Chord Progression
Music Theory
A sequence of chords played in order that forms the harmonic backbone of a song.
A chord progression is the sequence of chords that accompanies a song. In Western pop music, most songs use 3–6 chords arranged in repeating patterns. The famous "I-V-vi-IV" progression (C-G-Am-F in the key of C) is used in hundreds of hit songs.
Roman numerals describe progressions relative to the key, so they work in any key. The "I" chord is the home chord, "IV" is four steps up in the scale, and "V" is five steps up. Upper case means major, lower case means minor.
Common progressions for ukulele songs include I-V-vi-IV (pop), I-IV-V (blues/rock), ii-V-I (jazz), and I-vi-IV-V (50s/doo-wop). Learning to recognize these by ear is one of the most valuable musical skills you can develop.
Try playing C-G-Am-F over and over while singing different melodies. You'll be amazed how many songs fit this progression.
Related Terms
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