C Major
C major has no sharps or flats. Its relative minor is Am and its parallel key is Cm. This page lists the signature, scale notes, diatonic chords, and go-to progressions, with tools that play the sound.
Key signature
No sharps or flats
Scale notes
The notes that make up this scale, shown with their degrees.
| Degree | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Note | C | D | E | F | G | A | B |
Diatonic chords
The chords that belong to this key, color-coded by role: T (tonic), SD (subdominant), D (dominant).
Triads
| Degree | Chord | Notes | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ⅰ | C | C E G | T |
| Ⅱm | Dm | D F A | SD |
| Ⅲm | Em | E G B | T |
| Ⅳ | F | F A C | SD |
| Ⅴ | G | G B D | D |
| Ⅵm | Am | A C E | T |
| Ⅶdim | Bdim | B D F | D |
Seventh chords
| Degree | Chord | Notes | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ⅰmaj7 | Cmaj7 | C E G B | T |
| Ⅱm7 | Dm7 | D F A C | SD |
| Ⅲm7 | Em7 | E G B D | T |
| Ⅳmaj7 | Fmaj7 | F A C E | SD |
| Ⅴ7 | G7 | G B D F | D |
| Ⅵm7 | Am7 | A C E G | T |
| Ⅶm7b5 | Bm7b5 | B D F A | D |
Related keys
Go-to progressions in this key
Common progressions written out with the real chord names for this key. Play them in the progression player to hear them.
| Progression | Chords | |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Road Progression | F - G - Em - Am | ▶ Play in player |
| Canon Progression | C - G - Am - Em - F - C - F - G | ▶ Play in player |
| Komuro Progression | Am - F - G - C | ▶ Play in player |
Hear it with the tools
Links that open each tool preset to this key.
Related articles
Articles for anyone who wants to understand keys and signatures more deeply.