Circle of Fifths
Click any key to see its diatonic chords, relative minor, and how it relates to neighbouring keys.
Click an outer key (major) or inner ring (minor) ↑
What is the Circle of Fifths?
How to read it
Moving clockwise by one step adds a sharp to the key signature — C → G → D → A and so on. Moving counterclockwise adds a flat. Keys next to each other share six of their seven diatonic chords, making modulation between them sound natural.
Outer vs inner ring
The outer ring shows major keys. The inner ring shows their relative minors — they share the exact same notes but with a different tonal centre. For example, C major and A minor both use C D E F G A B.
IV and V highlighted
When you select a key, the circle highlights its dominant (V) one step clockwise and its subdominant (IV) one step counterclockwise. These are the three most closely related keys — the foundation of Western harmony.
Use it for songwriting
Pick a key, read off the diatonic chords, and you have a palette of chords that sound great together. Click any chord in the table to open it in the editor, or use the I–vi–IV–V button to load the most popular pop progression instantly.
Build a progression from your key
Pick chords from the table above and arrange them in the Chord Player — add rhythm, transpose, and export to WAV.
Open Chord Player →