Learn guitar & songwriting

Use the circle of fifths to choose your next chord

The circle of fifths organizes keys by their relationships. It is a map, not a rule that tells you one correct next chord. Begin with a key and a few chords, then listen to how each choice supports your melody.

Start with G major

The notes of G major are G, A, B, C, D, E and F♯. Building triads from those notes gives G, Am, Bm, C, D, Em and F♯dim. G is home; C can move away from home; D often creates a pull back to G.

On the circle, C and D sit beside G. They are neighboring major keys and also the roots of IV and V in G. That useful relationship does not mean every adjacent label is automatically the best next chord.

Add the relative minor

E minor shares G major’s key signature. An Em chord gives you a different color within the same note collection. Playing Em once does not automatically change the key to E minor; that depends on which note and chord the music establishes as home.

Hear first, then add

1. Open Chord paths and select G major as your key.
2. Select a chord on the circle to preview it.
3. Use the transition preview to hear your last chord followed by the candidate.
4. Add it to the queue only when you like the change.
5. Play the queue and send it to the song builder when you have a useful phrase.

Try the interactive circle →

Try a neighboring key change: G to D

G major and D major share several chords, including G, Em, Bm and D. A shared chord can act as a pivot. Try G – Em – A7 – D: Em belongs to both keys, and A7 introduces C♯, the note that distinguishes D major’s scale from G major’s.

This may sound like a brief emphasis on D rather than a lasting key change. To establish D as the new home, keep the next phrase centered on D and use the melody to reinforce it.

What about suspended and borrowed chords?

A suspended chord replaces the third with a second or fourth. It is a change in chord color, not a new stop on the major-key circle. Borrowed chords bring notes from another mode; they can sound effective even when they are outside the selected scale. Treat recommendations as suggestions and keep your ears in charge.

For a concrete songwriting exercise, try three chorus ideas for a G–C–D verse.

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