Common Chord Progressions
The most common chord progressions are I–V–vi–IV, I–IV–V, vi–IV–I–V, I–vi–IV–V, ii–V–I and the 12-bar blues. Learn them as numbers and you can play them in any key.
A chord progression is the order of chords a song moves through, usually repeating every few bars. The common chord progressions — I–V–vi–IV, I–IV–V, vi–IV–I–V, I–vi–IV–V, ii–V–I and the 12-bar blues — turn up across pop, rock, folk, blues and jazz. Written as Roman numerals they work in every key, so learning eight of them really means learning hundreds of songs' worth of harmony. This guide lists each one in all 12 keys and explains how to recognise it by ear.
Riffloop shows the chords and key of a song on the YouTube video itself, and isolates the bass so you can hear the roots move — free to start, on your device. Also on iPhone and Android.
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Common Chord Progressions, at a Glance
The most common chord progressions are I–V–vi–IV (C–G–Am–F), I–IV–V (C–F–G), vi–IV–I–V (Am–F–C–G), I–vi–IV–V (C–Am–F–G), ii–V–I (Dm7–G7–Cmaj7) and the 12-bar blues (C7–F7–G7). In minor keys, listen for i–♭VII–♭VI–V (Am–G–F–E).
- 🔢 Roman numerals name chords by their place in the key, so one pattern fits all 12 keys
- 🎸 Most of these use only the six main chords of one key
- 🔁 vi–IV–I–V is I–V–vi–IV started on the minor chord
- 🎵 The bass usually gives a progression away faster than the guitar
- 🗝️ Find the home chord first; everything is counted from it
- 🎹 Practise one progression round all 12 keys, not 12 progressions in one
Roman Numerals in Two Minutes
Roman numerals name each chord by the scale step it's built on: I on the first note of the key, IV on the fourth, V on the fifth. Uppercase is major, lowercase is minor, and ° is diminished — so a major key always has major I, IV and V, minor ii, iii and vi, and a diminished vii°.
| Numeral | Type | In C | In G | In D | In A | In E | In F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | major | C | G | D | A | E | F |
| ii | minor | Dm | Am | Em | Bm | F♯m | Gm |
| iii | minor | Em | Bm | F♯m | C♯m | G♯m | Am |
| IV | major | F | C | G | D | A | B♭ |
| V | major | G | D | A | E | B | C |
| vi | minor | Am | Em | Bm | F♯m | C♯m | Dm |
| vii° | diminished | B° | F♯° | C♯° | G♯° | D♯° | E° |
Two extras you'll see: a 7 adds a seventh (G7, Dm7), and a ♭ in front of a numeral means the chord is built a semitone lower than the key's own note — ♭VII in C is B♭. Minor-key progressions are often written against the major scale for that reason, which is why the Andalusian progression reads i–♭VII–♭VI–V. Where these chords sit relative to each other is easiest to see on the circle of fifths: the I, IV and V are three neighbours. (For the formal side of the notation, see Roman numeral analysis.)
Why these progressions work: home, away, tension
Every chord in a key does one of three jobs. Home (tonic): I, and its stand-ins vi and iii, which share two of its three notes. Away (subdominant): IV and ii, which move off home without urgency. Tension (dominant): V and vii°, which contain the note a semitone below home and want to resolve to it. Nearly every common progression is a route through those three: I–IV–V–I goes home, away, tension, home; ii–V–I is away, tension, home. When you meet a new progression, sort its chords into the three jobs and it stops being a list to memorise.
The Progressions You'll Meet Most
Eight progressions cover most of what players run into: four pop loops, the three-chord I–IV–V, jazz's ii–V–I, the 12-bar blues and the descending minor Andalusian progression. Each is shown below in two keys, with its feel and songs where you can hear it. Berklee Online's guide to common progressions, read November 3, 2026, covers the same core set and calls I–V–vi–IV "the four magic chords" (Berklee Online).
| Progression | In C / Am | In G / Em | Feel | Hear it in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I–V–vi–IV | C G Am F | G D Em C | Big, hopeful, anthemic | “Let It Be” (The Beatles), “Don't Stop Believin'” (Journey), “Someone Like You” (Adele) |
| I–IV–V | C F G | G C D | Bright, simple, rocking | “Twist and Shout”, “La Bamba” (Ritchie Valens), “Wild Thing” (The Troggs) |
| vi–IV–I–V | Am F C G | Em C G D | Wistful; never quite lands | “Zombie” (The Cranberries) |
| I–vi–IV–V | C Am F G | G Em C D | Sweet, 1950s, doo-wop | “Stand by Me” (Ben E. King), “Every Breath You Take” (The Police), “Heart and Soul” |
| ii–V–I | Dm7 G7 Cmaj7 | Am7 D7 Gmaj7 | Smooth tension and release | “Autumn Leaves”, “Fly Me to the Moon” (jazz standards built on chains of it) |
| 12-bar blues | C7 F7 G7 | G7 C7 D7 | Gritty, cyclical, 12 bars | “Johnny B. Goode” (Chuck Berry), “Hound Dog” (Elvis Presley), “Pride and Joy” (Stevie Ray Vaughan) |
| i–♭VII–♭VI–V | Am G F E | Em D C B | Dark, Spanish, dramatic | “Hit the Road Jack” (Ray Charles), “Runaway” (Del Shannon) |
| I–V–vi–iii–IV–I–IV–V | C G Am Em F C F G | G D Em Bm C G C D | Stately, endlessly reusable | Pachelbel's Canon in D |
The four-chord loops
I–V–vi–IV, vi–IV–I–V and I–vi–IV–V are the same four chords — I, IV, V and vi — in different orders, and the order changes the mood. Starting on I sounds settled and anthemic; starting on vi sounds wistful; putting the vi second gives the sweet 1950s sound. Once you can play one, the others are a re-ordering away.
Three chords and the truth
I–IV–V uses only major chords and is the oldest workhorse here: rock and roll, folk, country, punk. It's usually played as I–IV–V–I or I–IV–I–V, and the 12-bar blues is the same three chords on a fixed 12-bar plan.
The jazz cadence
ii–V–I is how jazz and a lot of soul and R&B get home. In a standard, it rarely appears just once — tunes chain ii–V–Is through several keys, so spotting each one is how you read the whole chart.
Every Progression in Every Key
Find your key in the left column and read across: each cell is the progression in that key, in order. The numerals never change; only the chord names do.
| Key | I–V–vi–IV | I–IV–V | vi–IV–I–V | I–vi–IV–V | ii–V–I | 12-bar blues |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | C G Am F | C F G | Am F C G | C Am F G | Dm7 G7 Cmaj7 | C7 F7 G7 |
| D♭ | D♭ A♭ B♭m G♭ | D♭ G♭ A♭ | B♭m G♭ D♭ A♭ | D♭ B♭m G♭ A♭ | E♭m7 A♭7 D♭maj7 | D♭7 G♭7 A♭7 |
| D | D A Bm G | D G A | Bm G D A | D Bm G A | Em7 A7 Dmaj7 | D7 G7 A7 |
| E♭ | E♭ B♭ Cm A♭ | E♭ A♭ B♭ | Cm A♭ E♭ B♭ | E♭ Cm A♭ B♭ | Fm7 B♭7 E♭maj7 | E♭7 A♭7 B♭7 |
| E | E B C♯m A | E A B | C♯m A E B | E C♯m A B | F♯m7 B7 Emaj7 | E7 A7 B7 |
| F | F C Dm B♭ | F B♭ C | Dm B♭ F C | F Dm B♭ C | Gm7 C7 Fmaj7 | F7 B♭7 C7 |
| F♯ | F♯ C♯ D♯m B | F♯ B C♯ | D♯m B F♯ C♯ | F♯ D♯m B C♯ | G♯m7 C♯7 F♯maj7 | F♯7 B7 C♯7 |
| G | G D Em C | G C D | Em C G D | G Em C D | Am7 D7 Gmaj7 | G7 C7 D7 |
| A♭ | A♭ E♭ Fm D♭ | A♭ D♭ E♭ | Fm D♭ A♭ E♭ | A♭ Fm D♭ E♭ | B♭m7 E♭7 A♭maj7 | A♭7 D♭7 E♭7 |
| A | A E F♯m D | A D E | F♯m D A E | A F♯m D E | Bm7 E7 Amaj7 | A7 D7 E7 |
| B♭ | B♭ F Gm E♭ | B♭ E♭ F | Gm E♭ B♭ F | B♭ Gm E♭ F | Cm7 F7 B♭maj7 | B♭7 E♭7 F7 |
| B | B F♯ G♯m E | B E F♯ | G♯m E B F♯ | B G♯m E F♯ | C♯m7 F♯7 Bmaj7 | B7 E7 F♯7 |
Guitarists: the keys of G, C, D, A and E use open chords; keys like B♭ or E♭ are where a capo helps. The chord transposer and capo calculator tells you which shapes and fret to use for any key, and moves a whole chord chart at once.
Minor-Key Chord Progressions
The three minor-key progressions players meet most are i–♭VII–♭VI–V (Am–G–F–E), i–iv–v (Am–Dm–Em) and i–♭VI–♭III–♭VII (Am–F–C–G). Minor songs often make the v chord major — E instead of Em in A minor — to pull harder back to the minor home.
| Key | i–♭VII–♭VI–V | i–iv–v | i–♭VI–♭III–♭VII |
|---|---|---|---|
| C minor | Cm B♭ A♭ G | Cm Fm Gm | Cm A♭ E♭ B♭ |
| C♯ minor | C♯m B A G♯ | C♯m F♯m G♯m | C♯m A E B |
| D minor | Dm C B♭ A | Dm Gm Am | Dm B♭ F C |
| D♯ minor | D♯m C♯ B A♯ | D♯m G♯m A♯m | D♯m B F♯ C♯ |
| E minor | Em D C B | Em Am Bm | Em C G D |
| F minor | Fm E♭ D♭ C | Fm B♭m Cm | Fm D♭ A♭ E♭ |
| F♯ minor | F♯m E D C♯ | F♯m Bm C♯m | F♯m D A E |
| G minor | Gm F E♭ D | Gm Cm Dm | Gm E♭ B♭ F |
| G♯ minor | G♯m F♯ E D♯ | G♯m C♯m D♯m | G♯m E B F♯ |
| A minor | Am G F E | Am Dm Em | Am F C G |
| B♭ minor | B♭m A♭ G♭ F | B♭m E♭m Fm | B♭m G♭ D♭ A♭ |
| B minor | Bm A G F♯ | Bm Em F♯m | Bm G D A |
Notice that i–♭VI–♭III–♭VII in E minor (Em, C, G, D) is the same chord loop as vi–IV–I–V in G. Which name fits depends on which chord the song treats as home — a question the guide to finding the key of a song answers by ear.
The 12-Bar Blues, Bar by Bar
The 12-bar blues is I, IV and V arranged over twelve bars: four bars of I, two of IV, two of I, then V, IV, I and a turnaround V. Players usually make all three chords dominant sevenths — C7, F7, G7 in C.
| Bars | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bars 1–4 | I C7 | I C7 | I C7 | I C7 |
| Bars 5–8 | IV F7 | IV F7 | I C7 | I C7 |
| Bars 9–12 | V G7 | IV F7 | I C7 | V G7 |
Guitarists play it most in E and A, where the open low strings ring under the riff; horn bands favour F and B♭. The 12-bar column of the every-key table above gives the three chords in each key.
How to Hear Each Progression
Each progression has a fingerprint in the bass: the path the roots take and where the minor chord falls. Isolate and loop the bass, hum each root, and compare the shape with the table below.
| Progression | Bass notes | Movement | Listen for |
|---|---|---|---|
| I–V–vi–IV | C – G – A – F | Up to V, up a step to vi, down to IV | The third chord is the only minor one — listen for the dip in mood halfway round. |
| I–IV–V | C – F – G | Up a fourth, then up a step | All major. The V sounds like it's leaning back home, and it nearly always goes there. |
| vi–IV–I–V | A – F – C – G | Starts low on the minor, falls to IV | The loop starts sad and ends on V, so it never feels finished — that's the point. |
| I–vi–IV–V | C – A – F – G | Down a minor third, then climbs IV–V | The second chord is the minor one; the bass falls, then walks up to home. |
| ii–V–I | D – G – C | Up a fourth (down a fifth) each time | Each root sits a fifth below the last — the strongest pull toward home, so the I sounds like a landing. |
| 12-bar blues | C – F – G | I for 4 bars, IV at bar 5, V at bar 9 | Count bars, not chords: the change at bar 5 and the V at bar 9 give it away. |
| i–♭VII–♭VI–V | A – G – F – E | Steps straight down, one note at a time | Four bass notes walking down a scale, ending on a major chord that pulls back to the minor. |
A five-minute listening routine
- Find home. Hum the note the chorus seems to rest on. That's I (or i in a minor song) — every numeral is counted from it.
- Isolate the bass. In Riffloop, mute everything but the bass stem, or keep the drums too for the pulse. The roots are much clearer without guitars on top. See the bass stem splitter.
- Loop four or eight bars at 75%. Set an A-B loop over one turn of the progression and slow it with the pitch held, so each root lasts long enough to hum.
- Count and colour. Name how far each root is from home (up a fifth? down a step?) and whether the chord sounds major or minor. Match the pattern against the table.
- Check it on the chord track. Riffloop shows the chords it detects in time with the song — the first 30 seconds free, the whole song with Pro. It shows major and minor chords only, so a ii–V–I reads Dm–G–C.
A real capture from the Riffloop Android app: key, tempo and the chord playing now, with the previous and next chord either side.
This routine recognises a progression you already know. Working out an unfamiliar song chord by chord is a bigger job, covered step by step in how to find the chords of a song, and if you'd rather have them read for you, there's the AI chord finder.
How to Practise a Progression in All 12 Keys
Take one progression and move it through all 12 keys in circle-of-fifths order, four bars per key, saying the numerals out loud. A week of ten-minute sessions does more than learning ten progressions in one key.
- Pick one progression. Start with I–V–vi–IV or I–IV–V.
- Go round the circle. C, G, D, A, E, B, F♯, D♭, A♭, E♭, B♭, F — each step adds one sharp or removes one flat, so only one note changes at a time.
- Four bars each, out loud. Play each chord for a bar and say its numeral ("one, five, six, four"), not its letter. You're training the pattern, not the key.
- Keep the tempo low. A steady 70 BPM with clean changes beats a rushed 120. Raise it about 5% when two full rounds are clean.
- Test it on a record. Pick a song that uses the progression, move it into a key you've practised with Riffloop's key changer, loop the chorus and play along.
How to Make a Common Progression Your Own
Songs that share a progression stand apart through rhythm, chord colour and one or two swaps. Change where the chords land, swap a chord for its relative, or borrow one from outside the key.
- 🔄 Rotate it. Start the same four chords on a different one — I–V–vi–IV becomes vi–IV–I–V.
- 🔀 Swap a relative. vi for I or ii for IV keeps the function but changes the colour.
- 🎨 Add colour. sus2, sus4, add9 or a seventh on one chord changes the mood without changing the progression.
- 🧭 Borrow one chord. ♭VII or a minor iv from the parallel minor (B♭ or Fm in C) — see the circle of fifths.
- 🥁 Move the changes. Change chord on beat 4 instead of beat 1, or hold the I for two bars.
- 🎚️ Change the bass. Slash chords such as C/E or G/B make the bass walk instead of jump.
Common Chord Progression Mistakes
Most confusion comes from counting from the wrong home chord or learning progressions as letters instead of numbers.
- Counting from the first chord. Songs often start somewhere other than I. Count from the chord that feels like home.
- Learning letters, not numerals. "C–G–Am–F" only helps in C; "I–V–vi–IV" works everywhere.
- Ignoring rhythm. Two songs with the same chords can change on different beats; copy where the changes land, not just what they are.
- Assuming every chord is in the key. ♭VII, minor iv and a major V in a minor song are normal, not mistakes.
- Trusting a chart over your ears. Charts and detectors simplify; a Dm7 written as Dm is still the ii chord, but play what you hear.
- Practising only in your favourite key. Go round the circle; the pattern sticks when the letters keep changing.
Chord Progressions — FAQ
What players ask about chord progressions: the most common ones, Roman numerals, the 12-bar blues, minor keys, sad progressions and playing them in other keys.
What is the most common chord progression?
In modern pop, I–V–vi–IV — C, G, Am, F in the key of C — is the one people point to, along with its rotation vi–IV–I–V. In older rock, folk, blues and country, the three-chord I–IV–V is at least as common. Both use only the main chords of one key, which is why they fit so many melodies.
What are the four chords used in so many pop songs?
The I, V, vi and IV of a key: C, G, Am and F in C, or G, D, Em and C in G. Songs play them in different orders and rhythms, but those four chords — three major and one minor — cover a remarkable share of pop choruses.
What is a I–IV–V chord progression?
It's the progression built on the first, fourth and fifth notes of the major scale, all three played as major chords: C, F and G in C, G, C and D in G, or E, A and B in E. It's the backbone of early rock and roll, folk and country, and the 12-bar blues uses the same three chords.
What does ii–V–I mean?
It's the minor chord on the second note of the key, then the major chord on the fifth, then home: Dm7, G7, Cmaj7 in C. Each root is a fourth above the last, which makes it sound like a smooth landing. It's the most important progression in jazz standards.
What is the 12-bar blues progression?
Twelve bars using I, IV and V, usually as dominant seventh chords: four bars of I, two of IV, two of I, then V, IV, I and a final V that turns round to the top. In C that's C7, F7 and G7. A common variation, the quick change, plays IV in bar 2.
What is the 50s progression?
I–vi–IV–V: C, Am, F, G in C. It's named for the doo-wop and early rock ballads of the 1950s that used it constantly, and it still turns up whenever a song wants that sweet, slightly nostalgic sound.
Is vi–IV–I–V the same as I–V–vi–IV?
They use exactly the same four chords, just starting in a different place. Starting on the minor vi chord makes the loop sound more wistful and less settled, and many listeners hear it as a minor-key song — which is why some players write the same loop as i–♭VI–♭III–♭VII in the relative minor.
What do the Roman numerals in a chord progression mean?
Each numeral is a scale degree: I is the chord built on the first note of the key, IV on the fourth, V on the fifth. Uppercase means major, lowercase means minor, and a small circle means diminished. Because the numbers are relative to the key, I–IV–V means C–F–G in C and D–G–A in D.
Which chord progressions sound sad?
Progressions that start on or lean on a minor chord: vi–IV–I–V, minor-key loops like i–♭VI–♭III–♭VII, and anything that swaps the major IV for a minor iv (F to Fm in C). Tempo, melody and arrangement matter as much as the chords, so the same progression can sound triumphant or heartbroken.
What chord progressions are used in minor keys?
Three you'll meet constantly: i–♭VII–♭VI–V, the descending Andalusian progression (Am, G, F, E); i–iv–v and its stronger form i–iv–V; and i–♭VI–♭III–♭VII (Am, F, C, G). Minor-key songs often turn the v chord major, E instead of Em in A minor, for a stronger pull home.
Why do so many songs use the same chords?
Because a key only has six common chords, and the strongest relationships between them — moving to the V and back to I, dipping to the relative minor — work under almost any melody. Songs sound different because of melody, rhythm, tempo and arrangement, not because their chords are rare.
How do I play a chord progression in a different key?
Write it as Roman numerals, then read the numerals in the new key: I–V–vi–IV is C–G–Am–F in C and D–A–Bm–G in D. The tables on this page list the common progressions in all 12 keys. For a full chord chart, paste it into a chord transposer, or use a capo to keep your shapes.
Which chord progressions should a beginner learn first?
I–IV–V in G and in D, then I–V–vi–IV in G (G, D, Em, C) and C (C, G, Am, F). Those use the first open chords most guitarists learn and cover thousands of songs. Add the 12-bar blues in E or A next, then ii–V–I when you start on jazz or soul.
How can I tell which progression a song uses?
Find the home chord, then listen to the bass for four or eight bars and hum each root: count how far each chord sits from home and whether it's major or minor, and match the pattern to the table on this page. Isolating and looping the bass in Riffloop, slowed down, makes the roots much easier to hear.
If You Remember Four Things
- 1 Learn progressions as numerals; the key is just the starting letter.
- 2 I, IV, V and vi in different orders cover most pop songs.
- 3 The bass line gives a progression away: isolate it, loop it, hum it.
- 4 Practise one progression round all 12 keys before adding the next.
Keep Going With Riffloop
Hear the Progression. Then Play It.
Open a song on YouTube, isolate the bass, loop one turn of the chorus and match it to the table — then play along with the chords on screen. Three songs as a guest, no account.
