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Chords in the key of C Major

The seven chords of C Major and the 7th chord on each, with the key signature and the keys closest to it.

Short answer

The key of C Major contains seven diatonic chords: C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am, B°. They're built on each degree of the C Major scale.

Tonic
C
Key signature
No sharps or flats
Scale
C D E F G A B
Relative key
A Natural Minor
Dominant
G
Parallel key
C Natural Minor

Diatonic chords in C Major

Build a triad on each note of the C Major scale and you get these seven chords. Add one more scale note on top and you get the 7th chord beside it.

DegreeTriad7th chordHear
ICCmaj7
iiDmDm7
iiiEmEm7
IVFFmaj7
VGG7
viAmAm7
vii°B°Bm7♭5

Key signature of C Major

C Major has no sharps or flats. Its key signature is empty, so every note in the scale is a natural.

Practise reading key signatures

C Major on the piano

Show:
C Major on the pianoCDEFGABCDEFGABC Major - C · D · E · F · G · A · B

Common progressions in C Major

The most popular chord progressions written in this key. Click any progression to hear it.

I–V–vi–IV in C major
CGAmF
I–IV–V in C major
CFG
ii–V–I in C major
Dm7G7Cmaj7
I–vi–IV–V in C major
CAmFG
I–IV–V–I in C major
CFGC
I7–IV7–I7–V7 in C major
C7F7C7G7
vi–IV–I–V in C major
AmFCG
I7–I7–I7–I7–IV7–IV7–I7–I7–V7–IV7–I7–V7 in C major
C7C7C7C7F7F7C7C7G7F7C7G7

Related keys

The keys a song in C Major most often borrows chords from or moves to.

CGDAEBC♭F♯G♭D♭C♯A♭E♭B♭FAmEmBmF♯mC♯mG♯mA♭mD♯mE♭mB♭mA♯mFmCmGmDmMajorMinor
C Major is lit, with its relative key and the keys a fifth either side.

Questions people ask

What chords are in the key of C Major?
The key of C Major contains seven diatonic chords: C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am, B°. They're built on each degree of the C Major scale.
How many sharps or flats are in C Major?
C Major has no sharps or flats. Its key signature is empty, so every note in the scale is a natural.
What are the 7th chords in C Major?
Adding a seventh to each chord of C Major gives Cmaj7, Dm7, Em7, Fmaj7, G7, Am7, Bm7♭5.
What is the relative key of C Major?
It's A Natural Minor. It uses exactly the same notes and key signature as C Major, but its music centres on A.
What are the most common progressions in C Major?
Pop and rock songs in C Major usually rely on I-V-vi-IV, I-IV-V and ii-V-I. Each appears in our progression library with audio.
Why do these chords sound good together?
Every chord in C Major is built using only notes from the C Major scale, so they share the same tonal center and naturally resolve to the I chord.
How do I transpose a song to C Major?
Use our free Chord Transposer, paste the original chords and shift them to C Major. The tool keeps the relationships between chords intact.

Related chords, scales and keys