Relative Keys Chart PDF
Dear Fellow Musician,
The following relative keys chart shows both the scales that contain sharps according to the circle of fifths and also the scales in flat key signatures according to the circle of fourths. (explanations below)…
Moreover, this chart includes the short form of writing Major and minor scales so you would be able to recognize any type of writing form.
If you want to memorize the relative minor and major keys, you can also use the help of our relative minor converter tool which not only converts minor or major scales to their relatives but on the same page you’ll find every explanation you need about the subject of relative scales.
This is how the printable relative keys chart pdf looks:
and you can download it for free (no registration required) here: Relative Keys Chart.
Terms Used in this Article:
The circle of fifths:
The circle of fifths is a logical system for organizing the keys that contain sharp notes plus how these keys are connected.
It is described in a circle, and each step (key) is derived by counting five notes higher to the next key.
You can also imagine it as a clock where C major is located at 12 o’clock.
As you move clockwise you’ll get the order of the sharp keys.
For example, from C to G, and then G to D, and so on.
(Moving counter-clockwise in steps of four notes will give you all the keys that contain the flats).
The cool part is, as we move around, each new key has one more sharp in its key signature.
So for example: the first step in the circle is C major (relative to A minor) which contains no sharps so the next step will be G major which contains one sharp, the next key is D which contains two sharps, etc..
The circle of fourths:
Slightly different but around the same idea, the circle of fourths is another system for organizing keys, but this time the Flat Keys.
With this system, we advance up by four notes. For instance, starting with the key of C, if we go up by four notes (C, D, E, F), we reach the key of F which contains one flat (on the B).
Then, if we go up by four notes from F (F, G, A, Bb), we get to the key of Bb, and so on.
Each new key has one more flat in its key signature.