The Relative Minor Cycle

In Bb major

Cm7 – F7 – Bbmaj7 – Ebmaj7 – Aø7 – D7 – Gm7 — melancholy, patient, textbook, around 128 BPM.

1. Bar 1 iim7 Cm7
   C · Eb · G · Bb
   ▶ Hear it
2. Bar 2 V7 F7
   F · A · C · Eb
   ▶ Hear it
3. Bar 3 Imaj7 Bbmaj7
   Bb · D · F · A
   ▶ Hear it
4. Bar 4 IVmaj7 Ebmaj7
   Eb · G · Bb · D
   ▶ Hear it
5. Bar 5 viim7b5 Aø7
   A · C · Eb · G
   ▶ Hear it
6. Bar 6 III7 D7
   D · F# · A · C
   ▶ Hear it
7. Bar 7 vim7 Gm7
   G · Bb · D · F
   ▶ Hear it

Why it works

The two halves are the same shape in different keys. The first four bars are a major ii–V–I plus IV; the last three are a minor ii–V–i in the relative minor, which shares the key signature. The hinge is III7 — a chord outside the key whose only job is to supply the leading tone of the relative minor. Recognising that hinge is what turns seven unrelated chord symbols into two familiar cells.

Where you'll hear it

Learn it as two ii–Vs rather than seven chords and it transposes instantly. It is the standard first "real" tune for a reason.

iim7–V7–Imaj7–IVmaj7–viiø7–III7–vim7 in every key

The same progression transposed. The roman numerals never change — that is the whole point of writing progressions this way.

Related progressions

• iim7–V7–Imaj7 The ii–V–I Progression
• iiø7–V7–i The Minor ii–V–i
• iiim7–vim7–iim7–V7–Imaj7 The Circle of Fifths Progression