I v ii Chord Progression
In the key of C major the I-v-ii progression is C Gm Dm. In the Nashville Number System it is written 1 5m 2m.
Chords from outside the key of C major: Gm.
Jump to the chords and audio in C, G, D, A and E
Why it works
Minor v comes from Mixolydian, so its Bb is foreign to C major. From there it falls by a fourth to ii. The v-ii is a modal version of the V-ii move, with all the tension of the leading tone taken out.
How to use it
This progression is one of the many variations of the famous jazz ii-V-I. And just like that one you will often see major and minor 7th chords added in. Now the only step to take is make the tonic minor too!
Songs that use it
These are the chords as played in each song, in the song's own key.
| Song | Artist | Section | Chords | Key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clocks | Coldplay | intro and chorus | Eb Bbm Fm7 | Eb Mixolydian |
| Take Us Back | Alela Diane | verse | G Dm7 Am7 | G Mixolydian |
| A Las Nueve | No Te Va Gustar | verse | D Am Em | D Mixolydian |
I v ii Chord Progression: Chords and Audio in C, G, D, A and E
Press play to hear each key. The diagrams show the shapes used in the audio, and every chord links to its full page.
More progressions like this one
- Creep progression: C E F Fm
- I-bIII-IV: C Eb F
- I-bIII-IV-bVI: C Eb F Ab
- I-v: C Gm
All guitar chord progressions →
Created by
Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher
FAQ
What are the chords of the I-v-ii progression in each key?
In C major: C Gm Dm. In G major: G Dm Am. In D major: D Am Em. In A major: A Em Bm. In E major: E Bm F#m.
Which songs use the I-v-ii progression?
Songs that use it include Clocks by Coldplay, Take Us Back by Alela Diane, A Las Nueve by No Te Va Gustar.
