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The primary chords: I, IV & V
Two chords took you far — a third finishes the toolkit. The chords built on degrees 1, 4 and 5 are the primary chords, and together they can harmonize almost anything.
Plain prints every note in black, without the color coding.
Listen
Play each example here, or download it as an MP3 (audio) or a MIDI file.
Meet the subdominant
- The C major scale: degrees 1, 4 and 50:08
The three-chord family
- I, the tonic chord: C–E–G0:08
- IV, the subdominant chord: F–A–C0:08
- V, the dominant chord: G–B–D0:08
How songs use them
- I – IV – V – I: home, gentle away, tense away, home0:16
- IV → I: the soft “A-men” landing0:10
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Free to use in your own lessons and practice. Made by the teachers at Tissimo.