Harmony
Circle of fifths
The circle of fifths arranges the twelve major keys (and their relative minors) a perfect fifth apart: each step adds one sharp one way and one flat the other way.
What is the circle of fifths?
Start on C and climb in perfect fifths: C, G, D, A, E, B, F#. Keep going (F# = Gb, then Db, Ab, Eb, Bb, F) and after twelve steps you are back on C. Lay those notes out like the hours on a clock and you have the circle of fifths.
On the inner ring, every major key has its relative minor: Am under C, Em under G, Bm under D, and so on. One picture sums up all 24 everyday keys.
How do you read the circle of fifths?
The rule to remember: each step clockwise adds a sharp, each step counterclockwise adds a flat. That is the exact order of key signatures:
| Clockwise | C | G | D | A | E | B | F# |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sharps | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Counterclockwise | F | Bb | Eb | Ab | Db | Gb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flats | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
Neighbouring keys differ by a single note: C major and G major share six of seven notes, only F becomes F#. That is why moving to a neighbour (a modulation to the V or IV) sounds so smooth.
The circle of fifths on the fretboard
Standard tuning (E A D G B E) makes the circle very concrete:
- Up a fifth: the power chord shape, next string up, two frets higher. G at the 3rd fret (6th string), D at the 5th (5th string), A at the 7th (4th string).
- Up a fourth (counterclockwise): same fret, next string. G at the 3rd fret (6th string), C at the 3rd (5th string), F at the 3rd (4th string).
Watch the jump from the G string to the B string, a major third apart: add one fret. Exercise: play one note per key around the circle counterclockwise, saying each name out loud.
Finding the chords of a key with the circle
Take a key and its two neighbours: you have the three major chords I, IV and V. For C: F, C, G. The relative minors just inside give ii, vi and iii: Dm, Am, Em. Add the vii° (Bdim) and all seven chords of the key fit in one slice of the circle.
The circle also drives progressions. Counterclockwise is V-I motion, the strongest move in tonal harmony: Am, Dm, G, C (vi-ii-V-I) or, with secondary dominants, E7, A7, D7, G7, C, the classic ragtime loop. To spin all of this in front of you, use the interactive circle of fifths, which shows key signatures, relative minors and diatonic chords for every key.
Key takeaways
- Twelve keys a fifth apart; relative minors on the inner ring.
- Clockwise: +1 sharp. Counterclockwise: +1 flat.
- On the neck: a fifth = next string, 2 frets up; a fourth = same fret, next string.
- A key + its two neighbours + their relative minors = the chords of the key.
Frequently asked questions
How do you memorise the circle of fifths?
Learn the order of sharps, F C G D A E B. Starting from C, the sharp keys run G D A E B F#. The flat keys follow the order of flats shifted by one: F, then Bb Eb Ab Db Gb. Play them on the neck rather than reciting them.
What is the difference between the circle of fifths and the circle of fourths?
It is the same circle read the other way. Up a fourth equals down a fifth: C, F, Bb, Eb and so on. Jazz players often say cycle of fourths when they talk about chains of dominant chords.
Why do guitarists mostly play in sharp keys?
Because the open strings E, A, D and G are the tonics of E, A, D and G major, all on the sharp side. Open chords and open bass notes fall naturally under the fingers in those keys.
Related terms
Practise in the workshop
Take it from theory to the fretboard
Open the workshop tools and see this idea across the whole neck. Free account, no card needed.