Circle of Fifths
A diagram arranging all twelve major and minor keys by ascending perfect fifths, showing their key-signature relationships.
Category
keys
Pronunciation
/ˈsɜːkəl əv fɪfθs/
Origin
English (descriptive)
Length
223 words · 2 min read
About Circle of Fifths
The circle of fifths is one of the most useful visual tools in music theory. Starting from C major (no sharps or flats) and moving clockwise by perfect fifths, each step adds one sharp to the key signature: G major has one sharp, D major has two, A major has three, and so on until reaching the enharmonic keys (F-sharp/G-flat) at the far side.
More keys terms
Parallel Key
View all keysterms →A major and minor key that share the same tonic note but have different key signatures, such as C major and C minor.
DominantThe fifth degree of a scale and the second most important tonal centre after the tonic.
Relative Major and MinorA pair of keys — one major, one minor — sharing the same key signature
Key SignatureThe set of sharps or flats at the beginning of a staff indicating the key
Relative keyA major and minor key that share the same key signature but have different tonics.
Synonyms
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v1 · 10/04/2026Browse all terms →