I7–I7–I7–I7–IV7–IV7–I7–I7–V7–IV7–I7–V7 progression in E major

E7E7E7E7A7A7E7E7B7A7E7B7

The I7–I7–I7–I7–IV7–IV7–I7–I7–V7–IV7–I7–V7 chord progression in E major is a energetic and driving sequence that uses E7 – E7 – E7 – E7 – A7 – A7 – E7 – E7 – B7 – A7 – E7 – B7. It's one of the cornerstone harmonic patterns of Blues — instantly familiar to listeners and effortless to play once you understand its structure.

This progression has a energetic and driving character. It works beautifully for blues songs, but you'll also hear it across countless adjacent styles. Try it with steady eighth-note strumming, broken arpeggios or a four-on-the-floor rhythm to instantly change the feel.

Hear this progression

E7E7E7E7A7A7E7E7B7A7E7B7

Chords in this progression

These are the chords for the progression in E major. Click any chord to open its dedicated page with diagrams and theory.

StepRoman numeralChordOpen
1I7E7Open chord page
2I7E7Open chord page
3I7E7Open chord page
4I7E7Open chord page
5IV7A7Open chord page
6IV7A7Open chord page
7I7E7Open chord page
8I7E7Open chord page
9V7B7Open chord page
10IV7A7Open chord page
11I7E7Open chord page
12V7B7Open chord page

What this progression means

In E major, the I7–I7–I7–I7–IV7–IV7–I7–I7–V7–IV7–I7–V7 progression places each chord on a specific scale degree. Roman numerals describe how the chords function regardless of the key you're in, while the actual chord symbols (E7 – E7 – E7 – E7 – A7 – A7 – E7 – E7 – B7 – A7 – E7 – B7) tell you exactly what to play on guitar, piano or any other instrument.

Each Roman numeral represents a chord built on a degree of the E major scale. Uppercase numerals (I, IV, V) are major chords; lowercase (ii, iii, vi) are minor; ° marks a diminished chord; ♭ in front of a numeral lowers the root by a half step (e.g. ♭VII).

Practice tips

Loop the progression slowly with a metronome at around 80 BPM. Once each change is comfortable, try arpeggiating the chords, then experiment with inversions, common-tone voicings and adding 7ths or 9ths to taste.

Variations and substitutions

You can extend this progression with secondary dominants (e.g. V/vi → vi), borrowed chords from the parallel minor, or by repeating one chord for multiple bars before moving on. These variations keep the progression fresh while preserving its core sound.

Famous songs with this progression

You'll hear the I7–I7–I7–I7–IV7–IV7–I7–I7–V7–IV7–I7–V7 progression in songs like Hound Dog — Elvis Presley, Johnny B. Goode — Chuck Berry. Many of these are originally in different keys — transpose them to E major to play along.

Progressions related to I7–I7–I7–I7–IV7–IV7–I7–I7–V7–IV7–I7–V7 in E major

If you like the I7–I7–I7–I7–IV7–IV7–I7–I7–V7–IV7–I7–V7 progression in E major, you'll probably enjoy these closely related progressions. Some share the same key, others use the same Roman numeral pattern in a new key.

I7–I7–I7–I7–IV7–IV7–I7–I7–V7–IV7–I7–V7 in C major
C7 – C7 – C7 – C7 – F7 – F7 – C7 – C7 – G7 – F7 – C7 – G7
I7–I7–I7–I7–IV7–IV7–I7–I7–V7–IV7–I7–V7 in C♯ major
C♯7 – C♯7 – C♯7 – C♯7 – F♯7 – F♯7 – C♯7 – C♯7 – G♯7 – F♯7 – C♯7 – G♯7
I7–I7–I7–I7–IV7–IV7–I7–I7–V7–IV7–I7–V7 in D major
D7 – D7 – D7 – D7 – G7 – G7 – D7 – D7 – A7 – G7 – D7 – A7
I7–I7–I7–I7–IV7–IV7–I7–I7–V7–IV7–I7–V7 in E♭ major
E♭7 – E♭7 – E♭7 – E♭7 – A♭7 – A♭7 – E♭7 – E♭7 – B♭7 – A♭7 – E♭7 – B♭7
I7–I7–I7–I7–IV7–IV7–I7–I7–V7–IV7–I7–V7 in F major
F7 – F7 – F7 – F7 – B♭7 – B♭7 – F7 – F7 – C7 – B♭7 – F7 – C7
I7–I7–I7–I7–IV7–IV7–I7–I7–V7–IV7–I7–V7 in F♯ major
F♯7 – F♯7 – F♯7 – F♯7 – B7 – B7 – F♯7 – F♯7 – C♯7 – B7 – F♯7 – C♯7
I–V–vi–IV in E major
E – B – C♯m – A
I–IV–V in E major
E – A – B
I–IV–V–I in E major
E – A – B – E

Frequently asked questions

What chords are in the I7–I7–I7–I7–IV7–IV7–I7–I7–V7–IV7–I7–V7 progression in E major?
The I7–I7–I7–I7–IV7–IV7–I7–I7–V7–IV7–I7–V7 progression in E major uses these chords: E7 – E7 – E7 – E7 – A7 – A7 – E7 – E7 – B7 – A7 – E7 – B7. Each chord corresponds to a specific scale degree, which is why the same Roman numerals can be transposed to any key.
What tempo and time signature work best for this progression?
I7–I7–I7–I7–IV7–IV7–I7–I7–V7–IV7–I7–V7 works in a wide tempo range — typically 80–200 BPM in 4/4. Slower tempos give a ballad feel; faster ones make it feel like an upbeat blues track.
Why is this progression so popular?
I7–I7–I7–I7–IV7–IV7–I7–I7–V7–IV7–I7–V7 packs strong harmonic motion into a short loop. It moves through tonic, predominant and dominant functions with a satisfying resolution, which makes it instantly memorable in Blues and many other styles.
Can I use the same chords in a different key?
Yes — Roman numerals like I7–I7–I7–I7–IV7–IV7–I7–I7–V7–IV7–I7–V7 are key-independent. To play it in another key, just take the I, IV, V (and so on) chords of that key. Browse our progression pages in every root to see the chord names already worked out for you.

Keep exploring chord progressions

Use this progression in your own songs in E major or transpose it to any key with our tools.

Browse all progressionsExplore chordsExplore scales