Famous Chord Progressions I-IV-V-I

Now that you've learned which chords you can draw from a major scale, I'm going to show you some songs that use that same major chord progression with a basic pattern; I-IV-V-I

The pattern is referring to scale degrees that you play sequence. Let's take a look at the C major chord progression and it's sale degrees,

1(I) = C major
2(ii) =D minor
3(iii)=E minor
4(IV)=F major
5(V)= G major
6(Vi)=A minor
7(vii) B diminished

Major= Indicated by a capital or uppercase roman numeral
Minor=Indicated by a lowercase roman numeral

If we apply the I-IV-V-I formula to the key of C major then we'd play

C major
F major
G major
C major

We can apply this pattern to any key and here are a few for example

Key of G= G C D G
Key of A= A D E A
Key of D= D G A D


Here are a few famous songs that use this I-IV-V-I  pattern

1. Surrender by Cheap Trick

2. Good Riddance(Time of your life) by Green Day

3. Blitzkrieg Bop By The Ramones

4. Sugar Sugar by the Archies

5. Message in a bottle by The Police

Go to your guitar and try this chord progression pattern in a couple keys. Now, GO FORTH AND ROCK!