Consecutive Fifths.


Mick