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Chord progression · D major

The turnaround (I–vi–ii–V) in D major

A classic loop from jazz and doo-wop. Each chord pulls to the next by a 4th, and the V leads straight back to the start.

Chords in D major
D→Bm→Em→A
Numerals
IviiiV

Play along

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

1DI
2Bmvi
3Emii
4AV

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
vi Bm
×1B3F♯4B2D1F♯
3B1D1F♯1B
C4DBC5F♯Bm/D
ii Em
E1B2EGBE
G3EE1B
C4EGBC5E G B
V A
×A1E2A3C♯E
2A1C♯EA
C4EAC5C♯A/E

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–vi–ii–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–V–vi–iii–IV–I–IV–VI–♭VII–IV–I