A V7 chord is just a V chord with an extra note. Note that this chord progression uses a V7 chord. You can play this progression with major chords or you can substitute minor chords for the IV or V.Īpplying the I-IV-V Įddie Cochran and Buddy Holly are two artists who have used this progression extensively. Many chord progressions start at the tonic (I), moves away to somewhere else, only to come back to the tonic. All other points (chords) provide interest and variation with the fourth and the fifth chord occupying a special place on the journey due to them being half-way.
In the sense that the root (or tonic) chord is the starting point and the octave root is at the end.
Another way to view chord progressions is that of a journey. This movement of a fifth is very pleasing to the human ear in its sense of balance and cohesion in relation to the root note. You will see that the G note (or chord) is a fifth above the root note. If one views chords as a set of balancing scales with the root note and octave root at opposing ends it will be noted that the IV and V chords are at equal distance respectively to the root and octave root. Note that Roman Numerals are used to describe these chord progressions, where the 'I' chord stands for the chord on root note, the 'II' for the chord on the second note of the scale, and so on. The most common chord progression is I-IV-V.
