Famous Chord Progressions I-V-vi-IV

Here is another chord progression used in many songs. Simpe 1-5-6-4 formula or I-V-vi-IV. For simplicity, 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

So for this chord progression in the key of C major we'd use

1(I) = C major
5(V)= G major
6(vi)=A minor
4(IV)=F major

Here are a few songs that use this chord progression, bare in mind that they may be using it in another key.

Adele- Someone like you

Linkin Park- Numb

Red Hot Chili Peppers- Snow(hey oh)

Bush- Glycerine

Jason Mraz- I'm yours

Try apply this chord progression to every key you can think of and keep on rocking!

The Natural Minor Scale

Since we've already covered the major scale, I thought it'd be fitting to introduce the natural minor scale which is related to the major scale.

The pattern for the natural minor scale is

W, H, W, W, H, W, W

W=Whole step= tone= 2 frets
H= Half Step= semitone= 1 fret

To find the related natural minor to any major scale then you use the same notes of the major scale but starting from the 6th degree, on the major scale, as the minor scale root

C major scale

1. C
2. D
3. E
4. F
5. G
6. A
7. B
8. C

is related to the Natural A minor scale

1. A
2. B
3. C
4. D
5. E
6. F
7. G
8. A

Try applying this pattern to every key and jam on!

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!