List of chord progressions
The following is a list of commonly used chord progressions in music.
Code | |
---|---|
Major | Major |
Minor | Minor |
Atonal | Atonal |
Bitonal | Bitonal |
Ind. | Indeterminate |
PD | Phrygian dominant |
Mix. | Mixolydian |
Name | Image | Sound | # of chords | Quality |
---|---|---|---|---|
50s progression | ![]() I-vi-IV-V |
4 | Major | |
I–IV–♭VII–IV | ![]() I–IV–♭VII–IV. |
3 | Mix. | |
ii–V–I with tritone substitution (♭II7 instead of V7) |
![]() ii-♭II ![]() |
3 | Major | |
♭III+ as dominant substitute |
![]() ii-♭III+-I |
3 | Mix. | |
viio7/V-V-I
(common in ragtime) |
![]() viio7/V-V-I |
3 | Major | |
Andalusian cadence | ![]() iv-III-♭II-I |
4 | PD | |
Backdoor progression (front door is V7) |
![]() ii-♭VII ![]() |
3 | Major | |
Bird changes | ![]() I viiø-III7 vi-II7 v-I7, IV7 iv-♭VII7 iii-VI7 ♭iii-♭VI7, ii V7 I-VI7 ii-V |
? | Major | |
Chromatic descending 5-6 sequence |
![]() I-V-♭VII-IV |
4 | Mix. | |
Circle progression | ![]() vi-ii-V-I |
4 | Major | |
Coltrane changes | ![]() Coltrane changes in C: I-V/♭VI ♭VI-V/III III-V I. |
6 | Major | |
Eight-bar blues | ![]() I-V-IV-IV-I-V-I-V |
3 | Major | |
Folia | ![]() i V i ♭VII ♭III ♭VII i V i V i ♭VII ♭III ♭VII i-V i |
4 | Minor | |
ii–V–I progression | ![]() ii-V I |
3 | Major | |
Irregular resolution
(Type I: Two common tones, two note moves by half step motion) |
![]() V7-III7 |
2 | Major | |
Montgomery-Ward bridge |
![]() I-IV ii-V |
4 | Major | |
Omnibus progression | ![]() Omnibus progression. |
? | Major | |
Pachelbel's Canon | ![]() I-V-vi-iii-IV-I-IV-V |
5 | Major | |
Passamezzo antico | ![]() i VII i V III VII i-V i |
4 | Minor | |
Passamezzo moderno | I IV I V I IV I-V I |
3 | Major | |
I–V–vi–IV progression | ![]() I-V vi-IV |
4 | Major | |
Ragtime progression | ![]() V/V/V/V V/V/V V/V V |
5 | Major | |
Rhythm changes | ![]() V/V/V/V-V/V/V-V/V-V I |
? | Major | |
Romanesca | ![]() III VII i V III VII i-V i |
3 | Major | |
Sixteen-bar blues | ![]() I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-IV-IV-I-I-V-IV-I-I |
3 | Major | |
Stomp progression | ![]() IV7-#ivdim7 I7/5-I7 IV7-#ivdim7 I7/5-I7 IV7-#ivdim7 I7/5-V7/V/V V7/V-V7 I7 |
6 | Major | |
Twelve-bar blues | ![]() I-I-I-I-IV-IV-I-I-V-IV-I-I |
3 | Major | |
I−vi−ii−V | ![]() I-vi-ii-V |
4 | Major | |
♭VII–V7 cadence | ![]() ♭VII-V ![]() |
2-3 | Mix. | |
V–IV–I turnaround | ![]() V-IV I |
3 | Major | |
I ♭VII ♭VI ♭VII | ![]() I ♭VII ♭VI ♭VII |
3 | Minor | |
IV△7–V7–iii7–vi | ![]() IV△7–V7–iii7–vi in C |
4 | Major |
Further reading[]
- R., Ken (2012). DOG EAR Tritone Substitution for Jazz Guitar, Amazon Digital Services, Inc., ASIN: B008FRWNIW.
See also[]
Categories:
- Chord progressions
- Music theory lists
- Music theory