What is the relative minor of C Major?

A Minor is the relative minor of C Major. They share the same key signature (0 sharps or flats). A Minor is built on the 6th degree of the C Major scale.

Moving clockwise around the Circle of Fifths adds what?

Moving clockwise around the Circle of Fifths adds one sharp per step. Each step represents a perfect fifth interval (7 semitones).

How many flats does Bb Major have?

Bb Major has 2 flats (Bb and Eb). It is two steps counter-clockwise from C Major on the Circle of Fifths.

What key is the dominant of C Major?

G Major is the dominant of C Major. The dominant is always one step clockwise on the Circle of Fifths. It creates tension that resolves back to the home key.

Which two keys are enharmonic equivalents?

F# Major and Gb Major are enharmonic equivalents — they sound identical but are written differently. F# has 6 sharps and Gb has 6 flats.

What is the subdominant of G Major?

C Major is the subdominant of G Major. The subdominant is always one step counter-clockwise on the Circle of Fifths.

How many major key positions are on the Circle of Fifths?

There are 12 major key positions on the Circle of Fifths, one for each semitone in the chromatic scale.

What key has 3 flats?

Eb Major has 3 flats (Bb, Eb, Ab). It is three steps counter-clockwise from C Major on the Circle of Fifths.

The inner ring of the Circle of Fifths shows what?

The inner ring shows the relative minor keys. Each relative minor shares the same key signature as its corresponding major key on the outer ring.

Circle of Fifths Explorer: Keys, Chords & Key Signatures

Click the wheel to explore keys, chords, and relationships.

7 Chords in C Major

Major

Key Signature

No sharps or flats

Relative Minor

Parallel Minor

Dominant

♪ Songs in C Major

Key Comparison & Modulation

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💡 Why This Matters

Modulation — changing keys mid-song — creates emotional movement. The shorter the path between keys, the smoother the transition. Keys that share chords (like C and G) are "close friends" and can borrow from each other easily.

Example: C Major and G Major are 1 step apart. They share 6 of 7 notes — only F vs F♯ differs. This makes transitioning between them smooth and natural.

Shortest Path

Steps

1 step

Signature Change

+1 sharp

Pivot Chord

Common Chords

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How many sharps does G Major have?

📚 Related Episodes

⚡ Key Concepts

● Moving clockwise adds a sharp (♯)
● Moving counter-clockwise adds a flat (♭)
● Each step is a perfect fifth = 7 semitones
● Relative minor: shares same key signature, different root
● Parallel minor: same root, different key signature
● C Major / A Minor = 0 sharps or flats
● Keys next to each other share 6 of 7 notes
● Dominant = 1 step clockwise. Creates tension.
● Subdominant = 1 step counter-clockwise. Lifts energy.
● Enharmonic: F♯ = G♭ (same sound, different notation)