I–vi–ii–V chord progression
The turnaround. In F major it's F – Dm – Gm – C. Press play, then pick any key from the menu.
In F major, 4 beats per chord. Open in the progression builder
- IF
- viDm
- iiGm
- VC
Why it works
Every chord after the first is a fifth above the next: Dm leads to Gm, Gm leads to C, and C leads home to F. That chain of falling fifths is why it's called a turnaround: it spins the harmony back to the top of the form. Jazz players use it at the end of a tune to get back to the beginning, and it's the backbone of a lot of standards and pop ballads.
How it feels: circular, jazzy, classic.
Inside I–vi–ii–V
The bass line in F major is F – D – G – C. The smoothest way through it on piano:
- I → vi: F to Dm: play Dm in 1st inversion (F–A–D) and F and A stay under the same fingers, while C moves up to D.
- vi → ii: Dm to Gm: play Gm in 2nd inversion (D–G–B♭) and D stays under the same finger, while F moves up to G and A up to B♭.
- ii → V: Gm to C: play C in 2nd inversion (G–C–E) and G stays under the same finger, while B♭ moves up to C and D up to E.
- V → I (back to the top): C to F: play F in 2nd inversion (C–F–A) and C stays under the same finger, while E moves up to F and G up to A.
I–vi–ii–V in all 12 keys
The numerals never change; only the chord names do. Tap Play on any row, or open the key for its other chords.
| Key | Chords | |
|---|---|---|
| C major | C – Am – Dm – G | |
| G major | G – Em – Am – D | |
| D major | D – Bm – Em – A | |
| A major | A – F♯m – Bm – E | |
| E major | E – C♯m – F♯m – B | |
| B major | B – G♯m – C♯m – F♯ | |
| F♯ major | F♯ – D♯m – G♯m – C♯ | |
| D♭ major | D♭ – B♭m – E♭m – A♭ | |
| A♭ major | A♭ – Fm – B♭m – E♭ | |
| E♭ major | E♭ – Cm – Fm – B♭ | |
| B♭ major | B♭ – Gm – Cm – F | |
| F major | F – Dm – Gm – C |
On guitar
The friendliest keys for I–vi–ii–V on guitar are G major and C major, where every chord is an open shape.
G major: G – Em – Am – D
C major: C – Am – Dm – G
Somewhere else? A capo moves these shapes up: capo 2 turns G major shapes into the key a whole step higher. Capo chart.
Ways to vary it
- Play all four as seventh chords (Cmaj7–Am7–Dm7–G7 in C) for the jazz version.
- Make the vi a dominant seventh (A7 in C) so it pulls even harder toward the ii.
- Replace the I with iii (Em7 in C) for iii–vi–ii–V, a longer chain of fifths.
Related progressions
Build your own progression and share it as a link
I–vi–ii–V: questions
What is the I–vi–ii–V chord progression?
The turnaround: the chords on degrees 1, 6, 2, 5 of a major key. In F major that's F – Dm – Gm – C.
Why does I–vi–ii–V sound good?
Every chord after the first is a fifth above the next: Dm leads to Gm, Gm leads to C, and C leads home to F. That chain of falling fifths is why it's called a turnaround: it spins the harmony back to the top of the form.
How do I play I–vi–ii–V in G?
G – Em – Am – D. Every one of those has an open shape on guitar.
How do I change I–vi–ii–V to another key?
Keep the numerals and swap the key: the numbers say which note of the scale each chord is built on. Use the key menu in the player above, or the table of all 12 keys on this page.
What else is I–vi–ii–V called?
"1 6 2 5" or "rhythm changes turnaround". Musicians also call it the turnaround.
Chords in every key are generated from the scale and checked by the site's theory tests. We describe progressions in general terms and don't transcribe songs. Updated September 2026.