A Progression Map for Major Keys

#Idim7
IIIm7b5

VI
7,9,b9 iimm7,m9
#IVm7b5
VIm7b5
b3

II
#IVm7b5
#IIdim7
V
7,9,11,13,sus
7,9,b9

VII
7,9,b9 iiim m7
#Vdim7
VIIm7b5

III
Vm
7
IIIm7b5
vimm7,m9
7,9,b9

I
7,9,b9 IV
6,M7,m,m6
I/3 #Idim7
IIIm7b5

VI
Im6
#IVm7b5
iim
m7,m9
7,9,b9

Idim/b3
II
7,9,b9 V IVm7
bVI7
V/2 7,9,11,13,sus bII7

bVI
I/5 bVII9

I
#IVm7b5
bVII
9

IV/1 Chords in italics have been respelled:

bVI7 = bVI(aug6)
2,6,M7,M9,sus V/1
Suggestions for Use
1 - Begin with the blue boxes. Start at I. Jump to another blue area. Follow the arrows back toward I. (Example: I-IV-V-I)
2 - Start with any blue box. Create a 3 or 4-chord progression by following the arrows. (Examples: ii-V-I or vi-IV-ii-V)
3 - You may jump to a green location at any time. When you do, there is a tendency to follow the arrows back toward the blue locations.
4 - If two locations have the same name, you may switch from one to the other. This gives more options for choosing the next chord.
5 - The arrows indicate strong, natural-sounding progressions. For interest, sometimes go opposite the direction of the arrows.

The expression X/Y indicates chord X with scale note Y in the bass.

Copyright 1995, 2001, 2004, 2017 Stephen Mugglin

Permission is given to make not-for-profit copies. - More information at Chordmaps.com.