Circle of Fifths

The twelve keys sit around a clock face a fifth apart, so neighbours share the most notes. Tap a wedge: the key's chords take their places on the wheel, and the panel beside it explains each chord's job and suggests a progression to try.

Guide

How to use the Circle of Fifths

Reading the wheel

The outer ring holds the twelve major keys and the inner ring their relative minors. Each step clockwise goes up a perfect fifth, each step anticlockwise up a perfect fourth, adding a sharp or dropping a flat from the key signature. Tap a wedge and the pointer turns to that key while its seven chords are coloured by function.

What each chord does

The table on the right lists every degree with its Roman numeral, chord and function: the tonic rests, the subdominant sets off, the dominant calls you home. Diminished chords don't fit the wheel's major/minor layout, so they appear as small badges on the inner ring.

Changing the mode

In the bar above, keep the root and change the key's character: major, natural, harmonic and melodic minor, plus Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian and Locrian. Chords, degree table and brightness ranking update instantly.

Borrowed chords

Dashed markers just outside the outer ring are chords that pop and rock often borrow from the parallel key. Tap one to see where it comes from and what colour it adds to a song.