Circle of Fifths

The Circle of Fifths is a fundamental visual tool in music theory that illustrates the relationships between the 12 tones of the chromatic scale, their corresponding key signatures, and the relative major and minor keys.

Imagine it like a clock face, but instead of hours, it organizes musical keys by intervals of perfect fifths (moving clockwise) or perfect fourths (moving counter-clockwise).

How It Works

• Moving Clockwise (Fifths): Starting at the top with C Major (which has zero sharps or flats), each step to the right moves up by a perfect fifth (5 scale degrees). Every step adds exactly one sharp  to the key signature.

  • C to G (1 sharp) to D (2 sharps) to A (3 sharps), and so on.

• Moving Counter-Clockwise (Fourths): Moving to the left from C moves up by a perfect fourth (or down by a perfect fifth). Every step adds exactly one flat  to the key signature.

  • C to   F (1 flat) to B (2 flats) to E (3 flats), and so on.

• Major and Minor Together: Most Circle of Fifths diagrams show the Major keys on the outside ring and their Relative Minor keys (which share the exact same key signature) on the inside ring (e.g., A minor sits right underneath C major).