8,720
edits
Changes
Rock
,→Four Chord Songs: I - V - vi - IV
== Four Chord Songs: I - V - vi - IV ==
A simple 3 or 4 chord progression is typical for rock songs, and often strong cadences such as the (V - I) are avoided. One of the more popular progressions is I - V - vi - IV. Remember that one of our example progressions when discussing harmonic function was I - vi - IV - V, which moves from tonic to pre-dominant to dominant function, before resolving back to the I. The I - V - vi - IV progression on the other hand, moves basically in reverse: tonic, dominant, pre-dominant. Its transitions are natural but do not present a strong resolution. When the progression repeats, there is not a strong resolution when returning to I, and the progression seamlessly repeats over and over.
''Axis of Awesome's'' "4 Chord Song" uses this progression. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOlDewpCfZQ Check out the song] - you can hear the effect I'm talking about above. And you can see its popularity, being used in dozens and dozens of recognizable songs.