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Chord progression · D major

Pachelbel’s Canon (I–V–vi–iii–IV–I–IV–V) in D major

An eight-chord sequence from the 1600s that pop writers still borrow. The bass walks down step by step while the chords above it flow smoothly.

Heard in Canon in D – Johann Pachelbel and many more.

Chords in D major
D→A→Bm→F♯m→G→D→G→A
Numerals
IVviiiiIVIIVV

Play along

8 bars of 4 beats, looping · pick a key above to transpose

1DI
2AV
3Bmvi
4F♯miii
5GIV
6DI
7GIV
8AV

Strum pattern: ↓   ↓↑  ↑↓↑ (down, down-up, up-down-up) — count “1 2 & 3 & 4 &”. Learn this strum →

The chords

I D
××D1A3D2F♯
1A2D3F♯A
C4DAC5F♯D F♯ A
V A
×A1E2A3C♯E
2A1C♯EA
C4EAC5C♯A/C♯
vi Bm
×1B3F♯4B2D1F♯
3B1D1F♯1B
C4DBC5F♯Bm/D
iii F♯m
1F♯3C♯4F♯1A1C♯1F♯
2A1C♯3F♯A
C4AC5C♯F♯F♯m/C♯
IV G
2G1BDGB3G
G1D3G2B
BC4DGC5G/B

Piano voicings use inversions so each chord is as close as possible to the one before — your hand barely moves. Switch to “Root position” to compare.

I–V–vi–iii–IV–I–IV–V in every key

CD♭DE♭EFF♯GA♭AB♭B

More progressions in D major

I–V–vi–IVI–IV–V–IVI–vi–IV–Vvi–IV–I–V12-bar bluesii–V–II–vi–ii–VI–♭VII–IV–I