Key guides
Every major and minor key
Twelve major and twelve minor keys, each with its scale, key signature, seven diatonic chords, worked-out progressions and neighbouring keys. Everything is playable, and every note is spelled the way a score spells it.
How to read the ring
Major keys sit on the outer ring and their relative minors inside. Each step clockwise is a perfect fifth up and adds one sharp (or removes one flat); each step counter-clockwise adds a flat. Neighbours on the ring share all but one note, which is why modulations between them sound smooth.
Pick a key for its scale, key signature, chords and progressions. Hear a key in motion with the interactive Circle of Fifths, or learn the logic behind the signatures in Key Signatures and the Order of Sharps and Flats.
Major keys
| Key | Signature | Relative | Scale |
|---|---|---|---|
| C major | none | A minor | C D E F G A B |
| G major | F♯ | E minor | G A B C D E F♯ |
| D major | F♯ C♯ | B minor | D E F♯ G A B C♯ |
| A major | F♯ C♯ G♯ | F♯ minor | A B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ |
| E major | F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ | C♯ minor | E F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D♯ |
| B major | F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ A♯ | G♯ minor | B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A♯ |
| F♯ major | F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ A♯ E♯ | D♯ minor | F♯ G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯ E♯ |
| D♭ major | B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ | B♭ minor | D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C |
| A♭ major | B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ | F minor | A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G |
| E♭ major | B♭ E♭ A♭ | C minor | E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C D |
| B♭ major | B♭ E♭ | G minor | B♭ C D E♭ F G A |
| F major | B♭ | D minor | F G A B♭ C D E |
Minor keys (natural minor)
| Key | Signature | Relative | Scale |
|---|---|---|---|
| A minor | none | C major | A B C D E F G |
| E minor | F♯ | G major | E F♯ G A B C D |
| B minor | F♯ C♯ | D major | B C♯ D E F♯ G A |
| F♯ minor | F♯ C♯ G♯ | A major | F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D E |
| C♯ minor | F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ | E major | C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A B |
| G♯ minor | F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ A♯ | B major | G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯ E F♯ |
| D♯ minor | F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ A♯ E♯ | F♯ major | D♯ E♯ F♯ G♯ A♯ B C♯ |
| B♭ minor | B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ | D♭ major | B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ |
| F minor | B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ | A♭ major | F G A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ |
| C minor | B♭ E♭ A♭ | E♭ major | C D E♭ F G A♭ B♭ |
| G minor | B♭ E♭ | B♭ major | G A B♭ C D E♭ F |
| D minor | B♭ | F major | D E F G A B♭ C |
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