Omnibus Progression
The Omnibus progression is the chord progression V7-bVII7/b6-ii/6-bVII7-V7/7-I. In the key of C major it is G7 Bb7/Ab Dm/A Bb7 G7/B C, and in the Nashville Number System it is written 5(7) b7(7)/b6 2m/6 b7(7) 5(7)/7 1.
It is also known as wedge progression.
Chords from outside the key of C major: Bb7/Ab, Bb7.
Jump to the chords and audio in C, G, D, A and E
Why it works
The omnibus is a chromatic voice exchange, not a fixed chord list. The bass climbs by half steps from 5 to 7 while the top voice falls from 7 to 5 and the middle voices hold, so a V7 is stretched until it returns in first inversion (in C: G7, Bb7/Ab, Dm/A, Bb7, G7/B, then C). It sounds like a slow, mysterious squeeze, and it can also slide into distant keys.
Songs that use it
These are the chords as played in each song, in the song's own key.
| Song | Artist | Section | Chords | Key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nocturne in D-flat major, Op. 27 No. 2 | Frederic Chopin | two iterations in a row, with the diminished variant | omnibus from a dominant seventh in C# minor to one in G major | D major |
| Scherzo, Op. 4 | Johannes Brahms | mm. 38-41 | omnibus around F#7 | B major |
| Piano Sonata in A minor, D 845, first movement | Franz Schubert | transition to the second theme | bass falls chromatically from B to F# | |
| The Nutcracker | Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky | as the Christmas tree grows | wedge progression | E minor |
Omnibus 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
- Stomp progression: F7 F#dim7 / C7/G C7 / F7 F#dim7 / C7/G C7 / F7 F#dim7 / C7/G A7 / D7 / G7 C7
- Half cadence: F G
- La Folia: Cm G Cm Bb Eb Bb Cm G
- Pachelbel's Canon progression: C G Am Em F C F 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 Omnibus progression in each key?
In C major: G7 Bb7/Ab Dm/A Bb7 G7/B C. In G major: D7 F7/Eb Am/E F7 D7/F# G. In D major: A7 C7/Bb Em/B C7 A7/C# D. In A major: E7 G7/F Bm/F# G7 E7/G# A. In E major: B7 D7/C F#m/C# D7 B7/D# E.
Which songs use the Omnibus progression?
Songs that use it include Nocturne in D-flat major, Op. 27 No. 2 by Frederic Chopin, Scherzo, Op. 4 by Johannes Brahms, Piano Sonata in A minor, D 845, first movement by Franz Schubert.
