i bVII bIII bVI Chord Progression
In the key of C minor the i-bVII-bIII-bVI progression is Cm Bb Eb Ab. In the Nashville Number System it is written 1m b7 b3 b6.
Jump to the chords and audio in C, G, D, A and E
Why it works
Falling fifths inside natural minor: bVII to bIII to bVI are each a fifth down, the same motion as the circle progression, but on the major chords of the Aeolian scale. It has a stately, cinematic drive.
How to use it
This chord progression will give you familiar chords, but in a slightly different order than normal. Which keeps the song in normal territory, but with a darker minor color in pop rock tunes.
Songs that use it
These are the chords as played in each song, in the song's own key.
| Song | Artist | Section | Chords | Key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All the Right Moves | OneRepublic | chorus | Am G C F | A minor |
| Die Young | Kesha | chorus | C#m B E A | C# minor |
| Shake the Disease | Depeche Mode | verse | Dm C F Bb | D minor |
| I Want to Know What Love Is | Foreigner | verse | D#m C# F# B | D# minor |
| Cute Without the E | Taking Back Sunday | chorus | C#m B E A | C# minor |
| Fresh Eyes | Andy Grammer | chorus | Em D G C | E minor |
i bVII bIII bVI 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-bVI shuttle: Cm Ab
- Minor i-iv-V: Cm Fm G
- Minor i-iv-i-V shuttle: Cm Fm Cm G
- Minor i-bVI-V: Cm Ab G
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-bVII-bIII-bVI progression in each key?
In C minor: Cm Bb Eb Ab. In G minor: Gm F Bb Eb. In D minor: Dm C F Bb. In A minor: Am G C F. In E minor: Em D G C.
Which songs use the i-bVII-bIII-bVI progression?
Songs that use it include All the Right Moves by OneRepublic, Die Young by Kesha, Shake the Disease by Depeche Mode.
