Circle of fifths: the chart and how to use it

The circle of fifths puts the twelve major keys in a ring, each a fifth above the one before. Neighbours on the circle share six of their seven notes, which makes it the quickest way to see which keys and chords belong together.

The chart

Major key	Relative minor	Sharps or flats
C major	A minor	None
G major	E minor	1 sharp: F#
D major	B minor	2 sharps: F#, C#
A major	F# minor	3 sharps: F#, C#, G#
E major	C# minor	4 sharps: F#, C#, G#, D#
B major	G# minor	5 sharps: F#, C#, G#, D#, A#
F# major (Gb major)	Eb minor (D# minor)	6 sharps or 6 flats
Db major	Bb minor	5 flats: Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb
Ab major	F minor	4 flats: Bb, Eb, Ab, Db
Eb major	C minor	3 flats: Bb, Eb, Ab
Bb major	G minor	2 flats: Bb, Eb
F major	D minor	1 flat: Bb

Going down the chart is going clockwise round the circle: each key is a fifth above the last and adds one sharp. Going up is anticlockwise: each key is a fifth below and adds one flat. After F you are back at C.

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Finding the chords of a key

Take a major key and its two neighbours on the circle. Those three major chords are the I, IV and V of the key, and their three relative minors are the ii, iii and vi. In C major: C, F and G, plus Dm, Em and Am. Those six chords cover most pop and dance music in that key.

Every key page in our chord progressions lists these chords and lets you hear them.

How producers use it

Changing key: moving one step round the circle sounds natural, because only one note changes. A jump across the circle sounds dramatic.
Borrowing chords: a chord from the key next door, like Bb in C major (from F major), adds colour without sounding wrong.
Mixing: DJs use the same idea in the Camelot wheel, where one step up or down means a smooth blend.
Basslines: moving the root by fifths (C to G to D) gives strong, driving movement.

Every scale on a piano →Hear any key from the circle, with its chords, and download it as MIDI.Chord progression generator →Pick a key and get progressions to play and download.The Camelot wheel →The same circle with DJ codes, from 1A to 12B.

237 free MIDI chord progressions

Every major and minor key and 17 genres as MIDI files, chords and bass on separate tracks. Our free sound pack comes with it. Royalty-free.

Questions

What is the circle of fifths?

The twelve keys arranged in a ring, each a fifth above the one before. Neighbouring keys share six of seven notes.

How many sharps does G major have?

One: F#.

How many flats does F major have?

One: Bb.

What is the relative minor of C major?

A minor. The two keys use the same notes.

How do I find chords that go together with the circle of fifths?

A major key and its two neighbours give the I, IV and V chords; their relative minors give ii, iii and vi.