Circle of Fifths

What is the Circle of Fifths?

The Circle of Fifths arranges all 12 musical keys in a circle. Moving clockwise, each key is a perfect 5th (7 semitones) higher and adds one sharp to its key signature. Moving counter-clockwise adds one flat.

The outer ring — major keys

The outer ring shows major keys. Adjacent keys on the circle share 6 out of 7 notes, making them natural modulation targets. Keys directly opposite (6 steps apart) share the fewest notes.

The inner ring — relative minor keys

Each minor key sits inside its relative major. They share exactly the same 7 notes — only the root note (and therefore the "home" chord) changes.

Using the circle for songwriting

• Modulation: moving one or two steps clockwise/anti-clockwise creates smooth key changes
• Borrowed chords: using a chord from an adjacent key adds colour without leaving the song's key
• The ii–V–I: each ii–V–I progression moves counter-clockwise by one step on the circle