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I - IV - V

Also known as the three-chord trick.

Three major chords, the tonic, subdominant and dominant of the key, cover an enormous share of folk, country and early rock songs. Learn these three shapes in a key and you can accompany hundreds of simple songs without ever leaving them.

Hear it in different keys

In C major

I C IV F V G

In E major

I E IV A V B

Roman numerals show scale degree and quality: uppercase for major, lowercase for minor, a small circle for diminished. Tap any chord above to open its full page, with a diagram and playback.