Progression guide
I–V–vi–IV Chord Progression
Learn the I–V–vi–IV progression, hear C–G–Am–F, and transpose the same four-chord relationship into six useful keys.
The short answer
I–V–vi–IV in C major
CGAmF
The tonic establishes home, the dominant adds forward pull, the minor sixth changes the emotional color, and the fourth chord softens the return to the tonic.
01
Hear the complete progression
Play the whole pattern, then press individual chords to learn its shape.
C – G – Am – F
I–V–vi–IV in C major. Each chord lasts the same amount of time.
Sound loads when you first play.
02
How the chords work
Every chord belongs to the major key, so the notes connect easily. The final IV does not resolve as strongly as V, which helps the progression loop without sounding completely finished.
- I is the tonic: the most settled point in the key.
- V creates direction and makes the next chord feel earned.
- vi shares two notes with I but moves the loop into minor color.
- IV opens the sound and leads smoothly back toward I.
03
The same progression in six keys
The Roman numerals stay fixed while every chord moves with the tonic.
| Tonic | Chords |
|---|---|
| C | CGAmF |
| G | GDEmC |
| F | FCDmB♭ |
| D | DABmG |
| A | AEF♯mD |
| E | EBC♯mA |
Useful variations
- Start on vi to hear vi–IV–I–V with the same chord collection.
- Hold IV for twice as long before the loop returns to I.
- Replace plain triads with add9 or sus shapes while keeping the roots unchanged.
Practice plan
- Play one chord per bar at first, then try two beats per chord.
- Keep one common note in the same hand position whenever possible.
- Sing a short melody over the loop and notice which notes still work across several chords.