Circle of Fifths — Interactive Key Signatures, Chords & Progression Builder
Click any key to see its diatonic chords, key signature, relative minor, and scale notes. Build and play back chord progressions. Load common progressions like I–V–vi–IV and ii–V–I. Transpose to any key instantly. Web Audio chord synthesis. No download, no signup.
Click any key — outer ring = major, inner ring = relative minor
Rate this tool
What makes this circle of fifths different from musicca and muted.io
How to use the circle of fifths
LazyTools vs other circle of fifths tools
| Feature | LazyTools | musicca.com | muted.io | tonegym.co | randscullard.com |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chord progression builder | ✅ Built-in | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| Common progressions library | ✅ 6 presets | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| One-click transposition | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No | Partial |
| Full diatonic chords (7) | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Scale notes listed | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Audio chord playback | ✅ Web Audio | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| Key signature details | ✅ Notes listed | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| No signup required | ✅ Always | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
All 12 major key signatures
| Key | Sharps/Flats | Accidentals | Relative minor |
|---|---|---|---|
| C major | None | — | A minor |
| G major | 1 sharp | F♯ | E minor |
| D major | 2 sharps | F♯ C♯ | B minor |
| A major | 3 sharps | F♯ C♯ G♯ | F♯ minor |
| E major | 4 sharps | F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ | C♯ minor |
| B major | 5 sharps | F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ A♯ | G♯ minor |
| F♯/G♭ major | 6 sharps / 6 flats | Enharmonic | D♯m / E♭m |
| D♭ major | 5 flats | B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ | B♭ minor |
| A♭ major | 4 flats | B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ | F minor |
| E♭ major | 3 flats | B♭ E♭ A♭ | C minor |
| B♭ major | 2 flats | B♭ E♭ | G minor |
| F major | 1 flat | B♭ | D minor |
Circle of Fifths Guide — Key Signatures, Chord Progressions, and Transposition
The circle of fifths is the single most useful diagram in Western music theory. Invented in its modern form in 1679 by Nikolai Diletsky, it organises all 12 major keys in a circle where each adjacent pair is exactly one perfect fifth apart (7 semitones clockwise, or equivalently a perfect fourth counterclockwise). The result is a compact visual that encodes key signatures, relative minors, diatonic chord relationships, and modulation paths all at once.
Why adjacent keys sound related
Two keys adjacent on the circle share 6 of their 7 scale notes. G major and C major differ by only one note (F vs F#). This near-identity is why moving between adjacent keys sounds smooth and natural — most of the harmonic material is shared. The further apart two keys sit on the circle, the fewer notes they share and the more dramatic a modulation between them sounds. Keys directly opposite each other (e.g. C and F#) share only 6 notes and represent the most distant harmonic relationship.
Circle of fifths and chord progressions
The circle predicts which chord movements have the strongest harmonic pull. The V chord (one step clockwise from the tonic) creates the strongest resolution back to I — the V–I movement is the backbone of Western cadences. The IV chord (one step counterclockwise) creates a different, softer pull. The ii–V–I progression in jazz is literally three consecutive steps counterclockwise around the circle, and its strength comes directly from this chain of descending fifths. Understanding this makes the I–V–vi–IV progression immediately obvious: you are visiting the dominant (clockwise), then the relative minor (shared key signature), then the subdominant (counterclockwise) before returning home.
Circle of fifths music theory free online — transposition
The most practical application of the circle for working musicians is transposition. If a singer needs a song in a higher or lower key, you locate the diatonic chords on the circle (they always sit at the same relative positions: I at the top, IV one step left, V one step right, vi two steps right). Moving the entire pattern clockwise raises the key by a fifth; counterclockwise lowers it by a fifth. Two steps clockwise raises by a whole tone. This geometric approach is faster than memorising transposition tables for all 12 keys.
Circle of fifths — 8 questions answered
A circular diagram arranging all 12 major keys where each adjacent key is a perfect fifth apart. Moving clockwise adds one sharp; counterclockwise adds one flat. It encodes key signatures, relative minors, and chord relationships.
The 7 chords built on each degree of a major scale using only notes within that key. Pattern: I (major), ii (minor), iii (minor), IV (major), V (major), vi (minor), vii° (diminished). For C: C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am, B°.
Every major key has a relative minor sharing the same key signature. The relative minor starts on the 6th scale degree. C major’s relative minor is A minor. G major’s is E minor. Shown on the inner ring of the circle.
Adjacent keys share 6 of 7 notes. V resolves strongly to I (clockwise to counterclockwise). The I-IV-V-I progression uses the three adjacent positions. The ii-V-I jazz progression moves 3 steps counterclockwise. Build any progression with the builder above and play it back.
Moving a chord progression from one key to another while preserving the harmonic relationships. Build a progression, then click any key in the Transpose row to see the chord names update for the new key.
Sharps: F-C-G-D-A-E-B (Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle). Flats: B-E-A-D-G-C-F (the reverse). Each clockwise step adds one sharp; each counterclockwise step adds one flat.
Key pairs that sound identical but are written differently. F# major (6 sharps) and Gb major (6 flats) are enharmonic. Both appear at the bottom of the circle. Musicians choose based on notational simplicity.
LazyTools Circle of Fifths is 100% free. No download, no account, no signup. Click any key for diatonic chords, key signatures, relative minor, and scale notes. Build progressions and transpose. Works in any modern browser.