Chord Progressions

A chord progression is simply a sequence of chords played in an order that tells a musical story. Most Western music—from Bach to The Beatles to Bruno Mars—relies on standard progressions that our ears have learned to find satisfying.

Roman Numeral Analysis

Musicians use Roman Numerals to describe progressions so they can be played in any key. The numerals usually correspond to the position of the root note in the scale:

• Uppercase (I, IV, V): Major chords
• Lowercase (ii, iii, vi): Minor chords
• Degree Symbol (vii°): Diminished chord

For example, in the key of C Major:
I = C Major, IV = F Major, V = G Major.
The progression I-IV-V would be C - F - G.

The Function of Chords

Not all chords are created equal. In tonality, chords have specific "jobs":

• Tonic (I): Home. The point of rest and resolution.
• Dominant (V): Tension. It wants to pull back to the Tonic firmly.
• Subdominant (IV): Movement. It moves away from home but isn't as tense as the Dominant.

Common Progression Types

The Pop Punk (I-V-vi-IV): Famous for being used in thousands of hit songs. It's catchy, resolute, and energetic.
The Jazz ii-V-I: The backbone of Jazz. It provides a smooth, guided resolution back to the home key using the circle of fifths movement.
The 12-Bar Blues: A strict cyclic progression (I-I-I-I-IV-IV-I-I-V-IV-I-I) that forms the foundation of Blues and Rock & Roll.