vi - IV - I - V

Also known as the sensitive female chord progression.

Starting on the relative minor instead of the tonic gives this loop a reflective opening before it blooms into the major lift of IV to I. Named in the late nineties for its ubiquity in piano driven ballads, it has since become a staple of pop rock verses that want emotion without melodrama.

Hear it in different keys

In C major

vim Am IV F I C V G

Download MIDI

In G major

vim Em IV C I G V D

Download MIDI

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.