I V vi IV progression

I V vi IV chord progression for guitar

Map the four-chord progression into common guitar keys and keep the function intact when transposing.

Quick reference

Chord reference

I-V-vi-IV in common guitar-friendly keys.

Key of C

C G Am F

A simple reference for reading the number pattern before transposing.

Key of G

G D Em C

A common acoustic guitar version with comfortable open chords.

Key of D

D A Bm G

Useful for worship and folk songs, sometimes paired with capo choices.

Key of A

A E F#m D

Common in band settings and often easier with capo if barre chords are uncomfortable.

Understand the function first

The I-V-vi-IV progression uses the tonic, dominant, relative minor, and subdominant chords. In C major that becomes C-G-Am-F; in G major it becomes G-D-Em-C. The chord names change, but the musical function stays the same.

Use it as a transposition check

When a chart is moved from one key to another, the progression should preserve the same number pattern. ChordMate transposes chord names directly, and this page helps guitarists confirm that the result still follows I-V-vi-IV rather than a scrambled sequence.

Pair the progression with capo decisions

A singer may want the song in A, while a guitarist may prefer G shapes with capo 2. ChordMate keeps target key and capo as separate decisions, so the four-chord pattern can remain readable for the whole band and playable for the guitarist.

FAQ

Can ChordMate transpose I V vi IV into another key?

Yes. Enter or generate the chart, choose a target key, and ChordMate updates the chord names while preserving the song layout.

Is I V vi IV only for pop songs?

No. It appears across pop, rock, worship, folk, and singer-songwriter arrangements, especially in guitar-friendly charts.

Ready to make a chord chart?

Open ChordMate, upload audio or paste a draft, then review, transpose, and export the chart in one workspace.

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