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GuitStart

Learn guitar theory by playing it.

The circle of fifths, played out. Spin through every key, hear its chords strummed, and watch them land on the fretboard.

Open the circle Start with the basics

Use the Key slider to turn the dial. In the chord grid, arrow keys move, Enter plays a chord, Shift and Enter makes it the key, digits 1 to 7 play the chords of the key, and Escape stops playback.

Selected chord · I

GmajorTonic

  • G1
  • B3
  • D5

Home — progressions come to rest here.

TonicPredominantDominant

Outer: major · Middle: relative minor · Inner: diminished (vii°)

Open G major in the full simulation

Notes
12Notes
Keys
24Keys
Chords per key
7Chords per key
Strings
6Strings

Built to be played, not just read.

  • 01

    Circle of fifths simulation

    Turn the dial through all thirty key spellings. The seven chords of the key light up by the job they do, progressions play with a real strum pattern, and every chord lands on the fretboard.

    Open the circle
  • 02

    Theory basics

    Eight short chapters — notes, the fretboard, intervals, scales, chords, harmony, the circle and rhythm — each with something to play.

    Start reading
  • 03

    Chords in every key

    All 24 major and minor keys, each with its seven chords, key signature and common progressions, ready to strum.

    Pick a key
  • 04

    Guides

    Short answers to the questions players ask most: how to use the circle, transpose a song, or find its key.

    Read a guide

Why fifths?

Each step clockwise adds a sharp or drops a flat. Each step anticlockwise does the opposite. Almost everything else on the circle follows from that.

Notes shared by neighbouring keys
6 / 7Notes shared by neighbouring keys
Side by side on the outer ring
I · IV · VSide by side on the outer ring
The relative minor, directly inside I
viThe relative minor, directly inside I
The order sharps are added
F C G D A E BThe order sharps are added

On the neck

A minor pentatonic, every position.

The first scale most guitarists learn: five notes repeating across fifteen frets.

Try other scales
EADGBE0135791215AAAAAAAAEGCDEGCDEGCDEGCDEGCDEGCDEGCDEGCDEG
  • Root (A)
  • Scale tone

Tap a note to hear it.

Pick a key. Hear it ring.

Start on C, turn the dial, and let your ears connect what your eyes are seeing.

Turn the dial