Harmony

A chord imported from the parallel major or minor key for unexpected color

V → I – the strongest harmonic resolution, dominant moving to tonic. The most fundamental cadence in Western music (e.g. D → G, C7 → F).

IV → I – the 'Amen' cadence, resolving from the subdominant to the tonic. Softer and more hymn-like than a perfect cadence (e.g. C → G, B♭ → F).

A phrase or section ending on the dominant (V), creating an unresolved, questioning feeling that demands continuation.

Blending elements from multiple modes or borrowing from the parallel key

Chord progression moves through successive perfect fifths relationships

V/x – dominant chord that resolves to a non-tonic chord

Chords moving in parallel motion, maintaining same voicing shape

Two chords whose roots are a third apart but share no expected diatonic relationship – creates a dramatic, colourful shift.

ii → V → I – the most common jazz progression, building tension through the supertonic and dominant before resolving to the tonic (e.g. Dm7 → G7 → C).

V → IV → I – reversed plagal motion through the dominant, common in rock and blues. The ♭VII-flavored IV creates a mixolydian pull (e.g. D → C → G).

♭VII → I – resolving to the major tonic from the flat seventh, bypassing the usual dominant. Common in jazz and Beatles songs (e.g. F → G, B♭ → C).

V → vi – the dominant resolves to the relative minor instead of the expected tonic, creating surprise and extending the phrase (e.g. D → Em, G → Am).

A sustained note or chord held beneath shifting harmonies – common in Indian-influenced and psychedelic tracks

I → IV → V → I – the simplest complete harmonic cycle using only the three major triads, foundation of rock, folk, and country (e.g. G → C → D → G).

The doo-wop progression (I-vi-IV-V) and its '50s variants, the chord loop behind countless 1950s ballads.

IV → iv → I – major subdominant darkening to minor before resolving, creating a bittersweet color shift (e.g. F → Fm → C).

A sustained or repeated bass note while harmonies above it continue to change

Minor tonic chord appearing in a major-key song – darkens the harmony by borrowing the tonic from the parallel minor.

I → ♭VII → IV – two plagal motions chained together, descending by fourths. Common in rock and folk (e.g. C → B♭ → F).

Major tonic chord appearing in a minor-key song – traditionally used as a final chord to end on a bright, resolved note.

ii → V → I → vi – the A-section turnaround from Gershwin's 'I Got Rhythm', foundational to jazz standards (e.g. Dm → G → C → Am).

IV → V → I → vi → IV → V – Japanese pop staple, alternating subdominant brightness with relative minor poignancy (e.g. F → G → C → Am → F → G).

I → vi → ii → V – circle-of-fifths descent from tonic, a smooth jazz-pop turnaround named for its sweet, easy-listening quality (e.g. C → Am → Dm → G).

A stepwise descending or ascending bass line over a sustained chord, often the i-iimaj-V-i ('James Bond') figure.

IV → V → I → vi → IV → V → I – the full 'ōdō shinko' progression, a defining sound of J-pop and anime music (e.g. F → G → C → Am → F → G → C).

I → V → vi → IV – ubiquitous four-chord pop loop, named after the comedy group's mashup demonstrating its prevalence (e.g. C → G → Am → F).

♭VII → i – resolving to the minor tonic from the flat seventh. Common in rock and modal music, avoids the leading tone.

i → iv → ♭VII → ♭III – circle-of-fifths motion in minor, moving through natural minor diatonic chords (e.g. Am → Dm → G → C).

♯iv° → V – a diminished chord a semitone below the dominant, creating chromatic tension that resolves upward (e.g. C♯dim → D, F♯dim → G).

vi → IV → I → V – 'Axis of awesome' starting on the relative minor, common in emotional pop and singer-songwriter music (e.g. Am → F → C → G).

♭II7 replacing V7 – jazz-derived chromatic substitution

The famous Canon in D progression, one of the most recognizable chord sequences in Western music (e.g. C → G → Am → Em → F).

I → ♭VII → ♭VI → V – major-key stepwise descent borrowing from the minor mode, creating a dramatic, lamenting feel (e.g. C → B♭ → A♭ → G).

i → ♭VII → ♭VI → V – descending minor cadence with roots in flamenco. Four chords stepping down from minor tonic to the dominant (e.g. Am → G → F → E).