La Folia Chord Progression
The La Folia is the chord progression i-V-i-bVII-bIII-bVII-i-V. In the key of C minor it is Cm G Cm Bb Eb Bb Cm G, and in the Nashville Number System it is written 1m 5 1m b7 b3 b7 1m 5.
Chords from outside the key of C minor: G.
Jump to the chords and audio in C, G, D, A and E
Why it works
La Folia, one of the oldest harmonic grounds in Western music, used by Corelli, Vivaldi and many others. It alternates minor tonic and dominant, then moves to the relative major through bVII and bIII. The pattern ends on V, so it can repeat for variation after variation.
How to use it
This is known as la Folia and is one of the oldest chord progressions in western music. Once you play it you will immediately notice the very medieval feel it has. It can be split up and given some variation for new and fun sequences. You can find endless examples of this progression in classical music.
Songs that use it
These are the chords as played in each song, in the song's own key.
| Song | Artist | Section | Chords | Key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Follia (Op. 1 No. 12) | Antonio Vivaldi | theme | Dm A Dm C F C Dm A | D minor |
Keep learning
La Folia 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
- Pachelbel's Canon progression: C G Am Em F C F G
- Authentic cadence: G C
- Plagal cadence: F C
- Deceptive cadence: G Am
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 La Folia in each key?
In C minor: Cm G Cm Bb Eb Bb Cm G. In G minor: Gm D Gm F Bb F Gm D. In D minor: Dm A Dm C F C Dm A. In A minor: Am E Am G C G Am E. In E minor: Em B Em D G D Em B.
Which songs use the La Folia?
Songs that use it include La Follia (Op. 1 No. 12) by Antonio Vivaldi.
