Circle of Fifths

The Circle of Fifths is a graphical representation of major and minor key signatures and their relationship to each other. Each section of the circle shows a different key signature.

How Do You Use the Circle of Fifths? 

Moving clockwise around the Circle of Fifths, each key (or in this case, each color) is an ascending fifth from the previous key. Moving counterclockwise, each key is an ascending fourth from the previous key. 

Take C Major for example. It sits at the top center of the circle. The relative minor key is A minor, directly beneath it. Going clockwise, the next key is G major, an ascending fifth from C. Counterclockwise is F major, an ascending fourth from C. These relative relationships hold true for each key in the circle.