Circle of Fifths
Key relationships and common progressions

The circle of fifths maps all keys in one ring—a theory map for key signatures, chord motion, and transposition. This page offers an interactive diagram plus structured explanations and practice examples for rehearsal, writing, or dictation. Search “Circle of Fifths” for deeper reading.

Mode

Ionian (Major)—Bright, stable—the default major mode

Tip: click any key on the ring to update the details below.

C major

The relative major and natural minor are C major / Am natural minor—they share one key signature.

Key signature & scale

Clef:

Key signature:

No sharps or flats

Scale:

C– D– E– F– G– A– BC

Dominant (V) Subdominant (IV) Tonic (I)

Seven diatonic triads in this key

Tonic (home)

Subdominant prep (often to V)

iii

Weak dominant color (passing)

Subdominant (expansion)

Dominant (pull to tonic)

Relative minor (soft tonic substitute)

vii°

Bdim

Leading-tone chord (to I)

Uppercase = major triadLowercase = minor triad° = diminished triad

Note: spellings and function labels here are simplified for practice—not every classical spelling (e.g. E♯ vs F). Follow your score or textbook.

Chord progression examples

Progression:

A stable, open loop heard in countless pop songs.(classic pop)

→

Quick transposition on the circle

Map the same Roman numerals from a source key to a target key using the progression above and the circle—handy for comparing common moves across keys.

Source and target keys are chosen separately for any two-key comparison—they do not follow the key you click on the ring.

FromTo

Interval:Up 4step(s) (major third)

DegreeSource chordTarget chord

C♯m

Circle of Fifths: Concepts & Practice

Key signatures & accidentals

This key has no sharps or flats—one of the “cleanest” on the staff.

On the circle, each clockwise step adds a sharp; each counter-clockwise step adds a flat—useful for reading signatures and picturing scale accidentals.

Harmonic relationships

C major (or its relative minor Am)—its neighbors on the circle are dominant and subdominant keys, often in the same progressions.

In C major, G (clockwise) often carries dominant pull toward tonic; F (counter-clockwise) often appears in IV–I motion.

Seven church modes

Besides Ionian and Aeolian, the circle helps relate the other church modes—each starts on a different degree of the same scale:

Lydian: from scale degree IV—the brightest mode
Ionian: natural major—bright and stable
Mixolydian: from degree V—common in blues and rock
Dorian: from degree II—common in jazz
Aeolian: natural minor—dark and introspective
Phrygian: from degree III—flamenco and metal color
Locrian: from degree VII—the darkest mode

Roman numeral shorthand

Uppercase (I, IV, V) = major; lowercase (ii, iii, vi) = minor; vii° = diminished—the usual progression shorthand.

I = tonic
V = dominant
IV = subdominant
vi = relative minor

Practice ideas

Loop the circle (C→G→D→A…) with one grip or rhythm to feel each key.
Use the circle as a map for nearby keys when writing melody or harmony.
With a metronome, shift one key on the circle every few bars—reading, signatures, and shapes together.
Play the same progression in different modes to hear the color shift.

Circle of Fifths Key relationships and common progressions

C major

Circle of Fifths: Concepts & Practice

Circle of Fifths
Key relationships and common progressions