Chords in a key

Every key has seven chords built from its scale. Pick a key to hear them, see the 7th chords and try common progressions.

Major keys

Key	I	ii	iii	IV	V	vi	vii°
C major	C	Dm	Em	F	G	Am	Bdim
D♭ major	D♭	E♭m	Fm	G♭	A♭	B♭m	Cdim
D major	D	Em	F♯m	G	A	Bm	C♯dim
E♭ major	E♭	Fm	Gm	A♭	B♭	Cm	Ddim
E major	E	F♯m	G♯m	A	B	C♯m	D♯dim
F major	F	Gm	Am	B♭	C	Dm	Edim
F♯ major	F♯	G♯m	A♯m	B	C♯	D♯m	E♯dim
G major	G	Am	Bm	C	D	Em	F♯dim
A♭ major	A♭	B♭m	Cm	D♭	E♭	Fm	Gdim
A major	A	Bm	C♯m	D	E	F♯m	G♯dim
B♭ major	B♭	Cm	Dm	E♭	F	Gm	Adim
B major	B	C♯m	D♯m	E	F♯	G♯m	A♯dim

Minor keys

Key	i	ii°	III	iv	v	VI	VII
C minor	Cm	Ddim	E♭	Fm	Gm	A♭	B♭
C♯ minor	C♯m	D♯dim	E	F♯m	G♯m	A	B
D minor	Dm	Edim	F	Gm	Am	B♭	C
E♭ minor	E♭m	Fdim	G♭	A♭m	B♭m	C♭	D♭
E minor	Em	F♯dim	G	Am	Bm	C	D
F minor	Fm	Gdim	A♭	B♭m	Cm	D♭	E♭
F♯ minor	F♯m	G♯dim	A	Bm	C♯m	D	E
G minor	Gm	Adim	B♭	Cm	Dm	E♭	F
G♯ minor	G♯m	A♯dim	B	C♯m	D♯m	E	F♯
A minor	Am	Bdim	C	Dm	Em	F	G
B♭ minor	B♭m	Cdim	D♭	E♭m	Fm	G♭	A♭
B minor	Bm	C♯dim	D	Em	F♯m	G	A

Why the pattern never changes is shown step by step in diatonic chords and Roman numerals.

Questions

How do you find the chords in a key?

Write out the scale, then build a triad on every note by stacking every other scale note. In C major: C–E–G, D–F–A, E–G–B, F–A–C, G–B–D, A–C–E and B–D–F give C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am and Bdim.

Is the pattern the same in every key?

Yes. Every major key has the pattern major, minor, minor, major, major, minor, diminished (I ii iii IV V vi vii°), and every natural minor key has minor, diminished, major, minor, minor, major, major (i ii° III iv v VI VII).

Can I use chords that aren’t in the key?

Yes — borrowed chords (such as iv or ♭VII in a major key) and secondary dominants (such as V/V) are common. Diatonic chords are the starting point, not a rule.