Circle of Fifths Worksheet (Printable, with Answers)

About the Circle of Fifths Worksheet

The Circle of Fifths Worksheet is a free practice sheet that tests how the twelve major keys connect around the circle of fifths. You can fill in a blank circle, or answer short questions about key signatures and neighbouring keys, at easy, medium or hard levels. It runs in your web browser with no sign-up, and nothing you enter is uploaded. Each sheet can be printed with an answer key on a second page. Press New worksheet to get a fresh set of keys whenever you want more practice. Every sheet has its own number, so the same set can be opened again or shared.

How to use the Circle of Fifths Worksheet

Choose a Difficulty: Easy, Medium or Hard.
Set the Questions menu to 10 or 20.
Open the Format menu and pick Fill in the blank circle or Questions.
Press New worksheet. For the blank circle, some positions are already filled in, depending on the level.
For the blank circle, work clockwise from C at the top, adding a sharp for each fifth, and counter-clockwise adding a flat. For questions, answer each one about key signatures or neighbouring keys.
Press Show answers to check your completed circle, or press Print to get the sheet.

Printing gives page 1 with the questions and page 2 with the answer key. A4 and US Letter both work, and the sheet has Name, Date and Score lines. Every sheet has a number (Sheet #), and the page URL keeps your settings and that number (?seed=…). Open or share the URL to get the same sheet again.

Start with the easy level and the blank circle if you are new to the circle of fifths. Use the direction rule to check each key: clockwise adds a sharp or removes a flat, and counter-clockwise adds a flat.

At 5, 6 and 7 o’clock, two names share one position, such as B or C-flat, F-sharp or G-flat, and C-sharp or D-flat. Either name is correct there, so do not mark an answer wrong just because it uses the other spelling.

Why does the circle of fifths have only 12 positions?#

There are 15 key signatures, but only 12 positions on the circle. The keys with 5, 6 and 7 sharps overlap with the keys with 7, 6 and 5 flats. B and C-flat, F-sharp and G-flat, and C-sharp and D-flat sound the same, so they share the positions at the bottom of the circle, at 5, 6 and 7 o’clock.

How do I move from one key to the next?#

Move one place clockwise to go up a perfect fifth, for example from C to G. Each clockwise step adds one sharp, or removes one flat. Move one place counter-clockwise to go down a fifth, for example from C to F, which adds one flat.

Where are the minor keys on the circle?#

The minor keys usually sit on an inner ring. Each minor key sits next to its relative major, so A minor is inside C major and E minor is inside G major. The relative minor always shares the same key signature as its major.

How do you fill in a blank circle of fifths?#

Start at C at the top (12 o’clock). Moving clockwise, each key is a perfect fifth higher and has one more sharp than the key before it. Moving counter-clockwise, each key is a fifth lower and has one more flat.

Choose a difficulty (easy, medium or hard) and select the blank circle format.
Press New worksheet. At easier levels, some positions are already filled in.
Work clockwise from C, adding one sharp for each fifth.
Work counter-clockwise from C, adding one flat for each fifth.
Press Show answers to check the completed circle, or print the answer page.

At 5, 6 and 7 o’clock, the keys overlap: B and C-flat, F-sharp and G-flat, and C-sharp and D-flat sound the same, so each position can be written either way.

In what order are sharps and flats added?#

Sharps are added in the order F, C, G, D, A, E, B. Flats are added in the reverse order: B, E, A, D, G, C, F.

Each new sharp raises the key by a perfect fifth, and each new flat lowers it by a fifth. To remember the sharp order, you can use “Fat Cats Go Down Alleys Eating Bananas.”

Start with C major, which has no sharps or flats.
For sharps, add F# first, then C#, G#, D#, A#, E#, B#.
For flats, add Bb first, then Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb, Fb.

So G major has one sharp (F#), and D major has two (F# and C#). F major has one flat (Bb), and B-flat major has two (Bb and Eb).

Frequently asked questions

Can I print it with the answers?

Yes. Page 1 has the questions, and page 2 has the answer key, so you can print both at once or print only the key.

What is the difference between the easy and hard levels?

Easy uses major keys up to three sharps or flats, with four positions filled in. Hard uses both rings, all keys, moves of two or three steps, and naming the sharps or flats in order.

Why do some positions on the circle have two names?

At 5, 6 and 7 o’clock, B and C-flat, F-sharp and G-flat, and C-sharp and D-flat are the same notes on the piano, so each position can take either name.

Can I get the same worksheet again?

Yes. Note the Sheet # or copy the page URL, which keeps the settings and the number in ?seed=…, and open it later.

Is the circle of fifths worksheet free, and does it need an account?

Yes, the worksheet is free, and you do not need an account or sign-up to use it. It runs in your web browser, and nothing you enter is uploaded.

Can I give a whole class the same worksheet?

Yes. Every sheet has a number, and the page URL keeps your settings and that number (?seed=…), so anyone who opens the same link gets the identical sheet and answer key. To hand out paper copies, press Print. Page 1 has the questions and page 2 has the answers.

Circle of Fifths Worksheet