KEY MODULATION CHART

This chart shows chords that you can use as transition chords when modulating from one key to another. The most
common modulations are either 1/2 step or a whole step up from the original key. For example, modulating from the
key of C up to either C# (Db) or D. When modulating up a whole step for example, from C to D, a
common transition chord would be the chord a half step between the two in this case C# (Db). So the
modulation would be: C
C# (Db)
D. However, were not limited to just the chord a half step between the
original key and the new key. For example, in the chart below, youll see 3 options available when modulating from
C to D. You can either use C# (Db), A or even Ami. There are theoretical reasons why these transition
chords work, but I opted to avoid mentioning them only because it could cause confusion to anyone who doesnt
know music theory.
As mentioned earlier, the most common modulations are either 1/2 step or a whole step up from one key to another.
However, Ive included modulations that go up two whole steps to higher keys (example: C to E), although
theyre not as common.
The chart is pretty self-explanatory. The first column shows the original key. The second column shows the target
key (the key youre modulating to), and the third column shows the transition chord or chords you can use to move
into the new key.
The keys I selected for this chart are C D E F G A B. When dealing with other keys, like B, E, etc.,
you could just find the chords for B and E on this chart, then just mentally transpose everything down a half step.

Original Key
C

New Key
C# (D)
D
D# (E)
E

Transition Chord(s)
G# (A)
C# or A or Ami
D or G# (A)
A or B
A# (B)

D# (E)
E

D# (E) or B or Bmi

E or A# (B)

F# (G)

B or C# (D)

E
E

C
F or C# (D) or C#mi (Dmi)

F
F# (G)
G

G# (A)

G or C# (D)

F
F

F#
G

C#
F# (G) or D or Dmi

G# (A)
A

G or C# (D)

C
C
C
D

F
G
G
G

G# (A)
A

F# (G) or C

G# (A) or D
D# (E)
G# (A) or E or Emi

A# (B)
B

A or D# (E)

A# (B)
B

A
A

C
C# (D)

A# (B) or F# (G) or F#mi (Gmi)

B or F
C or F# (G)

B
B

C
C# (D)
D
D# (E)

G
C or G# (A) or G#mi (Ami)
C# or G
D or G# (A)

G
A

B
B

A# (B) or E