Circle of fifths
Every key, arranged so each step clockwise adds a sharp and each step counterclockwise adds a flat. Majors sit on the outer ring, their relative minors inside. Pick a key to light up the chords that belong with it.
How to read a key signature on the circle of fifths
- Find the key on the circle: majors on the outer ring, minors on the inner ring.
- Count the steps from the top, where C major and A minor sit with no sharps or flats.
- Each step clockwise adds a sharp; each step counterclockwise adds a flat.
- Name the sharps in order, F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯, B♯, or the flats, B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭, as many as you counted.
- For example, A major is three steps clockwise: three sharps, F♯, C♯ and G♯.
Every key on the circle
C major has no sharps or flats. Its relative minor, A minor, shares the signature. The primary chords, I, IV and V, are C, F and G.
G major has one sharp, F♯. Its relative minor, E minor, shares the signature. The primary chords, I, IV and V, are G, C and D.
D major has two sharps, F♯ and C♯. Its relative minor, B minor, shares the signature. The primary chords, I, IV and V, are D, G and A.
A major has three sharps, F♯, C♯ and G♯. Its relative minor, F♯ minor, shares the signature. The primary chords, I, IV and V, are A, D and E.
E major has four sharps, F♯, C♯, G♯ and D♯. Its relative minor, C♯ minor, shares the signature. The primary chords, I, IV and V, are E, A and B.
B major has five sharps, F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯ and A♯. Its relative minor, G♯ minor, shares the signature. The primary chords, I, IV and V, are B, E and F♯. The same keys are also written C♭ major, with seven flats.
F♯ major has six sharps, F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯ and E♯. Its relative minor, D♯ minor, shares the signature. The primary chords, I, IV and V, are F♯, B and C♯. The same keys are also written G♭ major, with six flats.
D♭ major has five flats, B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭ and G♭. Its relative minor, B♭ minor, shares the signature. The primary chords, I, IV and V, are D♭, G♭ and A♭. The same keys are also written C♯ major, with seven sharps.
A♭ major has four flats, B♭, E♭, A♭ and D♭. Its relative minor, F minor, shares the signature. The primary chords, I, IV and V, are A♭, D♭ and E♭.
E♭ major has three flats, B♭, E♭ and A♭. Its relative minor, C minor, shares the signature. The primary chords, I, IV and V, are E♭, A♭ and B♭.
B♭ major has two flats, B♭ and E♭. Its relative minor, G minor, shares the signature. The primary chords, I, IV and V, are B♭, E♭ and F.
F major has one flat, B♭. Its relative minor, D minor, shares the signature. The primary chords, I, IV and V, are F, B♭ and C.
Printable circle of fifths, with the key signatures, for the classroom or the music stand.
Questions
What is the circle of fifths?
A diagram of the twelve major keys and their relative minors, arranged so that each step clockwise adds one sharp to the key signature and each step counterclockwise adds one flat. Keys side by side share all but one note.
Why is it called the circle of fifths?
Each step clockwise goes up a perfect 5th: C to G counts five letters, C, D, E, F, G. Twelve steps of a 5th pass through every key and come back to C.
What is the order of sharps?
F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯ and B♯. It is the circle read clockwise from F, and a key with three sharps always has the first three.
What is the order of flats?
B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭ and F♭: the order of sharps backwards, and the circle read counterclockwise from B♭.
Which keys sit in the same place on the circle?
B and C♭ major; F♯ and G♭ major; D♭ and C♯ major. Each pair sounds the same on the piano and is written two ways; pieces use whichever reads more easily.
How do I find the relative minor of a key?
Look directly inside the major key on the circle: A minor sits inside C major. On the keyboard, count down three half steps from the major key's first note: C, B, B♭, A.