Circle of Fifths on Guitar
Every key → its go-to guitar chords (I IV V + relative minor) with real shapes
How to play
- The circle of fifths puts neighbouring keys a fifth apart. Tap a key on the outer ring; its relative minor sits just inside.
- The panel lists that key's four workhorse chords — I, IV, V and the vi (relative minor). Tap a chord chip to see its guitar shape and hear it.
- The diagram shows an open or barre shape: dots are fingers, o = open string, x = don't play, and a number on the left is the starting fret for barre chords.
- Neighbouring keys share most chords, which is why the circle is a road-map for songwriting. Vol sets volume. Keyboard — Tab + Enter/Space.
↓ relative minor
A nifty little tool that allows you to see, hear (and also simulate) the guitar chords available in each key. Simply use your computer’s keyboard (Tab to move around then hit Enter or Spacebar on whichever one you want) or click with your mouse to operate this interactive Circle of Fifths widget. It can be useful as a guide when trying to learn about chord relationship and how to finger them on your own instrument.
On the left is what is known as ‘circle of fifths’, showing all 12 major keys in perfect fifths. Tap one of the buttons around the outside ring to choose a major key, it will then highlight the corresponding relative minor key within the circle. The right-hand panel will update with the key name and list out four important chords for harmonising the song. These are the I, IV, V, and vi chords that supports the bulk of any song in that given key.
How to Use the Guitar Tool
Underneath the key name is an array of chip buttons corresponding to four essential chord in the key. Clicking one of these will show you a diagram of the chord and also play what the chord sounds like if you were to strum it. This diagram is standard notation which allow you to clearly see where to put your fingers on the fretboard (below). O means ‘play this string open’, and dots indicate finger positions. On the left-hand side of the diagram, there is a number. It’s telling you what fret to begin the barre chord from (root position). The black bar that spans several strings is where you should of firmly press down using your index finger. For open chords, the line is heavier at the top to indicate the location of guitar neck’s nut.
Compare the chord voicings and see how they alter their shape and sound instantly by switching key. The strum chord button can be found at the bottom right. It’s a simulated guitar sound engine and will play whatever chord you have chosen. Use this to hear how it sounds even though you don’t have to actually perform in real-time. The volume slider is next to it and controls master volume for the widget’s audio. Adjust it if playback is too quiet/ too loud based off where you are playing.
The Fullscreen Button expands the interface to fill your entire screen when enabled. This is great for bigger monitors where you would like more space to view the chord diagram, the button can be pressed again to go back to the regular widget size. Help Panel Button: Toggles the built-in help panel in the actual interface. This means you don’t need to leave the page and the on-page instructions are always there when you need to hide or show them.
This is where you might try out changing from one key to another effortlessy. Simply choose a key and then work through the four basic chords of that key in sequence. This will help you get used to how they sound as they move from tonic to dominant, etc. If you compose music, you can explore various keys until you settle on those that feel comfortabley for your instrument or voice range. It is also simple to see at a glance what notes persist when you move to a new key. To begin, click on C major in the wheel and you’ll notice that the chords are familiar ones with an open shape. Now try some others like F or G to get used to nearby harmonies. Before attempting these chords on your own guitar, hit the strum button and let the sound sink in. The widget turns complex music theory into instant visual and sound feedback.