The 7 chords
C · Dm · Em · F · G · Am · Bdim
Every major key follows the same pattern: major, minor, minor, major, major, minor, diminished.
Chord chart
C Major chord chart
| Degree | Numeral | Chord | Notes | 7th chord | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I | C | C – E – G | Cmaj7 | Tonic |
| 2 | ii | Dm | D – F – A | Dm7 | Supertonic |
| 3 | iii | Em | E – G – B | Em7 | Mediant |
| 4 | IV | F | F – A – C | Fmaj7 | Subdominant |
| 5 | V | G | G – B – D | G7 | Dominant |
| 6 | vi | Am | A – C – E | Am7 | Submediant |
| 7 | vii° | Bdim | B – D – F | Bm7b5 | Leading tone |
C major scale: C – D – E – F – G – A – B. Key signature: No sharps or flats.
Progressions
Common chord progressions in C Major
The pop progression
I – V – vi – IV
- IC
- VG
- viAm
- IVF
The four-chord loop behind a huge share of modern pop, rock and worship songs.
Three-chord progression
I – IV – V – I
- IC
- IVF
- VG
- IC
The three primary chords, I, IV and V — the backbone of blues, folk, country and early rock and roll.
Minor-start loop
vi – IV – I – V
- viAm
- IVF
- IC
- VG
The pop progression started on the vi. Same four chords, but opening on the minor chord makes the loop sound darker.
50s progression
I – vi – IV – V
- IC
- viAm
- IVF
- VG
The doo-wop progression of 1950s ballads, and still one of the most common loops in songwriting.
ii – V – I
ii7 – V7 – Imaj7
- ii7Dm7
- V7G7
- Imaj7Cmaj7
The jazz cadence, played with 7th chords as it almost always is. The single most common move in jazz standards.
Canon progression
I – V – vi – iii – IV – I – IV – V
- IC
- VG
- viAm
- iiiEm
- IVF
- IC
- IVF
- VG
The eight-chord sequence of Pachelbel's Canon, borrowed by countless pop songs since.
Want more? Generate a progression in C Major by style, or build your own in the Chord Progression Player.
7th chords
7th chords in the key of C Major
Add the next note of the scale on top of each chord and you get its diatonic 7th chord — the sound of jazz, soul and R&B in C major.
On guitar
Playing in C Major on guitar
5 of the 7 chords are open chords (C, Dm, Em, G, Am); F, Bdim need a barre or a moveable shape.
Scales for soloing in C Major
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
The key of C major has seven chords: C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am and Bdim. Each is built from the notes of the C major scale (C D E F G A B), so all seven share one key signature: no sharps or flats.
C, F and G — the I, IV and V chords. Those three contain every note of the C major scale between them, which is why so many songs in C major use little else.
A minor. It uses the same seven chords and the same key signature as C major; the difference is which chord feels like home. A song that keeps returning to Am is in A minor; one that settles on C is in C major.
No sharps or flats. C major shares its key signature with its relative minor, A minor.
G, the V chord. Its 7th chord, G7, is the only dominant 7th in the key, and G7 → C is the strongest way to end a song in C major.
Cmaj7, Dm7, Em7, Fmaj7, G7, Am7 and Bm7b5. Each adds the next note of the scale on top of the triad, which gives two major 7ths, three minor 7ths, one dominant 7th and one half-diminished (m7♭5).
Stacking the scale notes on B gives B, D, F: a minor 3rd and then another minor 3rd, so the 5th is flattened. It is the least-used chord in the key — songs often skip it, or use G7 where it would go.
Yes. 5 of its 7 chords are open chords — C, Dm, Em, G and Am — so most songs in C major can be played without a barre; only F and Bdim need one or a moveable shape.
Related Tools
Circle of FifthsSee every key, its relative minor and its neighbours on one wheelKey FinderPaste a progression and detect its key with Roman numeral analysisChord Progression GeneratorPick a key and style to generate a diatonic progressionCapo CalculatorFind the capo position to play any key with open shapes