Acoustic · Intermediate · major key
Acoustic add9 loop
Iadd9 – V – vi – IVadd9 — The pop axis with sparkly add9 colours, great with open strings.
Easiest guitar key: G major
Chord shapes in G major (standard tuning)
Using a different tuning? Open it in the Looper — it finds playable shapes for whatever tuning you choose.
How the chords work
Written in Roman numerals, this progression is Iadd9 – V – vi – IVadd9 — in C major that is Cadd9 – G – Am – Fadd9. Each numeral is a step of the scale; upper case is a major chord, lower case minor.
- Iadd9 — the home chord — the progression feels finished when it lands here.
- V — the tension chord that wants to resolve home.
- vi — the relative minor — the "sad" chord of a major key.
- IVadd9 — a bright, open chord a fourth above home — the "amen" chord.
Acoustic add9 loop in all 12 keys
| Key | Chords | Hear / play |
|---|---|---|
| C major | Cadd9GAmFadd9 | Looper |
| G major | Gadd9DEmCadd9 | Looper |
| D major | Dadd9ABmGadd9 | Looper |
| A major | Aadd9EF#mDadd9 | Looper |
| E major | Eadd9BC#mAadd9 | Looper |
| B major | Badd9F#G#mEadd9 | Looper |
| F# major | F#add9C#D#mBadd9 | Looper |
| Db major | Dbadd9AbBbmGbadd9 | Looper |
| Ab major | Abadd9EbFmDbadd9 | Looper |
| Eb major | Ebadd9BbCmAbadd9 | Looper |
| Bb major | Bbadd9FGmEbadd9 | Looper |
| F major | Fadd9CDmBbadd9 | Looper |
Practice ideas
- Beginners: play one strum per chord and say the chord names out loud, then two strums, then a steady down-down-up-up-down-up pattern.
- Change keys with a capo: keep the G major shapes and move a capo up — the capo calculator shows which fret gives the key you want.
- Solo over it: loop it in the Looper and improvise with the G major pentatonic or G major scale — the scale pages show every position and play a backing track.
- Train your ear: the progression ear trainer mixes this with similar progressions until you can tell them apart.
Similar progressions
- Major circle of fifths I – IV – vii° – iii – vi – ii – V – I
- Imaj7–vi7–IVmaj7–V7 Imaj7 – vi7 – IVmaj7 – V7
- Extended Canon turnaround I – V – vi – iii – IV – I – ii – V
- Anime chorus climb (IV–V–iii–vi–IV–V–I) IV – V – iii – vi – IV – V – I – I
- Royal Road full cadence IVmaj7 – V7 – iii7 – vi – ii7 – V7 – I – I
- Pachelbel's Canon progression I – V – vi – iii – IV – I – IV – V
← Suspended pop (Isus4–I–IV–V) · Country two-step (I–I–V–V–I–I–IV–V) →
← All 198 chord progressions · Generate a new one
Questions
What chords are in the Iadd9 – V – vi – IVadd9 progression?
In G major: Gadd9 – D – Em – Cadd9. In C major / A minor: Cadd9 – G – Am – Fadd9. The table on this page lists all 12 keys.
What is the best key to play Iadd9 – V – vi – IVadd9 on guitar?
G major uses the most open-position chord shapes in standard tuning. Use a capo with those shapes to reach other keys.