Diatonic Chords in C Major
CLICK CHORD TO PLAYInteractive Circle of Fifths Wheel
The ultimate visual compass for music theory, songwriting, and harmony. Master key signatures, relative minors, modal scales, and chord progressions with instant polyphonic audio playback.
Polyphonic Audio
Click any major, minor, or diminished chord on the wheel to audition rich harmonic voicings synthesized in real time.
Harmonic Cluster Engine
Selecting any tonic automatically clusters the Primary (I, IV, V) and Secondary (ii, iii, vi) chords into an intuitive songwriting group.
Automated Progressions
Test-drive legendary Pop, Jazz (ii-V-I), and 50s chord progression formulas with one-click arpeggiated audio playback.
What is the Circle of Fifths?
The Circle of Fifths (and Fourths) is the foundational visual roadmap of Western music harmony. It arranges all twelve chromatic pitch classes along a circular clock face such that adjacent keys are separated by an interval of a Perfect Fifth (7 semitones) when moving clockwise, or a Perfect Fourth (5 semitones) when moving counter-clockwise.
Moving clockwise adds one sharp (♯) with each step: C → G → D → A → E → B → F♯.
Sharp Mnemonic: "Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle" (F-C-G-D-A-E-B)Moving counter-clockwise adds one flat (â™) with each step: C → F → Bâ™ → Eâ™ → Aâ™ → Dâ™ → Gâ™.
Flat Mnemonic: "Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles's Father" (B-E-A-D-G-C-F)Complete Key Signature & Accidental Reference Chart
Use this comprehensive reference table to verify key signatures, relative minors, and exact sharp/flat positions across all 12 keys:
| Major Key | Relative Minor | Key Signature | Specific Accidentals | Enharmonic Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C Major | A minor (Am) | 0 â™® (Natural) | None | — |
| G Major | E minor (Em) | 1 ♯ (Sharp) | F♯ | — |
| D Major | B minor (Bm) | 2 ♯ | F♯, C♯ | — |
| A Major | F♯ minor (F♯m) | 3 ♯ | F♯, C♯, G♯ | — |
| E Major | C♯ minor (C♯m) | 4 ♯ | F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯ | — |
| B Major | G♯ minor (G♯m) | 5 ♯ | F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯ | Câ™ Major (7 â™) |
| F♯ Major | D♯ minor (D♯m) | 6 ♯ | F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯ | Gâ™ Major (6 â™) |
| Dâ™ Major | Bâ™ minor (Bâ™m) | 5 â™ (Flats) | Bâ™, Eâ™, Aâ™, Dâ™, Gâ™ | C♯ Major (7 ♯) |
| Aâ™ Major | F minor (Fm) | 4 â™ | Bâ™, Eâ™, Aâ™, Dâ™ | — |
| Eâ™ Major | C minor (Cm) | 3 â™ | Bâ™, Eâ™, Aâ™ | — |
| Bâ™ Major | G minor (Gm) | 2 â™ | Bâ™, Eâ™ | — |
| F Major | D minor (Dm) | 1 â™ | Bâ™ | — |
The "Neighboring 6-Chord" Songwriting Rule
One of the most powerful songwriting hacks embedded in the Circle of Fifths is the Neighboring Cluster Rule. Any major key and its 5 closely related diatonic chords are physically clustered together as a 6-slice wedge on the wheel:
- Tonic (I Chord)The root foundation of your key (e.g., C Major in the center outer ring).
- Subdominant (IV Chord)Immediate counter-clockwise neighbor (e.g., F Major). Creates lifting suspension.
- Dominant (V Chord)Immediate clockwise neighbor (e.g., G Major). Generates harmonic tension pulling to I.
- Relative Minor (vi Chord)Inner ring directly beneath Tonic (e.g., A minor). Adds emotional depth.
- Supertonic (ii Chord)Inner ring beneath Subdominant (e.g., D minor). Standard lead-in to V in Jazz/Pop.
- Mediant (iii Chord)Inner ring beneath Dominant (e.g., E minor). Soft, introspective transition chord.
5 Classic Chord Progression Formulas for Songwriters
Every legendary song in modern music can be mapped directly onto the Circle of Fifths. Test these standard progression formulas in our interactive tool:
Modal Theory & Effortless Modulation
Beyond standard Major and Minor keys, the Circle of Fifths is a profound key to understanding Modal Scales (Greek Modes) and Harmonic Modulation:
- Smooth Pivot Modulation
Keys that touch each other on the circle share 6 out of 7 notes. When modulating (changing keys in a song), moving to an adjacent sector (e.g., C Major to G Major) sounds completely natural and smooth because of shared pivot chords.
- The 7-Slice Modal Wedge
Any contiguous 7-slice block on the circle contains all the notes of the 7 Greek modes (Lydian, Ionian, Mixolydian, Dorian, Aeolian, Phrygian, Locrian) arranged in order from brightest to darkest acoustic timbre.
Your Master Harmony Station
Whether transposing jazz standards, memorizing classical key signatures, or discovering bold new chord substitutions for your next vocal track, our interactive Circle of Fifths turns complex harmony into instant musical intuition.
