Key of G major
The key of G major has one sharp — F♯. Its scale runs G A B C D E F♯, and building a triad on each of those seven notes — stacking thirds from the scale itself — produces the key's seven chords.
That gives three major chords, three minor chords and one diminished chord. The majors — G (I), C (IV) and D (V) — are the workhorses that carry most songs in the key; the minors Am (ii), Bm (iii) and Em (vi) supply the softer colors, and F♯° (vii°) appears mostly as a passing chord.
Relative minor: E minor — the same seven chords, with Em as home base.
The seven chords of G major
Common questions
- What chords are in the key of G major?
- The seven chords in the key of G major are G (I), Am (ii), Bm (iii), C (IV), D (V), Em (vi) and F♯° (vii°).
- What is the relative minor of G major?
- E minor. The two keys share the same key signature and the same seven chords — E minor simply treats Em, not G, as home.
- How many sharps or flats does G major have?
- G major has one sharp: F♯.