Key guide
G major: scale, key signature and chords
G major has one sharp (F♯). Its scale is G, A, B, C, D, E, F♯ — play the scale and every chord below.
- Key signature
- F♯ — one sharp
- Scale notes
- G A B C D E F♯
- Relative minor
- E minor
- Parallel minor
- G minor
- Dominant key
- D major
- Subdominant key
- C major
- On the piano
- 1 black key and 6 white in the scale
The G major scale
The G major scale uses the notes G, A, B, C, D, E, F♯, the major-scale pattern of whole and half steps (W–W–H–W–W–W–H) starting on G. Each letter name appears once, which is why the accidentals are written as F♯ rather than as their enharmonic equivalents.
| Degree | Note | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | G | tonic |
| 2 | A | supertonic |
| 3 | B | mediant |
| 4 | C | subdominant |
| 5 | D | dominant |
| 6 | E | submediant |
| 7 | F♯ | leading tone |
Chords in G major
Stacking thirds on each note of the scale gives seven diatonic triads and seven seventh chords. The Roman numeral gives each chord’s position; the role column says what it usually does in a phrase.
| Chord | Triad | Seventh | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | G B D | G B D F♯ | tonic |
| ii | A C E | A C E G | predominant |
| iii | B D F♯ | B D F♯ A | tonic substitute |
| IV | C E G | C E G B | predominant |
| V | D F♯ A | D F♯ A C | dominant |
| vi | E G B | E G B D | tonic substitute |
| vii° | F♯ A C | F♯ A C E | dominant |
Chord progressions in G major
Four progressions worked out in G major, each one playable:
- I – V – vi – IV G – D – Em – CThe four-chord loop under a large share of pop songs.
- ii – V – I Am – D – GThe standard jazz cadence: predominant, dominant, tonic.
- I – IV – V – I G – C – D – GThe plain three-chord cadence at the root of tonal harmony.
- I – vi – IV – V G – Em – C – DThe 1950s progression: tonic, relative minor, subdominant, dominant.
Keys related to G major
- Relative minor: E minor — same key signature, different home note.
- Dominant: D major — one step clockwise on the circle of fifths; the key most pieces in G major modulate to.
- Subdominant: C major — one step counter-clockwise, adding one flat (or removing one sharp).
- Parallel minor: G minor — same tonic, opposite mode.
Questions
What are the notes in G major?
The G major scale is G, A, B, C, D, E, F♯.
How many sharps or flats are in G major?
G major has one sharp: F♯.
What is the relative minor of G major?
The relative minor of G major is E minor. The two keys share a key signature and the same seven notes, but E is the home note of the minor key.
What chords are in G major?
The seven diatonic triads in G major are G, Am, Bm, C, D, Em, F♯°.