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Chord progression · A♭ major

Three-chord rock (I–IV–V–IV) in A♭ major

The three primary chords of a key — the backbone of rock ’n’ roll, folk, country and punk. Learn this and you can play along with thousands of songs.

Heard in “La Bamba” – Ritchie Valens, “Twist and Shout” – The Isley Brothers and many more.

Chords in A♭ major
A♭→D♭→E♭→D♭
Numerals
IIVVIV

Play along

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

1A♭I
2D♭IV
3E♭V
4D♭IV

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

The chords

I A♭
4fr1A♭3E♭4A♭2C1E♭1A♭
1A♭2E♭4A♭3C
CA♭E♭A♭ C E♭
IV D♭
4fr×1D♭2A♭3D♭4F1A♭
1A♭2D♭3F4D♭
C4FA♭D♭D♭/A♭
V E♭
6fr×1E♭2B♭3E♭4G1B♭
G3E♭4G1B♭
GC4B♭E♭E♭/G

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–IV–V–IV in every key

CD♭DE♭EFF♯GA♭AB♭B

More progressions in A♭ major

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