Circle of Fifths: Interactive Chart of Every Key, Its Minor and Its Chords
The circle of fifths arranges the 12 major keys like a clock face, each a perfect fifth above the last: C at the top, then G, D, A, E, B, F♯ (G♭), D♭, A♭, E♭, B♭ and F. Going clockwise adds one sharp to the key signature; going counterclockwise adds one flat. The inner ring shows each key’s relative minor, such as A minor for C major.
Updated · By the Classfern Music Department
Works in the UK and the US. This version uses US words and grades (measure, staff, quarter note, elementary school); the UK version uses bar, stave, crotchet and Key Stages. · UK version of this page
Key facts
- The circle holds all 12 major keys and their 12 relative minors; three places have two names (B/C♭, F♯/G♭, D♭/C♯), so it covers all 15 key signatures.
- Each step clockwise goes up a perfect fifth (7 half steps) and adds one sharp; each step counterclockwise goes up a perfect fourth and adds one flat.
- Each relative minor is 3 half steps below its major and shares its key signature: C major and A minor, G major and E minor.
- The keys either side of any key are its IV and V chords: F and G sit next to C.
- It was first described by Nikolay Diletsky in the late 1670s and, independently, by Johann David Heinichen in 1711.
What is the circle of fifths?
The circle of fifths is a diagram of all 12 major and minor keys arranged like a clock, each a perfect fifth from the next. C major (no sharps or flats) is at 12 o’clock; going clockwise each key adds one sharp (G, D, A, E, B, F♯) and going counterclockwise each key adds one flat (F, B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭).
The inner ring shows the relative minor of each major key. At the bottom the sharp and flat sides meet: F♯ major (6 sharps) and G♭ major (6 flats) sound the same, which closes the circle.
Interactive circle of fifths
Press a key on the circle or a button below to see its key signature, relative minor, neighbours and chords, then hear its scale and its I–IV–V–I.
Sounds are made in your browser. This tool never uses the microphone, and nothing is recorded, saved or sent.
How do you use the circle of fifths?
Use the circle of fifths to find any key signature (count the steps from C), the relative minor (the inner ring), and the main chords of a key: the key itself is I, the key clockwise is V and the key counterclockwise is IV. The three minor keys underneath them are ii, iii and vi.
- Key signatures: E is four steps clockwise from C, so E major has four sharps (F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯).
- Chords in a key: in G major, C (IV), G (I) and D (V) sit side by side, with Am, Em and Bm below – six of its seven chords.
- Changing key: neighbouring keys share six of their seven notes, so moving one step round the circle is the smoothest modulation.
- Chord progressions: moving counterclockwise (D → G → C) is the strong V–I pull behind the ii–V–I of jazz. See chord progressions.
| Place | Major key | Relative minor | Key signature | I, IV and V |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 o’clock | C major | A minor | no sharps or flats | C, F, G |
| 1 o’clock | G major | E minor | 1 sharp | G, C, D |
| 2 o’clock | D major | B minor | 2 sharps | D, G, A |
| 3 o’clock | A major | F♯ minor | 3 sharps | A, D, E |
| 4 o’clock | E major | C♯ minor | 4 sharps | E, A, B |
| 5 o’clock | B major / C♭ major | G♯ minor / A♭ minor | 5 sharps / 7 flats | B, E, F♯ |
| 6 o’clock | F♯ major / G♭ major | D♯ minor / E♭ minor | 6 sharps / 6 flats | F♯, B, C♯ |
| 7 o’clock | D♭ major / C♯ major | B♭ minor / A♯ minor | 5 flats / 7 sharps | D♭, G♭, A♭ |
| 8 o’clock | A♭ major | F minor | 4 flats | A♭, D♭, E♭ |
| 9 o’clock | E♭ major | C minor | 3 flats | E♭, A♭, B♭ |
| 10 o’clock | B♭ major | G minor | 2 flats | B♭, E♭, F |
| 11 o’clock | F major | D minor | 1 flat | F, B♭, C |
Why is it called the circle of fifths?
It is called the circle of fifths because each key is a perfect fifth (7 half steps) above the one before: C up a fifth is G, G up a fifth is D, and so on. After 12 fifths you arrive back at C (seven octaves higher), which turns the line of keys into a circle.
Read the other way, counterclockwise, each step is a perfect fourth, so the same diagram is also called the circle of fourths. Jazz musicians often practice round the circle in fourths (C, F, B♭, E♭…), because that is the direction chords like to move.
Who invented the circle of fifths?
The first known description of the circle of fifths is in the Grammatika by the Ukrainian composer and theorist Nikolay Diletsky, written in the late 1670s. In Germany, Johann David Heinichen published his own “musical circle” in 1711 without knowing of Diletsky’s, and the idea spread through European theory books.
It became important once keyboards were tuned so that every key could be used – with equal temperament, F♯ and G♭ really are the same note, so the circle closes.
What are relative and parallel keys?
Relative keys share a key signature but have different key notes: C major and A minor both have no sharps or flats. Parallel keys share a key note but have different key signatures: C major has none, while C minor has three flats. On the circle, a relative minor sits just inside its major; the parallel minor is three steps counterclockwise.
Composers often move between relative keys (C major to A minor) because they share every note, and between parallel keys (C major to C minor) for a sudden change of mood.
How do you memorise the circle of fifths?
Learn the sharp keys in order with a sentence such as “Good Deeds Always Earn Big Favours” (G D A E B F♯), and notice that the flat keys follow the order of flats: F, then B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭. Then remember that each relative minor is three half steps below its major.
A quick check: the number of sharps in a sharp key equals its distance clockwise from C (E is 4 steps, so 4 sharps), and the number of flats in a flat key equals its distance counterclockwise (E♭ is 3 steps, so 3 flats).
Key signatures quiz: name the major key
Marked by Classfern Ten key signatures, from no sharps or flats up to seven. Name the major key. Questions are made fresh each time by the Classfern lesson engine; your answers stay on this device.
Circle of fifths quiz
Marked by Classfern 5 multiple-choice questions on the Classfern lesson engine. Your answers stay on this device.
Classroom idea: build the circle of fifths
A 20-minute lesson for grades 8–12 and AP Music Theory students who already know major scales.
- Draw a clock (3 minutes): write C at 12 o’clock.
- Count up fives (5 minutes): from C count five letters up (C D E F G) to reach G at 1 o’clock; carry on – D, A, E, B, F♯ – adding one sharp each time.
- Count down fives (5 minutes): from C go counterclockwise – F, B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭ – adding one flat each time.
- Inner ring (3 minutes): write each relative minor, three half steps below its major.
- Check (4 minutes): Marked by Classfern take the key signatures quiz above, then compare your circle with the interactive one.
Classfern’s free interactive circle of fifths is part of the Classfern Music Department at lessonplanner.info. Chord and note names are spelled from each key.
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