The Canon Progression
In D it is D, A, Bm, F#m, G, D, G, A. Eight chords whose bass line walks down almost a full scale, written by Pachelbel in the late seventeenth century and borrowed by pop ever since.
- 8 chords
- descending bass
- 3 songs below
same family
The progression
I - V - vi - iii - IV - I - IV - V
Why it works
Look at the bass line rather than the chords: it walks down almost a whole scale. A descending bass is one of the strongest pulls in music, because each step sounds like a small settling. Every other chord is a minor, so the whole thing hovers between bright and wistful. And it ends on the V, which is a question, so the loop asks to start again.
Hear it in context
Three songs built on Pachelbel's eight chords. There are more, and they are on the list to check one by one before they go up here.
- Go West
- Hook
- Memories
Make it yours
- Use only the first four
I - V - vi - iii is the same idea in half the space, and it loops just as well.
- Put the bass in the melody instrument
The descending line is the hook, so let something other than the bass play it.
- Change the ending
Land on the I instead of the V and the loop closes. That is useful for a last chorus.
When to reach for it
For something that needs to feel inevitable and slightly nostalgic. For an outro that can run under a fade. For anything where you want the listener to feel they have heard the song before.
When to leave it alone
When you want to surprise anyone. This progression is so well used that a listener can predict every chord, which is exactly what makes it comfortable and what makes it forgettable.