The Circle of Fifths
The circle of fifths arranges all 12 keys by their signatures: each step clockwise adds a sharp, each step counter-clockwise adds a flat. Click any key to see its sharps or flats, its relative minor, and the chords in that key.
Key signature chart
Every major key, its relative minor, and the exact sharps or flats in its signature.
| Major key | Relative minor | Sharps / flats | Notes in the signature |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | A minor | 0 | — |
| G | E minor | 1♯ | F♯ |
| D | B minor | 2♯ | F♯ C♯ |
| A | F♯ minor | 3♯ | F♯ C♯ G♯ |
| E | C♯ minor | 4♯ | F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ |
| B | G♯ minor | 5♯ | F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ A♯ |
| G♭ / F♯ | E♭ / D♯ minor | 6♭ / 6♯ | B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ C♭ |
| D♭ | B♭ minor | 5♭ | B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ |
| A♭ | F minor | 4♭ | B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ |
| E♭ | C minor | 3♭ | B♭ E♭ A♭ |
| B♭ | G minor | 2♭ | B♭ E♭ |
| F | D minor | 1♭ | B♭ |
How to read the circle of fifths
Start at the top with C major — no sharps, no flats. Every step clockwise moves up a perfect fifth and adds one sharp: G, D, A, E, B, then F♯. Every step counter-clockwise moves down a fifth and adds one flat: F, B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, then G♭. At the bottom the two directions meet at the enharmonic pair G♭ / F♯.
The order of sharps is F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ A♯ E♯ B♯ — a handy mnemonic is "Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle". The order of flats is the same list reversed: B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ C♭ F♭.
Relative and closely related keys
The inner ring shows each key's relative minor — the minor key with the identical signature, built on the sixth degree of the major scale. A minor is the relative minor of C major; both have no accidentals. Keys that sit next to each other on the circle differ by only one accidental, which is exactly why they sound "close" and why so many songs modulate to a neighbor.
Why musicians use it
- Find a key signature instantly without counting up the scale.
- Build chord progressions — the I, IV and V of any key are three adjacent slices on the circle.
- Transpose by rotating a progression the same number of steps around the wheel.
- Tune and practice in context — once you know the key, drill it with the metronome and check your pitch with the tuner.
For the raw pitch behind every note in these keys, see the note frequency chart.
Frequently asked questions
What is the circle of fifths?
The circle of fifths is a diagram that arranges the 12 musical keys by their key signatures. Moving clockwise, each key is a perfect fifth higher and adds one sharp; moving counter-clockwise, each key is a fifth lower and adds one flat. It shows at a glance how keys, their signatures, and their chords relate.
How do you read the circle of fifths?
Start at C major at the top, which has no sharps or flats. Each step clockwise (G, D, A, E, B, F♯) adds a sharp; each step counter-clockwise (F, B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭) adds a flat. The inner ring shows each key's relative minor, which shares the same signature.
What is the order of sharps and flats?
Sharps are added in the order F, C, G, D, A, E, B. Flats are added in the reverse order: B, E, A, D, G, C, F. A key with three sharps, for example, has F♯, C♯, and G♯.
What is a relative minor?
A relative minor is the minor key that shares the exact same key signature as a major key. It starts on the sixth degree of the major scale — for example, A minor is the relative minor of C major, and both have no sharps or flats.
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