Chord progressions

I, IV and V: the three major chords of a key, enough for countless folk, country, rock and roll and blues songs.

I–V–vi–IV, sometimes called the axis progression: the four chords behind a great many pop songs since the 1980s.

I–vi–IV–V, the doo-wop changes, heard all through the late 1950s and early 1960s.

vi–IV–I–V: the same four chords as the pop progression, started on the minor chord, for a more wistful sound.

The cadence at the heart of jazz: each chord a fifth above the next, pulling home to the tonic.

Twelve bars of I, IV and V, usually as dominant sevenths: the form of the blues, and of a great deal of rock and roll.

More on the 12 bar blues ›

Four chords stepping down to a major fifth chord, from flamenco, and heard in a great many rock songs.

i–VI–III–VII: the sound of film scores and power ballads.

I–V–vi–iii–IV–I–IV–V, the chords of Pachelbel’s Canon in D, which have turned up in songs ever since.

IV–V–iii–vi, a favourite of Japanese pop.

vi–ii–V–I: each chord a fifth above the next, round the circle of fifths to the tonic.

I–IV–I, the “amen” cadence that ends hymns, gentler than a cadence through V.

I, V and IV with the last two bars on IV: an open, unresolved loop heard in rock, folk and pop.

The major chord a step below home, borrowed from the mixolydian mode: the sound of classic and country rock.

Up through iii and IV to the pull of V: a progression that builds towards a chorus.

The four pop chords started on IV: it floats before it lands.

I–vi–ii–V: the fifties progression with ii in place of IV, bouncing back to the top.

Rocking between the minor tonic and the major chords below it: from folk to hard rock.

The same, with IV in the second bar: a quick visit to IV before settling on I.

The blues in a minor key: minor sevenths on i and iv, and the ♭VI7 stepping down to V7.

A shorter blues form of eight bars, common in gospel-tinged blues.

The 12 bar blues with a two-bar turnaround, I–IV then I–V, that pushes back to the top.

The same form with plain major chords: the rock and roll version.

A minor blues with iv in the second bar and V7 in the turnaround.

The 12 bar blues with eight bars on I at the start instead of four: room for a longer verse.

Another eight-bar blues: two bars of I, two of IV, then I and V twice.

The last two bars of a blues on their own: I–IV, I–V, the move that sends the form round again.

The minor version: a half-diminished ii, a dominant V7 from the harmonic minor, and a minor sixth tonic.

Played at the end of a tune to lead back to its start, and as the A section of countless standards.

A longer turnaround, a fifth at each step, landing on I.

The vi chord turned into VI7, a dominant that pulls harder to ii, as in rhythm changes.

Home from the other side: iv7 and ♭VII7, borrowed from the minor key, resolving to I.

The 12 bar blues with jazz chords: a ii–V into IV, a passing diminished chord, and ii–V turnarounds.

Turnarounds two chords to a bar, then I7 to IV and the minor iv: the A section of countless bebop tunes.

V7 replaced by the dominant a tritone away, ♭II7, which shares its tritone and slides down a half step to I.

The I–vi–ii–V of a minor key: minor tonic, a dominant on ♭VI, half-diminished ii and V7.

A turnaround with a dominant on VI, each chord pulling down a fifth to the next.

A dominant on the second degree, a step above home, then the ii–V back: the bright lift of bossa nova.

One minor seventh for bars on end, then the same chord a half step higher: modal jazz, where the scale matters more than the changes.

Every chord of the key, each a fifth from the last, landing on the relative minor: the cycle many standards are built on.

Three minor chords, the minor key’s own three-chord trick: dark, with no major chord to lift it.

The minor iv: a major key borrowing the iv chord from its minor key. The one note that falls, a half step, is a famously bittersweet sound.

A minor progression whose major V pulls hard back to the minor tonic each time round.

Two minor chords in the middle of a major progression, for a gentle, melancholy sound.

Stepping down from the minor vi and back, never landing on the tonic: restless and sad.

A minor loop that turns towards the relative major, with a little hope in its last chord.

Two minor chords, back and forth: heavy, still and dark.

V leads the ear to expect I, and vi arrives instead: hope, then disappointment.

A minor loop with a minor v that never pulls home: wistful, drifting.

Down to iv, up to the broad VI, then the major V pulling back to the minor tonic: dramatic and sad.

Climbing to IV, then the minor iv: the bittersweet turn at the end of a phrase.

Two minor chords before the major ones: a reflective loop that lands softly.

Up through the two major chords below the tonic and home again: a build that lands with force, made for a theme’s first statement.

♭VI and ♭VII, borrowed from the minor key, marching up to the tonic: the fanfare of the moment the hero wins.

Two major chords a major third apart, sharing one note: a shift that sounds like magic, wonder and wide open space.

The major III lifts out of the key, then IV turns minor: wonder, then a lump in the throat.

A minor tonic with a major IV, the Dorian mode’s colour: mysterious but hopeful, for journeys and quests.

A minor progression that ends on the major tonic, the Picardy third: light breaking through at the very end.

A minor chord falling to the minor chord a major third below and back: dark and imperial, the sound of a villain’s march.

The major chord a step above home, from the Lydian mode: weightless, the sound of flying.

The major chord a half step above the minor tonic, then V: old, dramatic and tragic.

A minor chord and the major chord a half step above, over and over: suspense, danger, something approaching.

The tonic turning from major to minor and back: the same place, seen in light and in shadow.

Up from VI and VII to arrive on the minor tonic and stay there: the climb into the last chord of a trailer.

A major chord and the major chord a minor third above: distant, strange and wide, a favourite of science fiction.

Two bars on each chord, with V7 to turn round to the top: the shape of countless country verses.

I to IV and home, with a quick V before the last bar: the progression jam sessions start from.

Dominant sevenths round the circle of fifths back to I, from ragtime into western swing and country picking.

I turns into I7 on its way to IV, the move of country gospel and church songs.

Just I and V7: enough for many old country and folk songs.

I7 leading to IV, then V7 home: the barroom sound of honky-tonk.

Dominant sevenths from III all the way round the circle to I: the swing of western and ragtime country.

A slow progression in three: choose a waltz pattern above to hear it as a country waltz.

A minor chord and the major chord a step below it: the modal sound of old-time and bluegrass fiddle tunes.

Home, through the minor ii and the pull of V, and home again: a gentle country and folk cadence.

I, IV, V and back to IV: the three chords of rock and roll, turned into a riff that goes round and round.

Power chords, roots and fifths with no third, on I, ♭VII and IV: the riff shape of hard rock.

A minor key with a major IV, the Dorian colour: moody, but with a lift.

Up from ♭VI through ♭VII to the tonic: the big stadium ending.

A major key with the ♭III chord borrowed from the blues scale: the swagger of blues rock.

The four chords of pop as power chords, fast and loud: the pop-punk progression.

Two chords a fourth apart, back and forth: the simplest rock riff of all.

Power chords on i, ♭III and IV: a riff shape behind a great deal of hard rock.

Power chords stepping up from ♭VI through ♭VII to the minor tonic: the climb of heavy metal.

The minor tonic and the chord a half step above it, as power chords: the dark sound of metal.

Another order of the same four chords, with the minor chord in the middle: bright, with a moment of feeling.

IV–V–iii–vi with sevenths, the favourite of Japanese pop and anime themes.

The pop progression with a sus4 that resolves inside the fifth chord: a little tension, then release.

I to IV and back, then V: the bright, simple shape of pop for all ages.

I and V either side of IV: a driving pop-rock loop.

Up the scale chord by chord, each a step higher: hopeful and rising.

IV and V leading home to I: the happiest arrival in music.

The major III, sharper than the key’s own iii, lifts the progression: joyful and a little surprising.

The major II, a step above home, from the Lydian mode: bright and full of wonder.

A sus4 that bounces back to the major chord: playful and bright.

A dominant on VI, bright and cheeky, leading round to the ii–V.

A dominant on the second degree, then IV: bright, a little surprising, sixties pop.

The jazz ii–V–I with ninths and a major seventh: smooth and warm, the base of neo soul.

♭VImaj7 sliding down a half step to V7 and home to the minor seventh: the R&B progression above all others.

A minor ninth and a dominant ninth a fourth above, back and forth: the vamp of funk and soul.

Two major sevenths rocking back and forth: dreamy and relaxed, for slow jams and lofi.

I7 leading to IV, then IV turning minor: the gospel move that R&B singers love.

Two minor sevenths a fourth apart: the slow groove of soul and R&B.

Down the scale in seventh chords from IV to I: smooth and warm.

Down a fifth at each step, from the major seventh tonic round to V7: the shape of a soul ballad.

Up the scale in sevenths, ii to V: hopeful, lifting into the next section.

A minor ninth and the major seventh on ♭VI, swaying back and forth: dreamy and dark.

IVmaj7 to ♭VII7 and home, the backdoor of jazz in an R&B groove.