Jazz · Advanced · major key
"Fly Me to the Moon" cycle
vi7 – ii7 – V7 – Imaj7 – IVmaj7 – viiø7 – III7 – vi7 — A full diatonic circle of fifths through all seven chords of the key.
Easiest guitar key: G major
Chord shapes in G major (standard tuning)
Using a different tuning? Open it in the Looper — it finds playable shapes for whatever tuning you choose.
How the chords work
Written in Roman numerals, this progression is vi7 – ii7 – V7 – Imaj7 – IVmaj7 – viiø7 – III7 – vi7 — in C major that is Am7 – Dm7 – G7 – Cmaj7 – Fmaj7 – Bm7b5 – E7 – Am7. Each numeral is a step of the scale; upper case is a major chord, lower case minor.
- vi7 — the relative minor — the "sad" chord of a major key.
- ii7 — a soft minor chord that leads towards V (a "pre-dominant").
- V7 — the tension chord that wants to resolve home.
- Imaj7 — the home chord — the progression feels finished when it lands here.
- IVmaj7 — a bright, open chord a fourth above home — the "amen" chord.
- III7 — a major chord where you expect minor: points strongly to vi.
"Fly Me to the Moon" cycle in all 12 keys
| Key | Chords | Hear / play |
|---|---|---|
| C major | Am7Dm7G7Cmaj7Fmaj7Bm7b5E7Am7 | Looper |
| G major | Em7Am7D7Gmaj7Cmaj7F#m7b5B7Em7 | Looper |
| D major | Bm7Em7A7Dmaj7Gmaj7C#m7b5F#7Bm7 | Looper |
| A major | F#m7Bm7E7Amaj7Dmaj7G#m7b5C#7F#m7 | Looper |
| E major | C#m7F#m7B7Emaj7Amaj7D#m7b5G#7C#m7 | Looper |
| B major | G#m7C#m7F#7Bmaj7Emaj7A#m7b5D#7G#m7 | Looper |
| F# major | D#m7G#m7C#7F#maj7Bmaj7Fm7b5A#7D#m7 | Looper |
| Db major | Bbm7Ebm7Ab7Dbmaj7Gbmaj7Cm7b5F7Bbm7 | Looper |
| Ab major | Fm7Bbm7Eb7Abmaj7Dbmaj7Gm7b5C7Fm7 | Looper |
| Eb major | Cm7Fm7Bb7Ebmaj7Abmaj7Dm7b5G7Cm7 | Looper |
| Bb major | Gm7Cm7F7Bbmaj7Ebmaj7Am7b5D7Gm7 | Looper |
| F major | Dm7Gm7C7Fmaj7Bbmaj7Em7b5A7Dm7 | Looper |
Songs that use it
- Fly Me to the Moon — Bart Howard
Song examples use this progression (or a very close variant) in at least one main section; keys and voicings differ.
Practice ideas
- Beginners: play one strum per chord and say the chord names out loud, then two strums, then a steady down-down-up-up-down-up pattern.
- Change keys with a capo: keep the G major shapes and move a capo up — the capo calculator shows which fret gives the key you want.
- Solo over it: loop it in the Looper and improvise with the G major pentatonic or G major scale — the scale pages show every position and play a backing track.
- Train your ear: the progression ear trainer mixes this with similar progressions until you can tell them apart.
Similar progressions
- Bird blues (Parker changes) Imaj7 – viiø7 – III7 – vi7 – II7 – v7 – I7 – IV7 – iv7 – ♭VII7 – iii7 – VI7 – ii7 – ♭III7 – ii7 – V7
- Rhythm changes A section Imaj7 – vi7 – ii7 – V7 – iii7 – VI7 – ii7 – V7
- Jazz blues I7 – IV7 – I7 – I7 – IV7 – ♯iv°7 – I7 – VI7 – ii7 – V7 – I7 – V7
- Jazz circle iii–vi–ii–V–I iii7 – vi7 – ii7 – V7 – Imaj7
- City pop loop IVmaj7 – V7 – iii7 – vi7 – ii7 – V7 – Imaj7 – Imaj7
- I–vi–ii–V turnaround I – vi – ii – V
← Jazz circle iii–vi–ii–V–I · Bossa nova I–II7–ii–♭II7 →
← All 198 chord progressions · Generate a new one
Questions
What chords are in the vi7 – ii7 – V7 – Imaj7 – IVmaj7 – viiø7 – III7 – vi7 progression?
In G major: Em7 – Am7 – D7 – Gmaj7 – Cmaj7 – F#m7b5 – B7 – Em7. In C major / A minor: Am7 – Dm7 – G7 – Cmaj7 – Fmaj7 – Bm7b5 – E7 – Am7. The table on this page lists all 12 keys.
What is the best key to play vi7 – ii7 – V7 – Imaj7 – IVmaj7 – viiø7 – III7 – vi7 on guitar?
G major uses the most open-position chord shapes in standard tuning. Use a capo with those shapes to reach other keys.
What songs use the "fly me to the moon" cycle?
For example: Fly Me to the Moon — Bart Howard.