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Chord progression · E♭ major

Pachelbel’s Canon (I–V–vi–iii–IV–I–IV–V) in E♭ 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 E♭ major
E♭→B♭→Cm→Gm→A♭→E♭→A♭→B♭
Numerals
IVviiiiIVIIVV

Play along

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

1E♭I
2B♭V
3Cmvi
4Gmiii
5A♭IV
6E♭I
7A♭IV
8B♭V

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

The chords

I E♭
6fr×1E♭2B♭3E♭4G1B♭
G3E♭4G1B♭
C4GC5E♭B♭E♭ G B♭
V B♭
×1B♭2F3B♭4D1F
3B♭2D1F1B♭
C4DFC5B♭B♭/D
vi Cm
×3C1E♭G2C4G
G1E♭1G1C
C4GCE♭Cm/E♭
iii Gm
2G1B♭DG3D4G
G2D3G1B♭
C4DGC5B♭Gm/D
IV A♭
4fr1A♭3E♭4A♭2C1E♭1A♭
1A♭2E♭4A♭3C
CC5E♭A♭A♭/C

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 E♭ major

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