Minor chord progressions

Progressions in a minor key, shown in A minor. Minor keys borrow the major V chord from harmonic minor so the music can lead home, and several of these progressions use it.

The progressions

i–VI–III–VII

  1. iAm
  2. VIF
  3. IIIC
  4. VIIG
  • Four chords in A minor: Am, F, C and G.
  • It starts on the home chord, i, and ends on VII, a step below home, ready to go round again.

i–iv–v

  1. iAm
  2. ivDm
  3. vEm
  • Three chords in A minor: Am, Dm and Em.
  • It starts on the home chord, i, and ends on v, which leads back toward i.

i–VII–VI–V (Andalusian cadence)

  1. iAm
  2. VIIG
  3. VIF
  4. VE
  • Four chords in A minor: Am, G, F and E.
  • It starts on the home chord, i, and ends on V, which pulls back toward i.
  • V (E) comes from A harmonic minor, which raises the 7th note so the chord leads home.

iiø7–V7–i

  1. iiø7Bm7♭5
  2. V7E7
  3. iAm
  • Three chords in A minor: Bm7♭5, E7 and Am.
  • It starts away from home, on iiø7 (Bm7♭5), reaches i on the 3rd chord, and ends on the home chord, a full stop.
  • V7 (E7) comes from A harmonic minor, which raises the 7th note so the chord leads home.

i–VI–VII

  1. iAm
  2. VIF
  3. VIIG
  • Three chords in A minor: Am, F and G.
  • It starts on the home chord, i, and ends on VII, a step below home, ready to go round again.

i–iv–i–V

  1. iAm
  2. ivDm
  3. iAm
  4. VE
  • Four chords in A minor: Am, Dm and E.
  • It starts on the home chord, i, and ends on V, which pulls back toward i.
  • V (E) comes from A harmonic minor, which raises the 7th note so the chord leads home.

i–iv–VII–III–VI–iiø7–V7–i (the minor circle)

  1. iAm
  2. ivDm
  3. VIIG
  4. IIIC
  5. VIF
  6. iiø7Bm7♭5
  7. V7E7
  8. iAm
  • Eight chords in A minor: Am, Dm, G, C, F, Bm7♭5 and E7.
  • It starts on the home chord, i, and ends on the home chord, a full stop.
  • V7 (E7) comes from A harmonic minor, which raises the 7th note so the chord leads home.

i7–VImaj7–iiø7–V7

  1. i7Am7
  2. VImaj7Fmaj7
  3. iiø7Bm7♭5
  4. V7E7
  • Four chords in A minor: Am7, Fmaj7, Bm7♭5 and E7.
  • It starts on the home chord, i, and ends on V7, which pulls back toward i.
  • V7 (E7) comes from A harmonic minor, which raises the 7th note so the chord leads home.

i–VI–III–VII in every key

KeyiVIIIIVII
A minorAmFCG
E minorEmCGD
B minorBmGDA
F♯ minorF♯mDAE
C♯ minorC♯mAEB
G♯ minorG♯mEBF♯
D♯ minorD♯mBF♯C♯
B♭ minorB♭mG♭D♭A♭
F minorFmD♭A♭E♭
C minorCmA♭E♭B♭
G minorGmE♭B♭F
D minorDmB♭FC

More in the chord progression player and chart, and on the common chord progressions, sad chord progressions and jazz chord progressions pages.

Questions

What makes a chord progression minor?

They are in a minor key: the home chord is minor, and most of the other chords come from the natural minor scale, with the major V borrowed from harmonic minor to lead home.

Which minor chord progressions are on this page?

i–VI–III–VII, i–iv–v, i–VII–VI–V (Andalusian cadence), iiø7–V7–i, i–VI–VII, i–iv–i–V, i–iv–VII–III–VI–iiø7–V7–i (the minor circle) and i7–VImaj7–iiø7–V7.

How do I play them in another key?

Keep the Roman numerals and build each chord on that note of the new key's scale. The chart on the main chord progressions page spells each progression in all twelve keys.