Free Circle of Fifths Chart
The circle of fifths (or circle of 5ths, sometimes called the circle of keys), large and clear, with what you need to use it: how to find a key's sharps and flats, its relative minor and the chords that go together. Free in eight sizes, in US or UK music terms.
Make it yours: see it in another style
Any US home printer (8.5 × 11 in). A binder, desk or music stand.
Download the PDFLetter, US · 70 KB
Customize this posterChange the sections, style and colors, and add your own title, in the Music Theory Poster Maker. $9 PDF.
✓ Your PDF is downloading
Make this poster yours
- Your own title, like “Mrs. Green’s Music Room”
- Only the sections you teach, or add more
- A different style: Dark, Modern or Minimal
Customize this poster →$9 PDF · try it free first
On the Letter poster (3 sections)
- Circle of Fifths
- How to Use the Circle
- Key Signatures
Plus a practice tip in the space left over.
The bigger the poster, the more fits: A2 and larger have all 4 sections.
All sizes and files
| Size | Dimensions | Sections | US terms | UK terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Letter | 216 × 279 mm · 8.5 × 11 in | 3 | PDF, 70 KB | PDF, 70 KB |
| A4 | 210 × 297 mm · 8.3 × 11.7 in | 3 | PDF, 71 KB | PDF, 71 KB |
| 11 × 17 in | 279 × 432 mm · 11 × 17 in | 4 | PDF, 82 KB | PDF, 82 KB |
| A3 | 297 × 420 mm · 11.7 × 16.5 in | 4 | PDF, 82 KB | PDF, 82 KB |
| A2 | 420 × 594 mm · 16.5 × 23.4 in | 4 | PDF, 89 KB | PDF, 89 KB |
| 18 × 24 in | 18 × 24 in · 457 × 610 mm | 4 | PDF, 89 KB | PDF, 89 KB |
| A1 | 594 × 841 mm · 23.4 × 33.1 in | 4 | PDF, 93 KB | PDF, 93 KB |
| 24 × 36 in | 24 × 36 in · 610 × 914 mm | 4 | PDF, 93 KB | PDF, 93 KB |
What’s on the circle of fifths chart
- The circle: all 12 major keys round the outside and their relative minors inside, with each key’s number of sharps or flats. Where a key has two names (F♯ or G♭), both are shown.
- How to use the circle: four things it tells you, each shown in C. Find a key’s sharps or flats, find the relative minor, find the chords that go together (a key and its two neighbours are I, IV and V), and move to a close key.
- Key signatures: the order of sharps and flats, the sayings that help you remember them, and how to name the key from a signature.
- Chords in a key (11 × 17 in and larger): the seven chords of C major, with their numerals.
How to use it
- Learning keys: go one step round the circle a week. Each step adds one sharp (clockwise) or one flat (counter-clockwise), so every new key is just one change from the last.
- Writing songs: pick a key, then take its neighbours on the circle. Those three chords, plus the minors inside them, fit together in almost any song.
- Transposing: a singer needs it lower? Moving one step counter-clockwise lowers the key by a 5th and changes just one sharp or flat.
Learn it step by step
The poster is a reminder; these free lessons and guides teach each part, with notes you can play and hear.
- Circle of Fifths
- Lesson 34: The Circle of Fifths · The Circle of Fifths · Lesson 29: Key Signatures: G and F
- How to Use the Circle
- Lesson 34: The Circle of Fifths · The Circle of Fifths · Chords in a Key
- Key Signatures
- Lesson 29: Key Signatures: G and F · Key Signatures · Lesson 34: The Circle of Fifths · Lesson 27: Sharps, Flats and Naturals
- Chords in a Key
- Lesson 32: Chords in a Key · Chords in a Key · Lesson 31: Major and Minor Chords
Questions
Is it really free? Yes. Download it, print as many copies as you like, and share the link. No email or account.
Which size should I print? Letter or A4 at home for a desk or binder; 11 × 17 in or larger adds Chords in a Key and reads from across a room.
What does the circle of fifths actually do? It puts the keys in order, so keys that sound close together sit next to each other. Our circle of fifths guide explains it step by step.
Circle of fifths or key signatures chart: which do I need? If you’re new to keys, start with the key signatures chart: it shows each key’s sharps or flats on the staff. The circle shows how the keys connect, which matters once you know a few and start working out chords or changing key. The key signatures chart at 11 × 17 in and larger includes a circle too.
What makes a good circle of fifths poster? Sharps go clockwise and flats counter-clockwise, one more each step. Each relative minor sits inside its major, and the keys with two names (F♯ or G♭) show both. The key names should be big enough to read from where you play. For a piano studio, A2 or 18 × 24 in reads well across the room. Our guide to choosing a poster has a five-minute check for mistakes.