Free printable PDF

Printable Circle of Fifths Chart for Guitar

The circle of fifths is a map of how keys relate. Neighbors share almost all their notes, so it tells you which chords sound good together, how to change key, and how many sharps or flats a key has. This chart adds the guitar uses: finding the chords of a key and the capo-friendly keys.

1 page
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US Letter / A4
PDF, 141 KB

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Preview of the Circle of Fifths Chart for Guitar — Page 1 preview

What’s inside

All 12 major keys and their relative minors
Key signatures (number of sharps or flats)
How to find the I, IV and V chords at a glance
The guitar-friendly keys highlighted

How to use it

Print it and keep it with your practice notes.
Read one section at a time and try each idea on the guitar straight away.
Use it as a quick reference whenever you learn a new song.

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Questions

How do I use the circle of fifths on guitar?

Pick your key at the top of the circle. The keys on either side are its IV (counterclockwise) and V (clockwise) chords, and the inner ring gives the minor chords that fit. So in G: C and D are the IV and V, and Em, Am and Bm are the minors.

Why is it called the circle of fifths?

Each step clockwise goes up a perfect fifth (seven frets). After twelve steps you are back where you started.

Is this printable really free?

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Can I share it with students or friends?

Yes, for personal and classroom use. Please share the link to this page rather than the PDF file, so everyone gets the latest version.