Circle of Fifths Chart, Printable PDF

The circle of fifths is the map every theory class hangs on the wall: one wheel that shows how major keys, their relative minors, and key signatures fit together. This Letter-size printable puts the full diagram on one page for your binder, piano lid, or music stand — no app required during rehearsal.

Read it like a clock. Moving clockwise, each step is a perfect fifth up (C → G → D → A…). Moving counter-clockwise, each step is a perfect fourth. The inner ring lists each major’s relative minor (C major pairs with A minor, G major with E minor, and so on). Treble-clef key signatures on the chart show how many sharps or flats belong to each key when you count around the wheel.

Use the wheel to spot the I–IV–V chords in a key: in C major, I is C, IV is F, and V is G — neighbors on the circle. When you transpose a song, count how many steps clockwise or counter-clockwise you moved; that same shift applies to the chord roots and the signature.

Print at 100% with scaling turned off so the layout stays balanced. Use the controls below to highlight a focus key, hide minor names for a simpler poster, toggle key-signature labels, or switch to A4 or Tabloid for a wall chart.

Related charts: treble clef note names chart, guitar major scale chart, guitar minor scale chart, piano chord chart, and guitar chord chart.

Keep this chart beside blank staff paper while you work: trace a key on the wheel, then write scales or chord tones on the staff. Guitar and piano students often pair the circle with a chord chart and a major or minor scale diagram so fingerings match the key they chose on the wheel.