Chord progressions · Three-chord rock
I–IV–V chord progression in every key
Three-chord rock is I–IV–V–IV. In C major that is C, F and G.
Play it
Hear it in any key
The home note of a key, and the chord built on it. Music in G major feels finished when it lands on G., The 4th degree of a key and the chord on it (IV). It moves away from home, often on the way to V., The 5th degree of a key and the chord on it (V). It creates tension that wants to resolve home to the tonic.: the key and its two neighbours on the outer ring.
I is home, IV moves away and V pulls back home. Pick a key and press play; the A chord written by its place in the key: upper case for major (IV), lower case for minor (vi), ° for diminished. stay the same while the chords move.
Three-chord rock in C major
I – IV – V – IV
- C
- F
- G
- F
Tonic, subdominant, dominant: the key and its two neighbours on the outer ring.
Heard in La Bamba, Twist and Shout, Wild Thing
Numerals follow the key's own scale, so III, VI and VII in a minor key are its own major chords. A ♭ or ♯ in front marks a chord from outside the key. How Roman numerals work
Every key
Three-chord rock in all 12 major keys
Each row is the same progression. Tap a chord to learn its shapes, or a key to hear all of its chords.
Questions
Three-chord rock, in short
- What is three-chord rock?
- Three-chord rock is I–IV–V–IV. In C major that is C, F and G. The home note of a key, and the chord built on it. Music in G major feels finished when it lands on G., The 4th degree of a key and the chord on it (IV). It moves away from home, often on the way to V., The 5th degree of a key and the chord on it (V). It creates tension that wants to resolve home to the tonic.: the key and its two neighbours on the outer ring.
- What are the chords of three-chord rock in C major?
- C, F and G. I is home, IV moves away and V pulls back home.
- What songs use three-chord rock?
- You can hear it in La Bamba, Twist and Shout and Wild Thing, among many others.