Rock · Intermediate · major key
Aeolian cadence (♭VI–♭VII–I)
I – ♭VI – ♭VII – I — Heroic and triumphant — the "level complete" sound from video games and arena rock.
Chord shapes in E 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 – ♭VI – ♭VII – I — in C major that is C – Ab – Bb – 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.
- ♭VI — a major chord borrowed from the minor key: epic and dramatic.
- ♭VII — a major chord a whole step below home, borrowed from the minor key — classic rock swagger.
Aeolian cadence (♭VI–♭VII–I) in all 12 keys
| Key | Chords | Hear / play |
|---|---|---|
| C major | CAbBbC | Looper |
| G major | GEbFG | Looper |
| D major | DBbCD | Looper |
| A major | AFGA | Looper |
| E major | ECDE | Looper |
| B major | BGAB | Looper |
| F# major | F#DEF# | Looper |
| Db major | DbABDb | Looper |
| Ab major | AbEGbAb | Looper |
| Eb major | EbBDbEb | Looper |
| Bb major | BbGbAbBb | Looper |
| F major | FDbEbF | 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 E 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 E major pentatonic or E major scale or E 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–♭VI–♭VII I – ♭VII – ♭VI – ♭VII
- Power-chord I–♭VI–♭VII I5 – ♭VI5 – ♭VII5 – I5
- I–♭III–♭VII–IV I – ♭III – ♭VII – IV
- Double plagal cadence (♭VII–IV–I) ♭VII – IV – I – I
- I–V–♭VII–IV I – V – ♭VII – IV
- I–♭VII–IV–V I – ♭VII – IV – V
← Mixolydian vamp (I–♭VII) · I–III–IV–iv (major/minor shift) →
← All 198 chord progressions · Generate a new one
Questions
What chords are in the I – ♭VI – ♭VII – I progression?
In E major: E – C – D – E. In C major / A minor: C – Ab – Bb – C. The table on this page lists all 12 keys.
What is the best key to play I – ♭VI – ♭VII – I on guitar?
E major uses the most open-position chord shapes in standard tuning. Use a capo with those shapes to reach other keys.