Super Simple Chords

The brave mood

The I–bVII–IV–I chord progression

C – Bb – F – C in C. 102 songs in the library go round it. Hear it in any style and key, and see it in all twelve keys.

Tuning the piano…
Style
Key

Want to mix it with other hands?

The loop

4 chords, round and round, in C. Each chord on the keys:

CIBbbVIIFIVCI

In every key

Find your song's key on the left: its chords are the row. Each column keeps its colour, whatever the key.

KeyIbVIIIVI
CCBbFC
DbDbCbGbDb
DDCGD
EbEbDbAbEb
EEDAE
FFEbBbF
F#F#EBF#
GGFCG
AbAbGbDbAb
AAGDA
BbBbAbEbBb
BBAEB

Songs that go round it

102 songs, best known first. Rest the mouse on one to hear it.

All of them

Left hands these songs use

The patterns most often played under this loop.

In the Playground this is the Brave mood. Try it with the rock piano style.

Questions about I–bVII–IV–I

What is the I–bVII–IV–I chord progression?

A loop of 4 chords: C – Bb – F – C in C. The numerals say each chord's place in the key, so the same loop can be played in any key.

What songs use the I–bVII–IV–I progression?

102 songs in the library repeat it, including Sweet Child O’ Mine, Born This Way, Southern Cross, Walk Away and Borderline.

How do I play I–bVII–IV–I on piano?

Hold each chord with the right hand while the left hand plays its root, then swap in a pattern: engine 8ths is the left hand these songs use most. The player above plays it in any style and key.