Reggae · Beginner · major key

Reggae I–IV skank

I – IV – I – V — Play it with off-beat chops for an instant reggae groove.

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 I – IV – I – V — in C major that is C – F – C – G. 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.
• IV — a bright, open chord a fourth above home — the "amen" chord.
• V — the tension chord that wants to resolve home.

Reggae I–IV skank 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

• Axis progression (starting on V) V – vi – IV – I
• Perfect cadence (V–I) IV – V – I – I
• I–vi–I–vi–IV–V ballad I – vi – I – vi – IV – V – I – V
• 50s / doo-wop progression I – vi – IV – V
• 12-bar blues I7 – I7 – I7 – I7 – IV7 – IV7 – I7 – I7 – V7 – IV7 – I7 – V7
• I–iii–IV–V climb I – iii – IV – V

← Punk I–V–vi–IV (power chords) · Gospel I–IV–I–V–vi–IV–I →

← All 198 chord progressions · Generate a new one

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