Circle of Fifths Flashcards: Keys, Signatures & Relative Minors
Practice major and minor keys, spelled key signatures, relative-key pairs, accidental order, and neighboring circle positions.
Over dit deck
Reading a finished circle is easy; recalling one relationship without the wheel is the useful part. These 87 text-only cards make you rebuild the circle of fifths from small, practical mappings.
What the cards practice
- Circle rule → musical change: recall what clockwise and counterclockwise moves do to the tonic and key signature, plus how relative keys and accidental order work.
- Major key → spelled signature: name every accidental for all 15 conventional spellings from C♭ major through C♯ major.
- Written accidental set → major and relative minor: reverse each of those 15 signatures without relying on a staff image.
- Major key ↔ relative minor: practice all 15 pairs in both directions, keeping spellings such as D♯ minor and E♭ minor distinct.
- Local circle move → neighboring major key: move clockwise or counterclockwise across every conventional adjacent pair, including the separate sharp-side and flat-side routes at the bottom.
- Enharmonic pair → spelling distinction: compare B/C♭, F♯/G♭, and C♯/D♭ by signature and relative minor.
The deck leaves out ear training, staff-image identification, chord progressions, and exhaustive scale spelling. Staff recognition is already covered by the Major & Minor Key Signatures deck; this deck focuses on recalling the relationships behind the diagram.
The order starts with interleaved reconstruction rules, introduces signatures from zero accidentals outward, and then separates reverse and relative-key prompts with deterministic strides. The final block interleaves neighbor moves and enharmonic comparisons after their spellings are familiar. The review scheduler handles longer-term spacing after installation.
Facts were independently checked against Open Music Theory, musictheory.net, and Berklee Online. The questions, answers, selection, sequence, metadata, and generated cover are shared under CC0 1.0 to the extent those original elements can be dedicated. Musical facts remain common knowledge. No third-party media or protected deck text was used.
Kaarten in dit deck
Kaart 1
Vraag
In what order are sharps added to key signatures?
Antwoord
F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯, B♯.
Kaart 2
Vraag
What changes when you move one step clockwise on the circle of fifths?
Antwoord
The tonic moves up a perfect fifth. The signature shifts one step toward sharps: add one sharp or remove one flat.
Kaart 3
Vraag
What makes a major key and a minor key relative?
Antwoord
They share the same key signature. Their tonics and modes are different.
Kaart 4
Vraag
How can you find a major key's relative minor tonic?
Antwoord
Go down a minor third from the major tonic. It is also scale degree 6 of the major scale.
Kaart 5
Vraag
In what order are flats added to key signatures?
Antwoord
B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭.
Kaart 6
Vraag
What changes when you move one step counterclockwise on the circle of fifths?
Antwoord
The tonic moves down a perfect fifth. The signature shifts one step toward flats: add one flat or remove one sharp.
Kaart 7
Vraag
Why do 15 conventional major key signatures fit into 12 pitch-class positions?
Antwoord
Three positions have two enharmonic spellings. B/C♭, F♯/G♭, and C♯/D♭ sound alike in equal temperament but use different written signatures.
Kaart 8
Vraag
How can you find a minor key's relative major tonic?
Antwoord
Go up a minor third from the minor tonic. It is also scale degree 3 of the natural minor scale.
Kaart 9
Vraag
How are the conventional sharp and flat orders related?
Antwoord
They are exact reverses. F–C–G–D–A–E–B for sharps becomes B–E–A–D–G–C–F for flats.
Kaart 10
Vraag
What is normally true of neighboring major keys on the circle?
Antwoord
Their key signatures differ by one accidental. Keep the sharp-side or flat-side spelling consistent at the enharmonic bottom.
Kaart 11
Vraag
What is the key signature of C major?
Antwoord
No sharps or flats.
Kaart 12
Vraag
What is the key signature of G major?
Antwoord
1 sharp: F♯.
Kaart 13
Vraag
What is the key signature of F major?
Antwoord
1 flat: B♭.
Kaart 14
Vraag
What is the key signature of D major?
Antwoord
2 sharps: F♯, C♯.
Kaart 15
Vraag
What is the key signature of B♭ major?
Antwoord
2 flats: B♭, E♭.
Kaart 16
Vraag
What is the key signature of A major?
Antwoord
3 sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯.
Kaart 17
Vraag
What is the key signature of E♭ major?
Antwoord
3 flats: B♭, E♭, A♭.
Kaart 18
Vraag
What is the key signature of E major?
Antwoord
4 sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯.
Kaart 19
Vraag
What is the key signature of A♭ major?
Antwoord
4 flats: B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭.
Kaart 20
Vraag
What is the key signature of B major?
Antwoord
5 sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯.
Kaart 21
Vraag
What is the key signature of D♭ major?
Antwoord
5 flats: B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭.
Kaart 22
Vraag
What is the key signature of F♯ major?
Antwoord
6 sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯.
Kaart 23
Vraag
What is the key signature of G♭ major?
Antwoord
6 flats: B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭.
Kaart 24
Vraag
What is the key signature of C♯ major?
Antwoord
7 sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯, B♯.
Kaart 25
Vraag
What is the key signature of C♭ major?
Antwoord
7 flats: B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭.
Kaart 26
Vraag
No sharps or flats — name the conventional major key and its relative minor.
Antwoord
C major and A minor.
Kaart 27
Vraag
2 flats (B♭, E♭) — name the conventional major key and its relative minor.
Antwoord
B♭ major and G minor.
Kaart 28
Vraag
4 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭) — name the conventional major key and its relative minor.
Antwoord
A♭ major and F minor.
Kaart 29
Vraag
6 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭) — name the conventional major key and its relative minor.
Antwoord
G♭ major and E♭ minor.
Kaart 30
Vraag
1 sharp (F♯) — name the conventional major key and its relative minor.
Antwoord
G major and E minor.
Kaart 31
Vraag
3 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯) — name the conventional major key and its relative minor.
Antwoord
A major and F♯ minor.
Kaart 32
Vraag
5 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯) — name the conventional major key and its relative minor.
Antwoord
B major and G♯ minor.
Kaart 33
Vraag
7 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯, B♯) — name the conventional major key and its relative minor.
Antwoord
C♯ major and A♯ minor.
Kaart 34
Vraag
1 flat (B♭) — name the conventional major key and its relative minor.
Antwoord
F major and D minor.
Kaart 35
Vraag
3 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭) — name the conventional major key and its relative minor.
Antwoord
E♭ major and C minor.
Kaart 36
Vraag
5 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭) — name the conventional major key and its relative minor.
Antwoord
D♭ major and B♭ minor.
Kaart 37
Vraag
7 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭) — name the conventional major key and its relative minor.
Antwoord
C♭ major and A♭ minor.
Kaart 38
Vraag
2 sharps (F♯, C♯) — name the conventional major key and its relative minor.
Antwoord
D major and B minor.
Kaart 39
Vraag
4 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯) — name the conventional major key and its relative minor.
Antwoord
E major and C♯ minor.
Kaart 40
Vraag
6 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯) — name the conventional major key and its relative minor.
Antwoord
F♯ major and D♯ minor.
Kaart 41
Vraag
What is the relative minor of C major?
Antwoord
A minor. Both keys have no sharps or flats.
Kaart 42
Vraag
What is the relative minor of E major?
Antwoord
C♯ minor. Both keys have four sharps.
Kaart 43
Vraag
What is the relative minor of C♭ major?
Antwoord
A♭ minor. Both keys have seven flats.
Kaart 44
Vraag
What is the relative minor of E♭ major?
Antwoord
C minor. Both keys have three flats.
Kaart 45
Vraag
What is the relative minor of C♯ major?
Antwoord
A♯ minor. Both keys have seven sharps.
Kaart 46
Vraag
What is the relative minor of A major?
Antwoord
F♯ minor. Both keys have three sharps.
Kaart 47
Vraag
What is the relative minor of G♭ major?
Antwoord
E♭ minor. Both keys have six flats.
Kaart 48
Vraag
What is the relative minor of B♭ major?
Antwoord
G minor. Both keys have two flats.
Kaart 49
Vraag
What is the relative minor of F♯ major?
Antwoord
D♯ minor. Both keys have six sharps.
Kaart 50
Vraag
What is the relative minor of D major?
Antwoord
B minor. Both keys have two sharps.
Kaart 51
Vraag
What is the relative minor of D♭ major?
Antwoord
B♭ minor. Both keys have five flats.
Kaart 52
Vraag
What is the relative minor of F major?
Antwoord
D minor. Both keys have one flat.
Kaart 53
Vraag
What is the relative minor of B major?
Antwoord
G♯ minor. Both keys have five sharps.
Kaart 54
Vraag
What is the relative minor of G major?
Antwoord
E minor. Both keys have one sharp.
Kaart 55
Vraag
What is the relative minor of A♭ major?
Antwoord
F minor. Both keys have four flats.
Kaart 56
Vraag
What is the relative major of B minor?
Antwoord
D major. Both keys have two sharps.
Kaart 57
Vraag
What is the relative major of A♭ minor?
Antwoord
C♭ major. Both keys have seven flats.
Kaart 58
Vraag
What is the relative major of B♭ minor?
Antwoord
D♭ major. Both keys have five flats.
Kaart 59
Vraag
What is the relative major of C minor?
Antwoord
E♭ major. Both keys have three flats.
Kaart 60
Vraag
What is the relative major of D minor?
Antwoord
F major. Both keys have one flat.
Kaart 61
Vraag
What is the relative major of A♯ minor?
Antwoord
C♯ major. Both keys have seven sharps.
Kaart 62
Vraag
What is the relative major of G♯ minor?
Antwoord
B major. Both keys have five sharps.
Kaart 63
Vraag
What is the relative major of F♯ minor?
Antwoord
A major. Both keys have three sharps.
Kaart 64
Vraag
What is the relative major of E minor?
Antwoord
G major. Both keys have one sharp.
Kaart 65
Vraag
What is the relative major of E♭ minor?
Antwoord
G♭ major. Both keys have six flats.
Kaart 66
Vraag
What is the relative major of F minor?
Antwoord
A♭ major. Both keys have four flats.
Kaart 67
Vraag
What is the relative major of G minor?
Antwoord
B♭ major. Both keys have two flats.
Kaart 68
Vraag
What is the relative major of A minor?
Antwoord
C major. Both keys have no sharps or flats.
Kaart 69
Vraag
What is the relative major of D♯ minor?
Antwoord
F♯ major. Both keys have six sharps.
Kaart 70
Vraag
What is the relative major of C♯ minor?
Antwoord
E major. Both keys have four sharps.
Kaart 71
Vraag
Move one step counterclockwise from F♯ major. Which major key is next?
Antwoord
B major. The move goes down a perfect fifth and reduces six sharps to five.
Kaart 72
Vraag
How do C♯ major and D♭ major differ at the enharmonic bottom of the circle?
Antwoord
C♯ major has seven sharps; D♭ major has five flats. Their tonics are enharmonic in equal temperament, but their relative minors are spelled A♯ minor and B♭ minor.
Kaart 73
Vraag
Move one step clockwise from C major. Which major key is next?
Antwoord
G major. The move goes up a perfect fifth and changes no accidentals to one sharp.
Kaart 74
Vraag
Move one step clockwise from D major. Which major key is next?
Antwoord
A major. The move goes up a perfect fifth and increases two sharps to three.
Kaart 75
Vraag
Move one step counterclockwise from G♭ major. Which major key is next?
Antwoord
C♭ major. The move goes down a perfect fifth and increases six flats to seven.
Kaart 76
Vraag
Move one step clockwise from E major. Which major key is next?
Antwoord
B major. The move goes up a perfect fifth and increases four sharps to five.
Kaart 77
Vraag
Move one step counterclockwise from A♭ major. Which major key is next?
Antwoord
D♭ major. The move goes down a perfect fifth and increases four flats to five.
Kaart 78
Vraag
Move one step counterclockwise from D major. Which major key is next?
Antwoord
G major. The move goes down a perfect fifth and reduces two sharps to one.
Kaart 79
Vraag
How do F♯ major and G♭ major differ at the enharmonic bottom of the circle?
Antwoord
F♯ major has six sharps; G♭ major has six flats. Their tonics are enharmonic in equal temperament, but their relative minors are spelled D♯ minor and E♭ minor.
Kaart 80
Vraag
Move one step clockwise from B♭ major. Which major key is next?
Antwoord
F major. The move goes up a perfect fifth and reduces two flats to one.
Kaart 81
Vraag
Move one step counterclockwise from E major. Which major key is next?
Antwoord
A major. The move goes down a perfect fifth and reduces four sharps to three.
Kaart 82
Vraag
Move one step clockwise from A♭ major. Which major key is next?
Antwoord
E♭ major. The move goes up a perfect fifth and reduces four flats to three.
Kaart 83
Vraag
Move one step clockwise from G♭ major. Which major key is next?
Antwoord
D♭ major. The move goes up a perfect fifth and reduces six flats to five.
Kaart 84
Vraag
How do B major and C♭ major differ at the enharmonic bottom of the circle?
Antwoord
B major has five sharps; C♭ major has seven flats. Their tonics are enharmonic in equal temperament, but their relative minors are spelled G♯ minor and A♭ minor.
Kaart 85
Vraag
Move one step counterclockwise from C major. Which major key is next?
Antwoord
F major. The move goes down a perfect fifth and changes no accidentals to one flat.
Kaart 86
Vraag
Move one step counterclockwise from B♭ major. Which major key is next?
Antwoord
E♭ major. The move goes down a perfect fifth and increases two flats to three.
Kaart 87
Vraag
Move one step clockwise from F♯ major. Which major key is next?
Antwoord
C♯ major. The move goes up a perfect fifth and increases six sharps to seven.
87 kaarten
Circle of Fifths Flashcards: Keys, Signatures & Relative Minors
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