I–vi–V

This three-chord progression captures the essence of the doo-wop era, dropping from tonic to relative minor before lifting to the dominant. It evokes nostalgia and has been used in pop music for decades.

Pattern: I – vi – V   Example in C Major: C – Am – G

Genre: pop, rock   Difficulty: beginner

Choose a Key

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

Song Examples