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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

1CI
2FIV
3GV
4FIV

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

The chords

I C
×3C2EG1CE
GCE1C
CEGC E G
IV F
1F3C4F2A1C1F
2AC1FA
CFAF/C
V G
2G1BDGB3G
G1D3G2B
BC4DGG/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