The Four Chords

I–V–vi–IV · Axis progression · Pop progression · C major · I–V–vi–IV

The Four Chords is a chord pattern you can play in any key. The degrees are I–V–vi–IV.

Bright at the start, a moment of shade, then open again: the four chords more songs use than any other. They fit any tempo and are the easiest place to begin.

Patterns are common chord moves. They are not the chart of a recorded hit.

Patterns are named by theory. Play them in any key that fits your voice.

Each song page has a chord chart, fingerings, and the same song in every key.

The pattern

I – V – vi – IV

C · G · Am · F

Chord chart

Chord chart
1	C	G	Am	F

How to sing it

Four bars make one lap, so you land back in the same place every four bars. Come in on the first chord, hold your breath a little on the third, and push again on the fourth. Two beats per chord at 90–110 BPM is the easiest to hum along to.

In every key

In every key
Keys	Chord chart
C major · Written in this key	C · G · Am · F
Db major	Db · Ab · Bbm · Gb
D major	D · A · Bm · G
Eb major	Eb · Bb · Cm · Ab
E major	E · B · C#m · A
F major	F · C · Dm · Bb
F# major	F# · C# · D#m · B
G major	G · D · Em · C
Ab major	Ab · Eb · Fm · Db
A major	A · E · F#m · D
Bb major	Bb · F · Gm · Eb
B major	B · F# · G#m · E

Heard in

Let It Be · The Beatles. The verse is C–G–Am–F, this exact pattern. The chorus rearranges the same four chords as Am–G–F–C, and the very end adds a separate F–G–F–C line.
With or Without You · U2. The original is in D (D–A–Bm–G), one chord per bar for the whole song. Its character comes from the guitar and bass figures on top more than from the chords.
No Woman No Cry · Bob Marley & The Wailers. In C. The real playing puts a G/B between C and Am so the bass walks C–B–A; that passing chord is not in this pattern.

These songs use this pattern. This is not their chord chart: real recordings differ in key, rhythm and the chords they add.