A huge number of popular songs are built on the same four chords, simply played in different orders and styles. Learn these four and how they work, and you can write chord progressions for your own tracks today, even if you have never studied music theory.

What a chord is

A chord is three or more notes played together. The simplest kind is a triad: a root note, the note a third above it, and the note a fifth above it. In C major, that means pressing a white key, skipping one, pressing the next, skipping one, and pressing the next: C, E and G. In other keys some of those notes become black keys, so let your ear check that a major chord sounds bright.

A triad sounds major (bright) or minor (darker) depending on its middle note. A major triad has a slightly wider gap between the bottom two notes than a minor one. You do not need to memorize the theory to use them, but your ear will learn to hear the difference quickly.

The four chords

Every major key has three major chords and three minor chords built from its own notes. Four of them do most of the work in popular music. Musicians name them with Roman numerals so they work in any key:

  • I, the home chord. In C major, that is C major (C, E, G).
  • IV, built on the fourth note. In C, that is F major (F, A, C).
  • V, built on the fifth note. In C, that is G major (G, B, D).
  • vi, built on the sixth note, and minor. In C, that is A minor (A, C, E).

The I chord feels like home. The V chord feels like it wants to return home. IV feels open and lifting, and vi adds a touch of emotion.

Two orders, two moods

I, V, vi, IV (C, G, Am, F) is bright and uplifting. Countless pop songs use it.

vi, IV, I, V (Am, F, C, G) uses the exact same four chords but starts on the minor one, so it feels more serious or emotional.

Try both. Play each chord for one bar and loop all four. Same four chords, different order, completely different feel. That is the most useful lesson in this whole article.

Putting them in your track

  1. Add a keys or pad track and open its piano roll. Our guide to the piano roll explains how to draw stacked notes.
  2. Draw C, E and G together for one bar, then G, B and D, then A, C and E, then F, A and C.
  3. Loop it under your drums, and set the bass to play the root of each chord: C, G, A, F.
  4. Try the other order, starting on A minor, and decide which mood fits your track.

Making the chords sound smoother

Jumping your whole hand from C up to G can sound clunky. Instead, keep the notes close together. For the G chord, keep your hand where it is and play B, D and G. These rearranged chords are called inversions, and they make your chords flow from one to the next like a real keyboard player would.

Changing the key

Because the chords are named by number, you can move the whole progression to any key. In G major, I, V, vi, IV becomes G, D, Em, C. Pick a key that suits a singer's voice or the sound you want, and the pattern stays the same.

Learn music production in Denver

Once these four chords feel easy, a teacher can take you much further. We teach music production and keyboard skills one on one, for teens and adults, at our recording studio in southwest Denver or online.

Tell us what you want to make and choose music production in the form, or read more about music lessons in Denver.

Common questions

Is it cheating to use the same four chords as other songs? Not at all. Chord progressions are shared by everyone. Your melody, rhythm, sounds and words are what make a song yours.

Why is the vi chord written in lowercase? Lowercase Roman numerals mean the chord is minor. Uppercase means major.

What should I learn after these four? The ii chord (D minor in C) and the iii chord (E minor in C) round out the set and add new colors.