vi–IV–I–V: the “6 4 1 5” chord progression
vi–IV–I–V is the I–V–vi–IV progression started two chords later, so it opens on the minor chord: in C major, Am, F, C, G. Starting on vi makes the whole loop feel minor and restless, which is why it carries so many ballads and anthems.
Hear it in any key, in five styles
- viAm
- IVF
- IC
- VG
Pick a key and the chord names change; pick a style and the drums, bass rhythm and chord rhythm change while the chords stay the same. The chords are Am, F, C, G, one bar each. The link in the address bar keeps your key and style.
Learn harmony without the theory
Mood without music theory. The course’s harmony chapter builds chords, major and minor, keys and colour notes by ear. Unit 1 is free with a Google sign-in.
Pick up where you left off
Carry on with Unit 1; chords and progressions come in Unit 4: Harmony.
How it works
Same four chords, different first chord. Begin on vi and the ear takes the minor chord as home; I then sounds like a brief lift rather than a resting place, and V at the end leans straight back into the minor chord as the loop repeats.
Because it is the same set of notes as I–V–vi–IV, a song can switch between the two: verses on the minor start, a chorus that flips to the major start, and the chords barely move while the mood does.
In the styles below, listen for the bass. It plays the root of each chord, so the shape of the progression is clearest there: A, F, C, G in the default key, the same roots every pattern loop on Swung uses.
vi–IV–I–V in every key
The numerals stay the same; only the letters change. Each row names the minor key the loop feels like, with its relative major in brackets. The highlighted row is the key playing above.
| Key | vi | IV | I | V |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A minor (C) | Am | F | C | G |
| E minor (G) | Em | C | G | D |
| B minor (D) | Bm | G | D | A |
| F# minor (A) | F#m | D | A | E |
| C# minor (E) | C#m | A | E | B |
| G# minor (B) | G#m | E | B | F# |
| D# minor (F#) | D#m | B | F# | C# |
| Bb minor (Db) | Bbm | Gb | Db | Ab |
| F minor (Ab) | Fm | Db | Ab | Eb |
| C minor (Eb) | Cm | Ab | Eb | Bb |
| G minor (Bb) | Gm | Eb | Bb | F |
| D minor (F) | Dm | Bb | F | C |
Songs built on it
A few well-known examples, named so you can go and listen for the pattern. Nothing from them is reproduced here; the loop above is Swung’s own.
- Zombie, The Cranberries
- Numb, Linkin Park
- Apologize, OneRepublic
- Grenade, Bruno Mars
- Save Tonight, Eagle-Eye Cherry
Common in pop, rock, trap and emo rap, lo-fi hip hop and edm.
What each style changes
| Style | BPM | Drums, bass and chords |
|---|---|---|
| Pop | 104 | bass: root eighths; chords: piano |
| House | 124 | bass: off-beat; chords: stabs, seventh chords |
| Lo-fi hip hop | 82, 58% swing | bass: with the kick; chords: electric piano, ninth chords |
| Trap | 140 | bass: 808; chords: dark pad |
| Reggaeton | 95 | bass: 3-3-2; chords: pad |