i bIII iv v Chord Progression
In the key of C minor the i-bIII-iv-v progression is Cm Eb Fm Gm. In the Nashville Number System it is written 1m b3 4m 5m.
Jump to the chords and audio in C, G, D, A and E
Why it works
All natural minor: tonic, relative major, then a stepwise rise iv-v. With a minor v it has no leading tone, so the loop stays dark and modal rather than pushing to resolve.
How to use it
This is a great minor chord progression if you are looking for a light epic type sound. The major bIII provides a little uplift before moving back into a more serious mood. Of course add extended chords to make it even more epic.
Songs that use it
These are the chords as played in each song, in the song's own key.
| Song | Artist | Section | Chords | Key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Educate Ya | Pitbull feat. Jason Derulo | chorus and verses | Em G Am Bm | E minor |
| God's Gonna Cut You Down | Johnny Cash | chorus | Am C Dsus2 Em with capo 1 | Bb minor |
| Show Me Love | Alicia Keys feat. Miguel | verse and chorus | Fm7 Ab Bbm7 Cm7 (i7 III iv7 v7) | F minor |
| Cambodia | Kim Wilde | chorus | Dm F Gm Am (i III iv v) | D minor |
| Don't Start Now | Dua Lipa | chorus | Bm7 D Em7 F#m7, then G7 (i7 III iv7 v7 VI7) | B minor |
| One for the Road | Arctic Monkeys | chorus | Em G Am Bm7, then C (i III iv v7 VI) | E minor |
i bIII iv v 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
- i-bVII-v-bVI: Cm Bb Gm Ab
- i-bIII-bVI-V: Cm Eb Ab G
- i-bVI-bVII: Cm Ab Bb
- i-bVII-bIII-bVI: Cm Bb Eb Ab
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-bIII-iv-v progression in each key?
In C minor: Cm Eb Fm Gm. In G minor: Gm Bb Cm Dm. In D minor: Dm F Gm Am. In A minor: Am C Dm Em. In E minor: Em G Am Bm.
Which songs use the i-bIII-iv-v progression?
Songs that use it include Educate Ya by Pitbull feat. Jason Derulo, God's Gonna Cut You Down by Johnny Cash, Show Me Love by Alicia Keys feat. Miguel.
