Super Simple Chords

The mysterious mood

The i–bVII–bVI–V7 chord progression

Am – G – F – E7 in Am. 6 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 Am. Each chord on the keys:

AmiGbVIIFbVIE7V7

In every key

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

KeyibVIIbVIV7
CmCmBbAbG7
C#mC#mBAG#7
DmDmCBbA7
D#mD#mC#BA#7
EmEmDCB7
FmFmEbDbC7
F#mF#mEDC#7
GmGmFEbD7
G#mG#mF#ED#7
AmAmGFE7
BbmBbmAbGbF7
BmBmAGF#7

Songs that go round it

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

Left hands these songs use

The patterns most often played under this loop.

In the Playground this is the Mysterious mood. Try it with the style.

Questions about i–bVII–bVI–V7

What is the i–bVII–bVI–V7 chord progression?

A loop of 4 chords: Am – G – F – E7 in Am. 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–bVI–V7 progression?

6 songs in the library repeat it, including What Child Is This?, Dangerously In Love, Hats Off To Larry, Love Child and Runaway.

How do I play i–bVII–bVI–V7 on piano?

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