Lesson Goal: To quickly internalize the Major 1 4 1 Chord Progression (I-IV-I) in all keys… by ear, intellect, eye, and muscle…
Table of Contents
Prerequisites
Basic music reading skills… basic scale, chord, and chord progression theory… basic technique… the LOVE of music… and the discipline to study and practice.
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Study & Practice Reminders
- Never play mindlessly and mechanically. Always aspire to play musically.
- Your goal is not to merely memorize these, but to study and practice them until you internalize them using all four musical intelligences: ears, intellect, eyes, and muscles.
- Every time you practice something, you are programming your brain. So always play accurately.
- Practice with a click track or a rhythm track. Doing so will give you immediate feedback on any rhythmic misconceptions or places where your timing gets sloppy.
- Record yourself. Always. Listen to the playback immediately. And ask yourself: Is that what you intended to play?”
- If anything feels tense or awkward, stop immediately and experiment with alternative fingerings or choreography.
- Play this in other keys you expect to play in. By the way, once you see the patterns (which is guaranteed if you know your scales and chords) finding the notes in other keys will be a piece of cake!
- If you feel stuck or overwhelmed, realize that anything can and will be mastered if you slow things down or break things down to small enough pieces.
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Character of the Major 1 4 1 Chord Progression
Listen to the Major 1 4 1 Chord Progression (I-IV-I) played in the key of C major in 8 bar form commonly used in rock, pop, and folk music)…
Ear Training Notes
- The I chord establishes the key center and major-ness (because of the note Mi).
- The IV chord creates a gentle major-ish harmonic tension tension that wants to resolve a la the “Amen” cadence.
- Specifically, Fa wants to resolve to Mi and La wants to resolve to So.
- Do is common to both chords and acts as a kind of harmonic glue.
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Famous Songs that Use the Major 1 4 1 Chord Progression
Associating the theory and sound-feelings of the I-IV-I chord progression with music you’ve heard before is a great way to develop your aural awareness. As you listen, be receptive to the overall vibe or gist of the progression as well as the sound-feelings evoked by each chord. Also notice where each chord is placed with the form. To that end, here are some famous examples of the Major 1 4 1 Chord Progression in action…
“Everybody Hurts” (R.E.M.)
Key: D (Major).
Chords: D-G.
“My Girl” (The Temptations)
Key: C (Major).
Chords: C-F.
Hint: Wait for the verse “I’ve got sunshine…”
“Still Haven’t Found” (U2)
Key: Db (Major).
Chords: Db-Gb.
“Hallelujah Chorus” (Handel)
Key: D (Major)… as well as sequences climbing up through several other keys.
Chords: D-G.
“Imagine” (John Lennon)
Key: C (Major).
Chords: C-F.
“You Can’t Always Get What You Want” (Rolling Stones)
Key: C (Major).
Chords: C-F.
“Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” (The Temptations)
Key: C (Major).
Chords: C-F.
“Heroes” (David Bowie)
Key: D (Major, Mixolydian).
Chords: D-G.
“For What It’s Worth” (Buffalo Springfield)
Key: E (Major, Mixolydian).
Chords: E-A.
“Minuet in G” (Bach)
Key: G (Major).
Chords: G-C.
First four bars!
“You Sexy Thing” (Hot Chocolate)
Key: F (Major).
Chords: F-Bb.
“Monday, Monday” (The Mamas & the Papas)
Key: Gb (Major), then Ab Major.
Chords: Gb-Cb/Gb, then Ab-Db/Ab.
Notice the pedal point using the common tone Do…
“I’ll Take You There” (Staples Singers)
Key: C (Major).
Chords: C-F.
“You Don’t Know How It Feels” (Tom Petty)
Key: E (Major, Mixolydian for the Chorus).
Chords: E-A.
“Bridge over Troubled Water” (Simon & Garfunkel)
Key: Eb (Major).
Chords: Eb-Ab/Eb.
You’ll hear it when it comes part way through the intro and in the verse:” When you’re weary…”. This is also a great example of pedal point using the common tone Do…
“Can’t Get Enough” (Bad Company)
Key: C (Mixolydian).
Chords: C-F.
Hint: Wait for the Chorus…
“Angel From Montgomery” (John Prine & Bonnie Raitt)
Key: E (Major).
Chords: E-A.
“Born in the USA” (Bruce Springsteen)
Key: B (Major).
Chords: B-E.
Use your ears to figure out the 6 note lick played on top throughout the entire piece.
“Paperback Writer” (The Beatles)
Key: G (Major).
Chords: G-C.
“Running on Empty” (Jackson Browne)
Key: A (Major).
Chords: D/A-A.
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Major 1 4 1 Chord Progression, All Keys
Key of C (Major)
Say this out loud: “The I-IV-I chord progression in the key of C is: C-F-C“
Ear Training Tip: Sing the bass line (Do-Do-Do-Do / Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa / Do-Do-Fa-Fa / Do).
Key of D Flat (Major)
Say this out loud: “The I-IV-I chord progression in the key of Db is: Db-Gb-Db“
Key of D (Major)
Say this out loud: “The I-IV-I chord progression in the key of D is: D-G-D“
Ear Training Tip: Pick one of the chord voices and sing it through the chord changes. For example, the top voice (So-So-La-La-Te-Te-La-La).
Key of E Flat (Major)
Say this out loud: “The I-IV-I chord progression in the key of Eb is: Eb-Ab-Eb“
Key of E (Major)
Say this out loud: “The I-IV-I chord progression in the key of E is: E-A-E“
Key of F (Major)
Say this out loud: “The I-IV-I chord progression in the key of F is: F-Bb-F“
Key of G Flat (Major)
Say this out loud: “The I-IV-I chord progression in the key of Gb is: Gb-Cb-Gb“
Key of G (Major)
Say this out loud: “The I-IV-I chord progression in the key of G is: G-C-G“
Key of A Flat (Major)
Say this out loud: “The I-IV-I chord progression in the key of Ab is: Ab-Db-Ab“
Key of A (Major)
Say this out loud: “The I-IV-I chord progression in the key of A is: A-D-A“
Key of B Flat (Major)
Say this out loud: “The I-IV-I chord progression in the key of Bb is: Bb-Eb-Bb“
Key of B (Major)
Say this out loud: “The I-IV-I chord progression in the key of B is: B-E-B“
Major 1 4 1 Chord Progression Practice, All Keys (MP3s)
A simple 4 bar rendition of the Major 1 4 1 Chord Progression played at various tempos, arranged chromatically ascending in all (Mixolydian) keys…
The benefits of playing along with a click track at various tempos cannot be overstated: slowly at first to have enough time to “think about everything”, then fast enough to be forced to “play without thinking”.
I-IV-I Chord Progression, All Keys @ 100 bpm…
I-IV-I Chord Progression, All Keys @ 120 bpm…
I-IV-I Chord Progression, All Keys @ 140 bpm…
I-IV-I Chord Progression, All Keys @ 160 bpm…
I-IV-I Chord Progression, All Keys @ 180 bpm…
I-IV-I Chord Progression, All Keys @ 200 bpm…
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Pop/Rock Rhythm Tracks
Any interest in play along MP3 Practice Tracks with bass and drums in various styles, keys, and tempos?
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learn more… Pop/Rock Lessons / Chords & Chord Progressions
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