Film · Intermediate · minor key

i–iv–♭VI–V

i – iv – ♭VI – V — Tense and cinematic, with a major V at the end.

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

• i — the minor home chord.
• iv — the minor four chord: darker and more emotional.
• ♭VI — a major chord borrowed from the minor key: epic and dramatic.
• V — the tension chord that wants to resolve home.

i–iv–♭VI–V 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

• i–♭VI–iv–V7 i – ♭VI – iv – V7
• i–♭VI–♭III–V i – ♭VI – ♭III – V
• Minor blues i7 – i7 – i7 – i7 – iv7 – iv7 – i7 – i7 – ♭VI7 – V7 – i7 – V7
• Minor circle of fifths i – iv – ♭VII – ♭III – ♭VI – ii° – V – i
• "Hotel California" progression i – V – ♭VII – IV – ♭VI – ♭III – iv – V
• Minor ii–V–i chain ("Autumn Leaves") iv7 – ♭VII7 – ♭IIImaj7 – ♭VImaj7 – iiø7 – V7 – i – i

← Minor ballad (i–iv–♭VII–♭III) · i–ii°–V–i (classical minor) →

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