Country · Intermediate · major key
Country turnaround (I–I7–IV–II7–V7–I)
I – I7 – IV – II7 – V7 – I — Old-time country and Western swing: secondary dominants leading home.
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 I – I7 – IV – II7 – V7 – I — in C major that is C – C7 – F – D7 – G7 – C. Each numeral is a step of the scale; upper case is a major chord, lower case minor.
- I — the home chord — the progression feels finished when it lands here.
- IV — a bright, open chord a fourth above home — the "amen" chord.
- II7 — a major II — the "V of V", brightening the way to V.
- V7 — the tension chord that wants to resolve home.
Country turnaround (I–I7–IV–II7–V7–I) in all 12 keys
| Key | Chords | Hear / play |
|---|---|---|
| C major | CC7FD7G7C | Looper |
| G major | GG7CA7D7G | Looper |
| D major | DD7GE7A7D | Looper |
| A major | AA7DB7E7A | Looper |
| E major | EE7AF#7B7E | Looper |
| B major | BB7EC#7F#7B | Looper |
| F# major | F#F#7BG#7C#7F# | Looper |
| Db major | DbDb7GbEb7Ab7Db | Looper |
| Ab major | AbAb7DbBb7Eb7Ab | Looper |
| Eb major | EbEb7AbF7Bb7Eb | Looper |
| Bb major | BbBb7EbC7F7Bb | Looper |
| F major | FF7BbG7C7F | 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
- Country two-step (I–I–V–V–I–I–IV–V) I – I – V – V – I – I – IV – V
- Folk / country I–IV–I–V I – IV – I – V
- Bird blues (Parker changes) Imaj7 – viiø7 – III7 – vi7 – II7 – v7 – I7 – IV7 – iv7 – ♭VII7 – iii7 – VI7 – ii7 – ♭III7 – ii7 – V7
- Montgomery-Ward bridge (I7–IV–II7–V) I7 – IV – II7 – V
- I–V–ii–IV I – V – ii – IV
- Secondary dominant (I–II7–IV–I) I – II7 – IV – I
← I–II7–IV–I · I–I7–IV–iv →
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Questions
What chords are in the I – I7 – IV – II7 – V7 – I progression?
In G major: G – G7 – C – A7 – D7 – G. In C major / A minor: C – C7 – F – D7 – G7 – C. The table on this page lists all 12 keys.
What is the best key to play I – I7 – IV – II7 – V7 – I on guitar?
G major uses the most open-position chord shapes in standard tuning. Use a capo with those shapes to reach other keys.