vi–IV–I–V
vi | IV | I | V
The pop progression started on its minor chord. Starting on vi makes the whole loop sound like it is in the minor key.
Guitar · chord progressions
Sad chord progressions
16 chord progressions with a sad, wistful or dark sound, each in numerals so it works in any key. Press Play to hear it on guitar, change the key to suit your voice, and every chord opens with every way to play it.
Style
Key
Chords
Colours
homehome, minorthe pullthe doorthe shadowhalf-lightthe acheheroiccinematicsoft falldaylight
What each chord does in its key. Press a chord to hear it and read more.i–VI–III–VII
i | VI | III | VII
The minor key’s most used loop, slow and sweeping, the chords of film scores and power ballads.
i–iv–v–i
i | iv | v | i
Three minor chords, the minor key’s own three-chord trick: dark, with no major chord to lift it.
IV–iv–I
I | IV | iv | I
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.
The Andalusian cadence
i | VII | VI | V
Four chords stepping down by step to a major V, with the bass falling all the way: mournful and dramatic.
i–VI–iv–V
i | VI | iv | V
A minor progression whose major V pulls hard back to the minor tonic each time round.
I–iii–vi–IV
I | iii | vi | IV
Two minor chords in the middle of a major progression, for a gentle, melancholy sound.
i–VII–VI–VII
i | VII | VI | VII
Rocking between the tonic and the chords below it, unresolved, common in rock and folk.
vi–V–IV–V
vi | V | IV | V
Stepping down from the minor vi and back, never landing on the tonic: restless and sad.
i–iv–VII–III
i | iv | VII | III
A minor loop that turns towards the relative major, with a little hope in its last chord.
i–iv
i | iv | i | iv
Two minor chords, back and forth: heavy, still and dark.
The deceptive cadence
IV | V | vi | vi
V leads the ear to expect I, and vi arrives instead: hope, then disappointment.
i–v–VI–iv
i | v | VI | iv
A minor loop with a minor v that never pulls home: wistful, drifting.
i–iv–VI–V
i | iv | VI | V
Down to iv, up to the broad VI, then the major V pulling back to the minor tonic: dramatic and sad.
I–iii–IV–iv
I | iii | IV | iv
Climbing to IV, then the minor iv: the bittersweet turn at the end of a phrase.
vi–iii–IV–I
vi | iii | IV | I
Two minor chords before the major ones: a reflective loop that lands softly.
No progression matches. or search every progression ›
What makes a chord progression sound sad?
Minor chords, above all: a minor chord’s lowered third is heard as darker than a major chord’s. A progression that starts on a minor chord, stays in a minor key, or borrows a minor chord into a major key (the minor iv) sounds sad. So do a bass line that falls step by step, a slow tempo, and progressions that never quite come home to the tonic.
What is the saddest chord change?
Many musicians point to IV to iv in a major key, as in C, F, Fm, C: the major fourth chord turns minor, its third falling a half step. It is on the list above, along with the falling Andalusian cadence and the minor loops.
How to make these sound sadder
Play them slowly, fingerpick rather than strum, let the chords ring, and add sevenths or ninths: Am7 and Fmaj7 for Am and F. Try them in a lower key, and leave space between chords.
More: common chord progressions, the minor keys on chords in every key.