Common Chord Progressions

A chord progression is the sequence of chords a song moves through. Surprisingly few progressions account for a huge share of popular music, because they work: they set up tension and release in ways listeners find satisfying. Learning them as patterns lets you play thousands of songs and write your own.

Roman numerals

Progressions are written with Roman numerals so they apply in any key. Each numeral is a scale degree: I is the chord built on the first note of the key, ii on the second, and so on. In a major key the chords are I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi and vii° (capitals are major chords, lowercase are minor, and ° is diminished). In C major that is C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am and Bdim; in G major it is G, Am, Bm, C, D, Em and F♯dim. Once you know a pattern as numerals, you can play it in whatever key suits your voice or instrument. The circle of fifths guide explains where these chords come from.

I–V–vi–IV

In C: C, G, Am, F. In G: G, D, Em, C. The four-chord progression behind an enormous amount of pop. It starts on home, moves to the dominant for lift, drops to the relative minor for a touch of emotion, and lands on the subdominant. “Let It Be” follows this pattern. Starting it from the minor chord (vi–IV–I–V) gives a more melancholy mood with the same four chords.

I–vi–IV–V

In C: C, Am, F, G. In A: A, F♯m, D, E. The “fifties progression”, found in doo-wop and early rock and roll. “Stand By Me” is a famous example. It always wants to return to the I chord after the V.

I–IV–V and the 12-bar blues

The 12-bar blues uses only the I, IV and V chords over twelve bars. A common layout is:

  • Bars 1–4: I
  • Bars 5–6: IV
  • Bars 7–8: I
  • Bar 9: V
  • Bar 10: IV
  • Bars 11–12: I (with a V at the end of bar 12 to turn around into the next chorus)

In A that is A for four bars, D for two, A for two, E for one, D for one, then A for two. Blues players often turn all three chords into dominant sevenths (A7, D7, E7), which gives the style its tension. The same three-chord skeleton is behind rock and roll, country and countless rock songs.

ii–V–I

In C: Dm7, G7, Cmaj7. The basic building block of jazz. Each chord moves down a fifth to the next (the counterclockwise motion on the circle of fifths), which creates a strong sense of arrival on the I chord. Jazz tunes chain these together, passing through different keys. Practicing a ii–V–I in all twelve keys is a standard exercise.

Minor-key progressions

  • i–VI–III–VII: In A minor: Am, F, C, G. The same chords as I–V–vi–IV in C major, heard from the minor chord. Common in rock and pop.
  • i–iv–v: In A minor: Am, Dm, Em. The minor-key version of I–IV–V, with a gloomier sound.
  • Andalusian cadence (i–VII–VI–V): In A minor: Am, G, F, E. A descending line of chords that is a staple of flamenco and rock. “Hit the Road Jack” uses it. The major E at the end, rather than Em, gives the progression a pull back to the Am.

Pachelbel’s progression

In C: C, G, Am, Em, F, C, F, G. Eight chords from the Canon in D, repeated in pop songs ever since. It shows how I, V, vi and IV can be extended into a longer sequence in which the bass line steps downward.

Make them your own

  • Change the key to fit your voice. The patterns work in all twelve.
  • Change the rhythm and strumming; the same chords can feel entirely different.
  • Swap in a seventh or a suspended chord on one chord to add color.
  • Start from a different chord in the loop, as in vi–IV–I–V, to change the mood.

The chord progression tool lets you pick a key, browse 40 presets by mood and genre, and hear any progression played back. Look up the fingering for any chord with the chord chart.

All guides