PROGRESSION · i–♭VII–♭VI–V
The Andalusian Cadence
A stepwise descent from the tonic that lands on a major V — the sound of flamenco, and of a great many minor-key rock songs. Also called the Phrygian cadence, or the flamenco progression.
In A minor
Am – G – F – E — Spanish, dramatic, tense, around 96 BPM.
Why it works
The first three chords descend by step through natural minor, then the fourth breaks the pattern: V is major, not minor, which means its third is the raised seventh degree of the key. That single raised note is imported from harmonic minor and turns a descending scale into a cadence. Ending on the dominant rather than the tonic is what makes it a cadence you can loop — the tension never discharges.
Where you'll hear it
Flamenco, surf, and metal all lean on it. In flamenco practice the final chord is often treated as the destination rather than a dominant, which is why the same four chords can feel Phrygian rather than minor.
i–♭VII–♭VI–V in every key
The same progression transposed. The roman numerals never change — that is the whole point of writing progressions this way.
| Key | i | bVII | bVI | V |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Cm | Bb | Ab | G |
| Db | Dbm | B | A | Ab |
| D | Dm | C | Bb | A |
| Eb | Ebm | Db | B | Bb |
| E | Em | D | C | B |
| F | Fm | Eb | Db | C |
| F# | F#m | E | D | C# |
| G | Gm | F | Eb | D |
| Ab | Abm | Gb | E | Eb |
| A | Am | G | F | E |
| Bb | Bbm | Ab | Gb | F |
| B | Bm | A | G | F# |
Related progressions
Drill the chords behind i–♭VII–♭VI–V
Build every chord in this progression from its symbol, against the clock.
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