Circle of fifths
Tap a key on the circle to see its signature, its scale and the chords that go together, and hear each one.
Key signature:
Chords in the key
Common progressions
Relative key:
Neighbor keys:
All the keys
| Major key | Relative minor | Key signature | Scale notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| C major | A minor | No sharps or flats | C D E F G A B |
| G major | E minor | 1 sharp (F♯) | G A B C D E F♯ |
| D major | B minor | 2 sharps (F♯ C♯) | D E F♯ G A B C♯ |
| A major | F♯ minor | 3 sharps (F♯ C♯ G♯) | A B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ |
| E major | C♯ minor | 4 sharps (F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯) | E F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D♯ |
| B major | G♯ minor | 5 sharps (F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ A♯) | B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A♯ |
| F♯ major | D♯ minor | 6 sharps (F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ A♯ E♯) | F♯ G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯ E♯ |
| G♭ major | E♭ minor | 6 flats (B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ C♭) | G♭ A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ F |
| D♭ major | B♭ minor | 5 flats (B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭) | D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C |
| A♭ major | F minor | 4 flats (B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭) | A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G |
| E♭ major | C minor | 3 flats (B♭ E♭ A♭) | E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C D |
| B♭ major | G minor | 2 flats (B♭ E♭) | B♭ C D E♭ F G A |
| F major | D minor | 1 flat (B♭) | F G A B♭ C D E |
All the keys
Major:
Minor:
How to use it
- 1
Tap a key: the outer ring is major, the inner ring is the relative minor.
- 2
See the key signature, the scale and the chords of the key.
- 3
Tap a chord or a progression to hear it, and use the neighbors to change key smoothly.
What people use it for
- Writing songs
Find which chords belong to a key and build progressions that work.
- Transposing
See the same chords in another key to fit your voice.
- Reading music
Learn how many sharps or flats each key has.
- Improvising
Know which scale to use over a song.
- Studying for an exam
Review keys, relatives and signatures with sound.
Common questions
What is the circle of fifths?
It is the 12 keys arranged so that each one is a fifth above the previous: C, G, D, A and so on. Going clockwise adds a sharp to the key signature, going counterclockwise adds a flat.
How do I use it to write a song?
Pick a key and use its chords. The keys next to it on the circle share almost all the same chords, so they are the smoothest places to change key.
What is a relative minor?
It is the minor key with the same notes and the same key signature as a major key. A minor is the relative of C major, both with no sharps or flats.
Why do F♯ and G♭ share a spot?
They are the same keys on the piano, just written differently. F♯ major has 6 sharps and G♭ major has 6 flats.