I–IV–I–V
I | IV | I | V
Home, the door, home, the pull: the simplest happy progression, for singalongs and children’s songs.
Banjo · chord progressions
Happy chord progressions
14 chord progressions with a bright, happy or uplifting sound, in numerals so they work in any key. Press Play to hear them on banjo, and press any chord to hear it on its own.
Style
Chords
Colours
homethe pullthe doorthe shadowrestlesshalf-lightthe lift
What each chord does in its key. Press a chord to hear it and read more.The pop progression
I | V | vi | IV
The four chords of pop, uplifting when played bright and quick.
Climbing steps
I | ii | iii | IV
Up the scale chord by chord, each a step higher: hopeful and rising.
The lift home
IV | V | I | I
IV and V leading home to I: the happiest arrival in music.
The bright surprise
I | III | IV | I
The major III, sharper than the key’s own iii, lifts the progression: joyful and a little surprising.
The doo-wop turnaround
I | vi | ii | V
I–vi–ii–V: cheerful and bouncy, from doo-wop to swing.
The Lydian lift
I | II | IV | I
The major II, a step above home, from the Lydian mode: bright and full of wonder.
Sunny rock and roll
I | IV | V | IV
I–IV–V–IV, quick and bright: good-time rock and roll.
I–IV–V–I
I | IV | V | I
The three major chords of a key and home again: as cheerful as music gets.
The fifties progression
I | vi | IV | V
I–vi–IV–V: the sweet, swaying sound of the late fifties.
Rising to the pull
I | iii | IV | V
Up through iii and IV to V: building, hopeful, heading for a chorus.
The sus bounce
I | Isus4 I | IV | V
A sus4 that bounces back to the major chord: playful and bright.
The ragtime bounce
I | VI7 | ii | V
A dominant on VI, bright and cheeky, leading round to the ii–V.
I–II7–IV–I
I | II7 | IV | I
A dominant on the second degree, then IV: bright, a little surprising, sixties pop.
No progression matches. or search every progression ›
What makes a chord progression sound happy?
Major chords, and progressions that come home: I, IV and V are major in a major key, and the pull from V to I resolves strongly. A quick tempo, a bright strum and progressions that climb all add to it. Major chords from outside the key, the II of the Lydian mode and the major III, sound brighter still.
How to play these so they sound happy
Strum them quickly with the Old faithful or Down eighths pattern, keep the chords short and bouncy, and pick a higher key. A capo high on the neck makes any of them brighter.
More: pop chord progressions, sad chord progressions, every chord progression.