Rock · Intermediate · major key

I–V–♭VII–IV

I – V – ♭VII – IV — Bright and anthemic, with a Mixolydian ♭VII swerve.

Chord shapes in D 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 – V – ♭VII – IV — in C major that is C – G – Bb – F. 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.
• V — the tension chord that wants to resolve home.
• ♭VII — a major chord a whole step below home, borrowed from the minor key — classic rock swagger.
• IV — a bright, open chord a fourth above home — the "amen" chord.

I–V–♭VII–IV 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 D 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 D major pentatonic or D major scale or D Mixolydian — 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

• I–♭VII–IV–V I – ♭VII – IV – V
• I–♭III–♭VII–IV I – ♭III – ♭VII – IV
• Double plagal cadence (♭VII–IV–I) ♭VII – IV – I – I
• I–V–IV–I classic rock I – V – IV – I
• I–IV–V–IV rock loop I – IV – V – IV
• Three-chord trick (I–IV–V) I – IV – V – I

← I–♭III–♭VII–IV · Celtic I–IV–I–♭VII →

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Questions