Major key guide

C major scale, chords, and progressions

Learn the C major scale, its seven diatonic chords, the A minor relationship, and a playable C–G–Am–F progression.

Key at a glance

No sharps or flats

CDEFGABC

C major uses the seven natural letter names with no sharps or flats. That makes its interval pattern unusually easy to see on a piano.

Tonic
C
Key signature
No sharps or flats
Relative key
A minor

01

Play the C major scale

Because the notation is uncluttered, C major is a useful reference for understanding scale degrees, chord quality, and Roman numerals before moving the same ideas into other keys.

C major scale

Listen from the tonic to the octave, or press one note at a time.

Sound loads when you first play.

02

Diatonic chords in C major

Build a chord on every scale degree using only notes from the scale.

Triads and seventh chords in C major
DegreeTriadSeventh chord
ICCmaj7
iiDmDm7
iiiEmEm7
IVFFmaj7
VGG7
viAmAm7
vii°BdimBm7♭5

03

Four-chord loop: I–V–vi–IV

Keep C in the melody across C, Am, and F, then move to B over G to make the dominant chord clearer.

C – G – Am – F

I–V–vi–IV in C major.

Sound loads when you first play.

A short practice plan

  1. Play C to C with one finger before using both hands.
  2. Build each triad by taking every other note from the scale.
  3. Name the Roman numeral before playing each chord in the loop.
Relative keyA minorC major and A minor use the same key signature.Progression guideI–V–vi–IVLearn the I–V–vi–IV progression, hear C–G–Am–F, and transpose the same four-chord relationship into six useful keys.Progression guideii–V–ILearn the ii–V–I progression, hear Dm7–G7–Cmaj7, and see how its three harmonic jobs transfer into six keys.