Key Signature Chart
A key signature tells you which notes are sharped or flatted throughout a piece, so the composer doesn't have to write accidentals on every note. C major has none. G major has one sharp (F#). The more sharps or flats, the "further" the key is from C on the Circle of Fifths. Every major key also has a relative minor — a minor key that shares the exact same notes and key signature.
| Major Key | Relative Minor | Sharps / Flats | Notes Affected |
|---|
Circle of Fifths
The Circle of Fifths is a map of all 12 major keys arranged so that each neighbor is a perfect 5th apart. Moving clockwise adds one sharp to the key signature. Moving counter-clockwise adds one flat. Keys next to each other share 6 out of 7 notes — making them easy to modulate between. The inner ring shows each key's relative minor (same notes, different tonal center). Click any wedge to see its diatonic chords.
HOW TO USE — MAJOR KEY
- Click your major key on the outer ring
- The inner ring shows its relative minor (same notes)
- The chord box below shows all 7 diatonic chords
- Neighboring keys (left & right) are your closest relatives for chord borrowing
HOW TO USE — MINOR KEY
- Find your minor key in the inner ring (e.g. Am)
- The outer ring shows its relative major (same notes — e.g. C)
- Click that outer key to see all the chords available to your minor key
- The i, ii°, III, iv, v, VI, VII chords all come from this same set
MINOR KEY EXAMPLE:
Song is in A minor? Find "Am" in the inner ring — its relative major is C. Click C on the outer ring. The chords that appear (C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am, B°) are the same chords available to A minor — just rearranged: Am=i, B°=ii°, C=III, Dm=iv, Em=v, F=VI, G=VII.
Clockwise = up a 5th, +1 sharp. Each neighbour shares 6 of 7 notes.
Chord Wheel
The Chord Wheel is a practical tool built on the Circle of Fifths. The outer ring shows all 12 major keys; the middle ring shows each key's relative minor. The inner colored wheel shows the 7 diatonic chord degrees (I–vii°) for your selected key. Use the ‹ › arrows or click any outer key to rotate.
USING THE WHEEL — MAJOR KEY
- Use ‹ › to rotate to your major key (shown at top)
- The inner wedges show your I–vii° chord degrees
- Click any wedge to see its notes and 7th chord
- I, IV, V are your three most important chords — the backbone of most songs
USING THE WHEEL — MINOR KEY
- Find your minor key in the middle ring (e.g. "Am")
- The outer ring key above it is your relative major — rotate to it
- Now re-read the inner wheel from the vi position — that's your minor i chord
- Your minor key chords: vi=i, vii°=ii°, I=III, ii=iv, iii=v, IV=VI, V=VII
MINOR KEY EXAMPLE:
Song is in E minor? Find "Em" in the middle ring — it aligns with G major on the outer ring. Rotate to G. Your Em minor key chords are: Em(i), F#°(ii°), G(III), Am(iv), Bm(v), C(VI), D(VII). These all appear in the G major inner wheel — you just start reading from the "vi" wedge (Em) as your home chord.
C
● Major
● minor
● dim°
Chord Number System
The Nashville Number System describes chord progressions using numbers instead of chord names, making them key-independent. Say "1–4–5" and any musician can play that progression in any key instantly. This is how session musicians communicate on the fly. UPPERCASE = Major, lowercase = minor. Select a key below to see the number system translated into real chord names and notes.
WHY THIS MATTERS:
If someone says "play a 1–4–5 in G," you immediately know: G, C, D. If they say "play a 1–5–6m–4 in E," you know: E, B, C#m, A. The number system is the universal language of working musicians.
Quick Reference — Chord Qualities by Degree
Major Key
| # | Roman | Quality | C Maj | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I | Major | C | C E G |
| 2 | ii | Minor | Dm | D F A |
| 3 | iii | Minor | Em | E G B |
| 4 | IV | Major | F | F A C |
| 5 | V | Major | G | G B D |
| 6 | vi | Minor | Am | A C E |
| 7 | vii° | Dim | B° | B D F |
Natural Minor Key
| # | Roman | Quality | A Min | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | i | Minor | Am | A C E |
| 2 | ii° | Dim | B° | B D F |
| 3 | III | Major | C | C E G |
| 4 | iv | Minor | Dm | D F A |
| 5 | v | Minor | Em | E G B |
| 6 | VI | Major | F | F A C |
| 7 | VII | Major | G | G B D |
Chord Progressions
A chord progression is a sequence of chords that forms the harmonic backbone of a song. The same progression can be played in any key — that's why we write them with Roman numerals. Select a key below to see the actual chord names and notes. Start with I–IV–V — it's the foundation of blues, rock, and country. Then try I–V–vi–IV, which drives thousands of pop songs.
Cadences
A cadence is a chord progression at the end of a musical phrase that creates a sense of rest, pause, or continuation. Cadences are the punctuation of music — some feel like a full stop, others like a comma, others like a question mark. Understanding them is essential for composing and analysing music.
KEY INSIGHT:
The V chord is the most harmonically tense chord in a key — it wants to move somewhere. Where it moves (or doesn't) defines the cadence type. The V→I resolution is the strongest move in tonal music, because the leading tone (7th scale degree) rises a semitone to the root, and the dominant resolves to the tonic.
The Four Main Cadences
Borrowed Chords & Modal Mixture
“Borrowing” means pulling a chord from the parallel minor (same root, minor key) into a major progression. It’s how pop songs land those surprising, emotional turns without actually changing key. In C major, you borrow from C minor:
| Borrowed | Chord (in C) | Feel | Hear |
|---|---|---|---|
| iv | F minor | Bittersweet, aching — the classic “minor four” | ▶ |
| ♭VI | A♭ major | Cinematic lift | ▶ |
| ♭VII | B♭ major | Rock/anthemic, Mixolydian flavor | ▶ |
| ♭III | E♭ major | Bold, unexpected brightness | ▶ |
In context
▶ I – iv – I (that ache)▶ I – ♭VI – ♭VII – I
Secondary Dominants
A secondary dominant is a dominant 7th that resolves to a chord other than the tonic — it briefly treats another chord as a mini “home.” Think of it as “the V of” something. It’s the secret behind jazz, gospel, and classic R&B’s smooth surprise chords.
Put a dominant 7th a fifth above the chord you want to target, and it pulls hard into it:
| Name | Chord | Resolves to | Hear it |
|---|---|---|---|
| V7/V | D7 | G (the V) | ▶ |
| V7/vi | E7 | Am (the vi) | ▶ |
| V7/IV | C7 | F (the IV) | ▶ |
| V7/ii | A7 | Dm (the ii) | ▶ |
THE GIVEAWAY: A note from outside the key that resolves up a half-step (a borrowed leading tone). E7 in C has a G♯ that pulls straight into A.
Voice Leading
Voice leading is how you move between chords — which notes stay and which move, and by how little. It’s the single biggest thing separating beginner block-chords from a connected, professional sound. The rule of thumb: keep common tones, move every other voice to the nearest note.
Same four chords (C – Am – F – G), two ways — listen to how much smoother the second one connects:
▶ Root positionevery chord leaps back to root — clunky
▶ Voice-lednotes barely move — smooth
WHY IT WORKS: In the smooth version C stays put through three chords; the other voices only shift a step or two. Your ear hears one flowing line instead of four separate jumps.
Transposition
Transposing means moving a whole progression or melody to a new key — to fit a singer’s range, match a sample, or change the mood. The whole trick: move everything by the same interval.
The fast way — think in numbers
If you know the Number System (see that tab), transposing is free: the numbers never change, only the key does. I–vi–IV–V is I–vi–IV–V in every key.
Worked example — same progression, two keys
▶ In C: C – Am – F – GI – vi – IV – V
▶ In G: G – Em – C – Dsame shape, up a 5th
Step by step (by hand)
1Find the interval from the old key to the new (C → G is up a perfect 5th).
2Move every chord root by that same interval.
3Keep the qualities the same — major stays major, minor stays minor.
4Respell accidentals to fit the new key signature.
DAW SHORTCUT: Pitch-shifting a sample by semitones is transposing — +2 semitones = up a whole step = up a key. Watch the timbre on big shifts (formants get chipmunky); ±2–3 semitones usually stays natural.
Modulation — Changing Key Mid-Song
A modulation moves the song's home base to a new key. Done well it gives a lift for the last chorus, opens a new section, or flips the mood — without the song stopping being itself.
1 · Pivot chord — the smooth one
Find a chord that belongs to both keys and use it as the hinge. Going from C major to G major: Am is vi in C and ii in G. Arrive on it, then use the new key's V (D) to land in G.
▶ C → Am → D → G
2 · Direct key change — the lift
No preparation: jump the whole song up a half or whole step for the final chorus. It's blunt, it's everywhere in pop, and it works because the energy jump is the point.
▶ C … then up a half step
3 · Relative key — same notes, new centre
C major and A minor share every note. Lean on A minor, D minor and an E major (the V of A minor) and the centre of gravity moves without a single new note in the melody.
▶ Am → Dm → E → Am
4 · Parallel key — same root, new mood
Keep the root and switch the mode: C major to C minor turns the lights down instantly. Borrowed chords (see Borrowed Chords) are a gentle, one-chord version of this.
▶ C → F → Cm → A♭
IN ABLETON: Select a section's MIDI clips and transpose them together (Shift + ↑ moves notes up a semitone); for audio clips use the clip's Transpose control. Bring the 808 and any samples with you — and check the vocal range, because a whole step up can push a singer out of their comfortable zone.
12-Bar Blues
The 12-bar blues is the most widely used chord form in Western popular music — the structural backbone of blues, rock and roll, jazz blues, and country. It uses only three chords (I, IV, V) arranged in a specific 12-measure pattern that repeats endlessly. Once you know it, you'll recognise it in hundreds of songs.
PIANO TIP:
All three chords are typically played as dominant 7ths (I7, IV7, V7) — even the I and IV, which are major chords. This gives the blues its characteristic tension throughout, not just at the V chord. Try playing the 12-bar in C: C7 – F7 – C7 – C7 – F7 – F7 – C7 – C7 – G7 – F7 – C7 – G7.
Minor Blues Chart — I, IV, V Chords
For playing blues in a minor key, the I, IV, and V chords are typically minor 7th (i7 and iv7) with the V remaining dominant (V7) for the strongest resolution. The table below shows these three chords for every key, matching the standard minor blues chord chart format.