Circle of fifths
Tap a key to hear it and see its key signature, relative minor and the chords that belong to it. Its neighbours on the wheel are its closest relatives.
C major
Key signature: no sharps or flats
Relative minor: A minor, same notes, different home.
Closest keys: F (IV side) and G (V side), each one note different.
Chords in the key
On the wheel: gold = home key, the slices either side are IV and V, and the three minors under them are ii, vi and iii.
Why the circle works
Move up a perfect fifth from C and you reach G. G major’s scale is identical to C major except for one note: F becomes F♯. Go up another fifth to D and C becomes C♯. Every step clockwise keeps six notes and sharpens one, which is why neighbours on the wheel sound so natural together and why modulating to the next key round feels smooth.
Twelve fifths later you arrive back at C (7 × 12 = 84 semitones, exactly seven octaves), closing the circle. At the bottom, F♯ and G♭ are the same keys on a piano, spelled with 6 sharps or 6 flats. The circle also explains the ii–V–I in jazz: each chord is a fifth above the next, a chain of counter-clockwise steps that lands home.
Hear chords from any key in context with the chord progression generator, and see the scales on the piano scales page.
Questions
What is the circle of fifths?
A diagram of the 12 keys arranged so each is a perfect fifth (7 semitones) above the previous one going clockwise. Each step clockwise adds one sharp to the key signature; each step counter-clockwise adds one flat.
How do I find the relative minor?
The relative minor sits on the inner ring directly under its major key. It shares the same key signature and notes, starting three semitones lower: C major and A minor, G major and E minor.
How do I use the circle of fifths for songwriting?
Pick a key; that key and its two neighbours give you the I, IV and V chords, and the three inner-ring minors below them give ii, iii and vi. Those six chords cover most songs in that key.
What is the order of sharps and flats?
Sharps are added in the order F C G D A E B (Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle). Flats are the reverse: B E A D G C F.