bVI - bVII - I

Also known as the double plagal turnaround.

Two borrowed majors climbing by whole step into the tonic. Film scores use it for heroic lifts, and rock bands use it for final choruses that need to sound bigger than the verse without changing key.

Hear it in different keys

In C major

bVI Ab bVII Bb I C

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In G major

bVI Eb bVII F I G

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Heard in

Famous songs built on this progression. Learn the loop above and you can play along with them.

Tiny Dancer — Elton John
Maybe I'm Amazed — Paul McCartney

Each key above has a MIDI download with every chord played back to back, ready to drop into any DAW or notation program.

Roman numerals show scale degree and quality: uppercase for major, lowercase for minor, a small circle for diminished. Tap any chord above to open its full page, with a diagram and playback.