Circle Of Fifths
Navigate major and minor keys, key signatures, diatonic harmony and functional relationships on an interactive harmonic wheel.
What Is the Circle Of Fifths?
The interactive Circle Of Fifths turns the traditional key map into a working harmonic instrument. The outer and inner rings connect major keys with relative minors, while the inspector explains the selected key signature, scale notes, tonic, subdominant and dominant relationships, and diatonic triads or seventh chords. A progression strip lets you collect chords without leaving the wheel.
How It Works
Select any major or minor sector on the wheel. Review the key signature and scale notes, switch between triads and seventh chords, and audition the scale or a tonic-subdominant-dominant cadence. Click chords in the harmonic palette to build a progression, play the strip, and remove or replace ideas as you explore nearby keys.
When to Use It
Use it to choose compatible keys, identify relative major or minor, plan a modulation, understand key signatures, teach functional harmony or sketch a progression visually.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why are neighboring keys a fifth apart?
- Moving clockwise raises the tonic by a perfect fifth and generally adds one sharp; moving counterclockwise lowers it by a fifth and generally adds one flat. Neighboring keys therefore share most of their notes.
- What is a relative minor?
- A relative minor uses the same key signature as its paired major key but centers a different tonic. For example, C Major and A Minor share the same natural-note collection.
- Can I build seventh chords?
- Yes. Toggle the harmonic palette from triads to diatonic seventh chords, then audition or add them to the progression strip.
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