Neo-soul · Intermediate · major key

Imaj7–vi7–IVmaj7–V7

Imaj7 – vi7 – IVmaj7 – V7 — The 50s progression made silky with seventh chords.

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 Imaj7 – vi7 – IVmaj7 – V7 — in C major that is Cmaj7 – Am7 – Fmaj7 – G7. Each numeral is a step of the scale; upper case is a major chord, lower case minor.

• Imaj7 — the home chord — the progression feels finished when it lands here.
• vi7 — the relative minor — the "sad" chord of a major key.
• IVmaj7 — a bright, open chord a fourth above home — the "amen" chord.
• V7 — the tension chord that wants to resolve home.

Imaj7–vi7–IVmaj7–V7 in all 12 keys

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

• Deceptive cadence (V–vi) I – IV – V – vi
• "Just the Two of Us" progression IVmaj7 – III7 – vi7 – v7 – I7
• Gospel I–IV–I–V–vi–IV–I I – IV – I – V – vi – IV – I – I
• Extended Canon turnaround I – V – vi – iii – IV – I – ii – V
• Scale climb I–iii–IV–V–vi I – iii – IV – V – vi
• Anime chorus climb (IV–V–iii–vi–IV–V–I) IV – V – iii – vi – IV – V – I – I

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