Circle of Fifths
Tap a key to see its sharps or flats, its notes and its chords, then hear them as a beat.
C major
No sharps or flats
C D E F G A B
Plays C – G – Am – F, the best-known progression in C major.
Every key at a glance
Don’t know a song’s key? Find it with the key finder. Mixing as a DJ? Use the Camelot wheel.
| Major key | Relative minor | Key signature | Chords |
|---|---|---|---|
| C major | A minor | No sharps or flats | C Dm Em F G Am |
| G major | E minor | 1 sharp: F♯ | G Am Bm C D Em |
| D major | B minor | 2 sharps: F♯ C♯ | D Em F♯m G A Bm |
| A major | F♯ minor | 3 sharps: F♯ C♯ G♯ | A Bm C♯m D E F♯m |
| E major | C♯ minor | 4 sharps: F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ | E F♯m G♯m A B C♯m |
| B major | G♯ minor | 5 sharps: F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ A♯ | B C♯m D♯m E F♯ G♯m |
| F♯ major / G♭ major | D♯ minor / E♭ minor | 6 sharps: F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ A♯ E♯ (or 6 flats: B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ C♭) | F♯ G♯m A♯m B C♯ D♯m |
| D♭ major | B♭ minor | 5 flats: B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ | D♭ E♭m Fm G♭ A♭ B♭m |
| A♭ major | F minor | 4 flats: B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ | A♭ B♭m Cm D♭ E♭ Fm |
| E♭ major | C minor | 3 flats: B♭ E♭ A♭ | E♭ Fm Gm A♭ B♭ Cm |
| B♭ major | G minor | 2 flats: B♭ E♭ | B♭ Cm Dm E♭ F Gm |
| F major | D minor | 1 flat: B♭ | F Gm Am B♭ C Dm |
Using the circle, step by step
Tap a key
Major keys on the outside, their relative minors on the inside.
See its notes and chords
The key signature, the scale and the seven chords, with the six main ones lit up on the circle.
Hear it as a beat
Play the chords as a beat, then build a song on them in the editor free.
Frequently asked questions
What is the circle of fifths?
The 12 major keys in a circle, each a fifth above the one before it: C, G, D, A and so on round to F. Each step clockwise adds a sharp to the key signature, and each step anticlockwise adds a flat. The relative minor of each key sits on the inside.
How do I use the circle of fifths to find chords?
Pick a key. Its chords are the three majors next to each other on the outside (I, IV and V) and the three minors just inside them (ii, iii and vi). In C major that is C, F and G, with Dm, Em and Am. Tap any key above and they light up.
What is a relative minor?
The minor key that uses exactly the same notes as a major key, three half steps below it. A minor is the relative minor of C major, so both have no sharps or flats. On the circle it sits right inside its major.
How do I remember the order of sharps and flats?
Sharps are added in the order F, C, G, D, A, E, B, which is the circle read clockwise. Flats are the same letters backwards: B, E, A, D, G, C, F. A common way to remember the sharps is "Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle".
Why are F sharp and G flat at the same spot?
They are the same notes written two ways: six sharps or six flats. The circle closes there, which is why it is a circle.
Can I hear the chords of a key?
Yes. Tap a key and press the button. It plays the best-known progression in that key (I–V–vi–IV for major, i–VI–III–VII for minor) as a lo-fi, pop, trap, house or drill beat made in your browser. Then open it in the editor free, no account needed to start.
Write a song in any key
Open the editor free and build drums, chords, a melody and your voice, part by part.