Circle of Fifths

harmony's road map

All twelve keys arranged so each is a fifth from its neighbors — one accidental apart, sharing six of seven notes. Falling-fifths root motion (backcycling) is the strongest default pull in tonal music, which is why dominant chains, the lane, and ii–V travel all ride the same wheel. Distance on the circle predicts how hard a modulation will feel.

E73⁷
A76⁷
D72⁷
G75⁷
C1
Play this on the neck in Key Change Lab →

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