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Chord progression · C♯ major

Three-chord rock (I–IV–V–IV) in C♯ 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 C♯ major
C♯→F♯→G♯→F♯
Numerals
IIVVIV

Play along

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

1C♯I
2F♯IV
3G♯V
4F♯IV

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

The chords

I C♯
4fr×1C♯2G♯3C♯4E♯1G♯
1G♯2C♯3E♯4C♯
C4E♯C♯G♯C♯ E♯ G♯
IV F♯
1F♯3C♯4F♯2A♯1C♯1F♯
4A♯1C♯3F♯2A♯
C4C♯F♯A♯F♯/C♯
V G♯
4fr1G♯3D♯4G♯2B♯1D♯1G♯
1G♯2D♯4G♯3B♯
B♯D♯G♯G♯/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–IV–V–IV in every key

CD♭DE♭EFF♯GA♭AB♭B

More progressions in C♯ 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