Rock chord progressions
10 progressions · 120 keyed pagesRock plays the triads plain and loud. The lift comes from borrowing the ♭VII from Mixolydian instead of resolving through a dominant, and from voicing everything on open strings so the low E and A keep ringing under the chord.
- Tempo
- 60–160 BPM
- Feel
- 5 major · 5 minor
- Harmony
- 6 diatonic · 4 borrowed
- Form
- 3, 4 bars · 4/4
The soundin E
i–VI–III–VIIEm · C · G · D
iEmVICIIIGVIID
Chord tones on the keyboard — the solid key is the root.
Uplifting2
Energetic2
I–♭VII–IV–I
E · D · A
IE♭VIIDIVA
4 chordsintermediate90–150 BPM · 4/4
As heard in Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd
Melancholic2
Epic4
i–VI–III–VII
Em · C · G · D
iEmVICIIIGVIID
4 chordsintermediate80–160 BPM · 4/4
As heard in Zombie - The Cranberries
i–♭VII–♭VI–V
Em · D · C · B
iEm♭VIID♭VICVB
4 chordsintermediate80–140 BPM · 4/4
As heard in Hit the Road Jack - Ray Charles
i–♭VI–♭VII–i
Em · C · D
iEm♭VIC♭VIID
4 chordsintermediate80–160 BPM · 4/4
As heard in Andalusian Cadence - Traditional
Songs built on these changes
Each one links to the progression behind it.