Music theory / keys
The minor circle of fifths
There is not a second diagram. The minor keys live inside the same circle, on an inner ring, each sharing a key signature with the major key a minor third above it.
People often go looking for a separate minor circle of fifths. There is not one, and the reason is more useful than the diagram would have been: every minor key shares its key signature with exactly one major key, so both fit on the same wheel.
Relative minors sit on the inner ring
The relative minor of any major key starts on the sixth degree of that major scale, which is a minor third below the tonic. It uses precisely the same notes and precisely the same key signature.
| Major key | Relative minor | Key signature |
|---|---|---|
| C major | A minor | none |
| G major | E minor | 1 sharp |
| D major | B minor | 2 sharps |
| A major | F sharp minor | 3 sharps |
| F major | D minor | 1 flat |
| B flat major | G minor | 2 flats |
| E flat major | C minor | 3 flats |
So the inner ring of the circle reads A, E, B, F sharp, and so on: the same sequence of fifths, rotated by three positions.
Same notes, different centre of gravity
This is the part that confuses people, and it is worth being precise. A minor and C major contain identical notes. What differs is which note behaves as home. In C major everything resolves toward C; in A minor everything resolves toward A. Key is not a set of notes, it is a hierarchy among them.
That hierarchy is created by which chords appear and where phrases land. A piece in A minor will keep landing on A minor chords and will typically raise the G to G sharp to build an E major dominant chord. Which brings us to the complication.
Minor has three forms, and the circle only shows one
- Natural minor uses the key signature exactly as written. This is what the circle shows.
- Harmonic minor raises the seventh degree, creating a leading tone and therefore a proper major V chord. In A minor that means G sharp and an E major chord.
- Melodic minor raises the sixth and seventh going up and reverts going down, to smooth out the awkward step-and-a-half that harmonic minor creates.
The raised notes are written as accidentals, not in the key signature, which is why a piece in A minor is full of G sharps despite the signature showing none. If you have ever been puzzled by that, this is the answer.
The three forms of minor are best understood not as three separate scales but as one scale with variable sixth and seventh degrees, altered according to melodic direction and harmonic requirement. Composers move freely between them within a single phrase, which is why analysis by scale form alone often misdescribes the music.
Aldwell & Schachter, Harmony and Voice Leading, 5th ed.
Parallel minor is a different relationship
Do not confuse relative minor with parallel minor. A minor is the relative minor of C major (same notes, different tonic). C minor is the parallel minor of C major (same tonic, different notes). Borrowing chords between parallel keys is the basis of modal mixture, and it is one of the most useful colouring devices available.
Using it
Practically, the inner ring tells you two things at a glance: what key a signature might be (major or its relative minor, decided by listening to where the music lands), and which minor keys are closely related to your current key for modulation. See minor chord progressions for what to play once you are there.
Some links in this article are affiliate links to Musical U, Pianote, ArtistWorks, Yousician, or Amazon Associates. If you subscribe or buy after clicking, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Affiliate revenue helps us keep the interactive tools and the essays free. It does not change what we recommend. Full policy at /affiliate-disclosure/.