I–iii–IV–V

The iii chord acts as a smooth stepping stone between I and IV, adding a touch of minor color. This creates an elegant, ascending quality that works beautifully in ballads and mid-tempo songs.

Pattern: I – iii – IV – V   Example in C Major: C – Em – F – G

Genre: pop, rock   Difficulty: intermediate

Choose a Key

C Major C – Em – F – G G Major G – Bm – C – D D Major D – F♯m – G – A A Major A – C♯m – D – E E Major E – G♯m – A – B B Major B – D♯m – E – F♯ F♯ Major F♯ – A♯m – B – C♯ F Major F – Am – B♭ – C B♭ Major B♭ – Dm – E♭ – F E♭ Major E♭ – Gm – A♭ – B♭ A♭ Major A♭ – Cm – D♭ – E♭ D♭ Major D♭ – Fm – G♭ – A♭

Song Examples