PROGRESSION · i–♭VI–♭III–♭VII
The Minor Axis Progression
The minor-key answer to I–V–vi–IV, and just as ubiquitous. Every chord is a natural-minor triad. Also called the minor four chord loop.
In A minor
Am – F – C – G — driving, dark, anthemic, around 100 BPM.
Why it works
All four chords come from natural minor, so there is no leading tone anywhere in the loop. That is what stops it sounding like classical minor — without the raised seventh there is no dominant pull, and the progression circulates rather than resolves. ♭III is the relative major, so the middle of the loop briefly brightens before ♭VII pulls it back down.
Where you'll hear it
Modern pop and rock in minor keys, and most of the last two decades of trailer music. It supports a wide melodic range because the four triads between them cover every note of the natural minor scale.
i–♭VI–♭III–♭VII in every key
The same progression transposed. The roman numerals never change — that is the whole point of writing progressions this way.
| Key | i | bVI | bIII | bVII |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Cm | Ab | Eb | Bb |
| Db | Dbm | A | E | B |
| D | Dm | Bb | F | C |
| Eb | Ebm | B | Gb | Db |
| E | Em | C | G | D |
| F | Fm | Db | Ab | Eb |
| F# | F#m | D | A | E |
| G | Gm | Eb | Bb | F |
| Ab | Abm | E | B | Gb |
| A | Am | F | C | G |
| Bb | Bbm | Gb | Db | Ab |
| B | Bm | G | D | A |
Related progressions
Drill the chords behind i–♭VI–♭III–♭VII
Build every chord in this progression from its symbol, against the clock.
▶ Play Now