The vi-IV-I-V Chord Progression

The vi-IV-I-V is known as the singer-songwriter progression, and it is sometimes called the "sensitive female" progression because of its distinct melancholy feel.

Starting a progression on a minor chord is a great way to lure listeners in. In the key of C major the chords are Am-F-C-G. You can jump to the chords and audio in C, G, D, A and E.

Why It's Unique

The same four chords make up the four chord progression, so this progression isn't unique because it's rare. It's special because of the order of the chords.

Each time around, the V leads back into the vi instead of resolving to I. This is a deceptive cadence, so the music feels unfinished, as if the movie isn't over yet.

Nothing in the loop firmly settles the key either: you can hear it in the major key or in its relative minor. With that lack of resolution built in, the progression feels infinitely loopable, which is one of the main reasons songwriters use it.

Thoughts and Criticisms

"It seemed to be the exclusive province of Lilith Fair types baring their souls for all to see." - Marc Hirsh

As with most popular chord progressions, the vi-IV-I-V hasn't always been well loved. Many have called it overused and cliché.

Marc Hirsh, a music critic for the Boston Globe, was the one who named it "the sensitive female chord progression". He first noticed it in the late 90s around the Lilith Fair, and then he couldn't stop hearing it.

His 2008 article "Striking a Chord" described the progression as "inescapable". He also quoted other music experts, including Jack Perricone, chair of Berklee's songwriting department, who sums it up very poetically:

"It starts on a sense of maybe disquiet," he says. "In a sense, it's three-quarters major and one-quarter, but a very important quarter, being minor…."And I think that has to do with credibility, what people experience in life. . . . I mean, that's not a bad mixture, one-quarter sadness or darkness and three-quarters light." - Jack Perricone

Famous Examples

The progression is often used in bittersweet and emotional pop songs. For even darker moods, see our guide to writing sad songs on guitar.

Some songs keep it going for almost the whole tune, and others save it for one section, like the chorus of "Stronger". It can also feel hopeful yet longing, and "Stronger" is a good example of that too.

Drill-down: you will find the chords for many other progressions, in all keys, in my complete ebook 52 Chord Progressions | Learn How To Connect Chords and Create Great Songs.

In Pop Punk

The vi-IV-I-V is also called the "pop-punk chord progression" because it lends itself to catchy, energetic yet angsty sounds:

• "Check Yes Juliet" by We The Kings
• "Holiday" by Green Day
• "Face Down" by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
• "My Happy Ending" by Avril Lavigne

The minor start gives it a pessimistic edge, which leads artists to pair it with bleak lyrics like "Do you feel like a man when you push her around?" or the dejected "So much for my happy ending".

In short, this is a must-know progression for all guitarists interested in early 2000s music.

Variations

No matter the order, the pop chords we use almost always hover around I, vi, IV and V. The order we put them in determines the flavor of the song.

The Doo-Wop Progression (I vi IV V)

Another common order is the "50s" or "doo-wop" progression. In C it is C-Am-F-G. "Earth Angel", released by The Penguins in the 1950s, is a textbook example.

The bass line of this progression usually falls in thirds, and the songs often have a 6/8 feel. It can sound upbeat, nostalgic or even bittersweet depending on how you use it. To me, the I vi IV V is a blank slate.

It is still common in pop, as in Justin Bieber's first major hit "Baby". Sometimes the ii chord replaces the IV, which gives the circle progression, and the effect is similar.

I V vi IV

In this order you have The Axis of Awesome's "Four Chords". This variation is used far more often than vi-IV-I-V. It isn't as loopable, but it feels a bit more upbeat.

vi-iv-I-V

Using a minor iv instead of the major IV is a common example of a borrowed chord.

Play the regular vi IV I V first, then follow it with vi iv I V, and you can create a beautiful section that stands out just by swapping a single chord. Radiohead's "Creep" uses the same IV to iv move at the end of its progression.

The Anime Progression

The i-iv-VII-III is often used in anime music. In some ways it feels a lot like vi-IV-I-V, because it also seems to head for the relative major, as a sort of replacement for I-V.

How to Make It More Interesting

Some people may argue that this progression is overused, but there are many other parts of a composition you can work on:

• Play with texture: repeat the progression and add rhythmic tapping on the body of the guitar, or add or remove an instrument on each repeat, so the listener has something new to latch onto.
• Add a iii chord: play the loop once, then try iii-IV-I-V for more harmonic interest.
• Use the much spicier minor iv variation.
• Keep the tempo up.
• Add ornamentation.

vi-IV-I-V: The Key to a Bittersweet Hit?

Many songs with this progression sit around 100-120 BPM, or a bit quicker.

The next time you write a song on the guitar, try Am-F-C-G. You might be surprised by what you come up with.

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Singer-Songwriter 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.

Key of C major

Am

F

C

G

Key of G major

Em

C

G

D

Key of D major

Bm

G

D

A

Key of A major

F#m

D

A

E

Key of E major

C#m

A

E

B

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