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The circle of fifths

Every major key on the outer ring, its relative minor directly inside it. Moving one step clockwise adds a sharp, one step counterclockwise adds a flat. Neighboring keys share all but one note, which is why they sound closely related and modulate into each other easily. Click any key to see its scale, key signature and chords.

C Am G Em D Bm A F#m E C#m B G#m F# D#m Db Bbm Ab Fm Eb Cm Bb Gm F Dm

Reading the circle

Start at C major, at the top, with no sharps or flats. Each step clockwise moves up a fifth and adds one sharp, in the order F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, E#, B#. Each step counterclockwise moves down a fifth and adds one flat, in the order Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb, Fb. The two halves meet at the bottom of the circle, where a key with many sharps and the enharmonic key with many flats land on the same piano keys.

The inner ring shows each major key's relative minor, the minor key that shares the exact same key signature. They sit at the same position because they are, in a real sense, two names for one set of notes, just built starting from a different scale degree.