Circle of Fifths for Guitar - Practical Guide to Key Relationships

The Circle of Fifths

            C (0 sharps/flats)
        F               G
    Bb                      D
   Eb                         A
    Ab                      E
        Db              B
            Gb/F#

Each step clockwise = +1 sharp
Each step counter-clockwise = +1 flat
Inner ring = relative minors

Finding Chords in a Key

Any key and its two neighbors on the circle give you the I, IV, and V — the three most important chords. For C major: F (left) = IV, C (center) = I, G (right) = V.

Key of G:
    IV         I         V
    C    ←    G    →    D

All diatonic chords of G:
G  Am  Bm  C  D  Em  F#dim

Relative Minor Shortcut

The relative minor of any key is 3 steps clockwise (or look at the inner ring). C major → A minor. G major → E minor. Every major key has a relative minor that shares the same notes.

Transposition Made Easy

To transpose, rotate the entire progression around the circle. Moving a song from C to E? Every chord shifts 4 steps clockwise: C→E, F→A, G→B, Am→C#m.

Next Steps

Apply the circle to understanding keys and learn the Nashville Number System for instant transposition.