Canon Chord Progression

Eight chords from a Baroque ground bass that pop songwriters keep returning to: I–V–vi–iii–IV–I–IV–V.

Play them in C major — or pick another key

Canon progression in C major

The famous Baroque ground bass — eight chords that pop songs still borrow. 8 bars, then it loops.

90 BPM
Four beats per bar · speed trainer goes up to 140 BPM
Press play — or hit the space bar.

Solo on the fretboard

012345678910111213141516171819EFGABCDEFGABABCDEFGABCDEDEFGABCDEFGAGABCDEFGABCDBCDEFGABCDEFEFGABCDEFGAB
Chord tones C major Key note

Press play — or tap a chord above — to see its notes light up. Open the scale in the fretboard tool

Pick a progression

Canon progression in every key

KeyChords
C majorC – G – Am – Em – F – C – F – G
D♭ majorD♭ – A♭ – B♭m – Fm – G♭ – D♭ – G♭ – A♭
D majorD – A – Bm – F♯m – G – D – G – A
E♭ majorE♭ – B♭ – Cm – Gm – A♭ – E♭ – A♭ – B♭
E majorE – B – C♯m – G♯m – A – E – A – B
F majorF – C – Dm – Am – B♭ – F – B♭ – C
F♯ majorF♯ – C♯ – D♯m – A♯m – B – F♯ – B – C♯
G majorG – D – Em – Bm – C – G – C – D
A♭ majorA♭ – E♭ – Fm – Cm – D♭ – A♭ – D♭ – E♭
A majorA – E – F♯m – C♯m – D – A – D – E
B♭ majorB♭ – F – Gm – Dm – E♭ – B♭ – E♭ – F
B majorB – F♯ – G♯m – D♯m – E – B – E – F♯

The progression and its variations

  1. Canon progression

    I – V – vi – iii – IV – I – IV – V

    The famous Baroque ground bass — eight chords that pop songs still borrow.

    In C: C – G – Am – Em – F – C – F – G

    In G: G – D – Em – Bm – C – G – C – DIn D: D – A – Bm – F♯m – G – D – G – A

  2. Descending ballad

    I – V – vi – V – IV – I – IV – V

    Walks gently down from I through vi to IV — the shape of many slow folk and singer-songwriter songs.

    In C: C – G – Am – G – F – C – F – G

    In G: G – D – Em – D – C – G – C – DIn D: D – A – Bm – A – G – D – G – A

  3. Pop anthem

    I – V – vi – IV

    The most-used loop in modern pop — four chords that fit countless melodies.

    In C: C – G – Am – F

    In G: G – D – Em – CIn D: D – A – Bm – G

  4. Wistful pop

    I – iii – vi – IV

    Two minor chords in the middle give a major key a nostalgic, looking-back feel.

    In C: C – Em – Am – F

    In G: G – Bm – Em – CIn D: D – F♯m – Bm – G

Why they work

The chord roots alternate falling fourths and rising seconds (D down to A, up to B, down to F♯ …), and in the original piece the bass walks steadily down the scale beneath them — a pattern the ear can follow even without the melody.

The first four chords (I–V–vi–iii) are closely related to the pop anthem I–V–vi–IV, which is why so many pop songs sound like a quotation of it.

See them on the circle of fifths · Chord charts · Metronome

More chord progressions