Circle of Fifths

Click any key on the circle above. The outer ring holds the twelve major keys, the inner ring their relative minors, and each step clockwise adds one sharp (or removes one flat). Choosing a key shows its key signature, the notes of its scale, its relative and parallel keys, and the seven chords built on its scale, each linked to the page that teaches it.

Start at the top with C major, which has no sharps or flats. Move one step clockwise and you reach G major, a fifth higher, with one sharp (F♯). Another step gives D major with two sharps. Each key keeps the sharps of the one before and adds one more, which is why the sharps in any key signature always appear in the same order: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯, B♯.

Going anticlockwise from C adds flats instead: F major has one (B♭), B♭ major has two, and so on, in the order B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭. At the bottom of the circle the two directions meet, and the same key can be spelled either way: F♯ major with six sharps is the same set of piano keys as G♭ major with six flats.

The inner ring shows each key's relative minor: the minor key with the same key signature. A minor sits inside C major because both use only the white keys. To find a relative minor, count down three semitones from the major key's name, or simply read it off the circle.

The circle is a map of how keys relate, and three everyday jobs become easy with it.

Reading a key signature. Count the sharps or flats at the start of the staff and read the key off the circle. Two sharps is D major or B minor; three flats is E♭ major or C minor. The key signatures page shows what each one looks like on the staff.

Choosing chords. Neighbouring keys share most of their notes, so the chords of a key's neighbours sound natural next to it. In C major, the chords F (one step anticlockwise) and G (one step clockwise) are the IV and V that most songs are built on. Select a key above and the chord table lists all seven of its diatonic chords with links to the chord dictionary.

Transposing. To move a song from C to G, move every chord one step clockwise: C becomes G, F becomes C, G becomes D. The shape of the progression stays the same.

To practise a key rather than read about it, the key's page has its scale on a playable keyboard, and the scale chart lists every major and minor scale with fingering.

Why are there two names for some keys?

At the bottom of the circle the sharp keys and the flat keys overlap. F♯ major and G♭ major are the same piano keys spelled differently; which spelling a piece uses depends on which is easier to read.

How do I find the relative minor of a major key?

Read the inner ring, or go down three semitones from the major key's name. C major's relative minor is A minor; G major's is E minor.

What is the parallel minor?

The minor key with the same name, such as C minor next to C major. Parallel keys share a tonic but have different key signatures; the circle shows both when you select a key.

Is the circle of fifths the same as the circle of fourths?

Yes: it is the same circle read the other way. Moving anticlockwise is a fourth up each step, which is why the flat keys are sometimes taught as the circle of fourths.