Rock · Intermediate · minor key

i–♭III–iv–♭VI

i – ♭III – iv – ♭VI — Brooding verse chords with a lift on ♭III.

Chord shapes in E minor (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 – ♭III – iv – ♭VI — in A minor that is Am – C – Dm – F. Each numeral is a step of the scale; upper case is a major chord, lower case minor.

• i — the minor home chord.
• ♭III — a major chord borrowed from the minor key (the relative major in a minor key).
• iv — the minor four chord: darker and more emotional.
• ♭VI — a major chord borrowed from the minor key: epic and dramatic.

i–♭III–iv–♭VI 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 E minor 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 minor pentatonic or E natural minor or E blues 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

• "Hotel California" progression i – V – ♭VII – IV – ♭VI – ♭III – iv – V
• i–♭III–♭VI–V7 i – ♭III – ♭VI – V7
• Minor circle of fifths i – iv – ♭VII – ♭III – ♭VI – ii° – V – i
• i–♭VII–♭VI–♭III i – ♭VII – ♭VI – ♭III
• Minor ii–V–i chain ("Autumn Leaves") iv7 – ♭VII7 – ♭IIImaj7 – ♭VImaj7 – iiø7 – V7 – i – i
• i–♭III–♭VII–IV i – ♭III – ♭VII – IV

← i–v–♭VI–iv · i–♭VI–iv–V7 →

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