Folk / Country

Rising Sun Chord Progression (i–♭III–IV–♭VI–V)

The full 'House of the Rising Sun' cycle: an arpeggiated minor climb with a Dorian IV, cadencing on a major V.

The chords, in every key

i – ♭III – IV – ♭VI – i – ♭III – V

Rising Sun in C minor
BarChordNumeral
1Cmi
2Eb♭III
3FIV
4Ab♭VI
5Cmi
6Eb♭III
7GV

What to play over it

In C minor. Shapes on each progression's own page.

Bar by bar

This one plays the 6th both ways, flat and natural, so no single scale fits the whole thing. The scale changes with the chord.

Bars 1, 2, 4–6

C Natural Minor (Aeolian)

the plain minor scale

NotesCDE♭FGA♭B♭

Home base — the one set of notes all these bars share.

Chord-Scale Reference §3 / §7.4

Bar 3

F Mixolydian

major with a flat 7th

NotesFGAB♭CDE♭

A major IV in a minor key brightens the 6th. This is the key's notes counted from that chord.

Chord-Scale Reference §9.4

Bar 7

G Phrygian dominant

Phrygian, but with a major 3rd

NotesGA♭BCDE♭F

This chord raises the key's 7th so it pulls hard back home — plain minor can't do that, and the scale carries the raised note with it.

Chord-Scale Reference §3

Play it in C minor · The key of C minor

Rising Sun in C# minor
BarChordNumeral
1C#mi
2E♭III
3F#IV
4A♭VI
5C#mi
6E♭III
7G#V

What to play over it

In C# minor. Shapes on each progression's own page.

Bar by bar

This one plays the 6th both ways, flat and natural, so no single scale fits the whole thing. The scale changes with the chord.

Bars 1, 2, 4–6

C# Natural Minor (Aeolian)

the plain minor scale

NotesC♯D♯EF♯G♯AB

Home base — the one set of notes all these bars share.

Chord-Scale Reference §3 / §7.4

Bar 3

F# Mixolydian

major with a flat 7th

NotesF♯G♯A♯BC♯D♯E

A major IV in a minor key brightens the 6th. This is the key's notes counted from that chord.

Chord-Scale Reference §9.4

Bar 7

G# Phrygian dominant

Phrygian, but with a major 3rd

NotesG♯AB♯C♯D♯EF♯

This chord raises the key's 7th so it pulls hard back home — plain minor can't do that, and the scale carries the raised note with it.

Chord-Scale Reference §3

Play it in C# minor · The key of C# minor

Rising Sun in D minor
BarChordNumeral
1Dmi
2F♭III
3GIV
4Bb♭VI
5Dmi
6F♭III
7AV

What to play over it

In D minor. Shapes on each progression's own page.

Bar by bar

This one plays the 6th both ways, flat and natural, so no single scale fits the whole thing. The scale changes with the chord.

Bars 1, 2, 4–6

D Natural Minor (Aeolian)

the plain minor scale

NotesDEFGAB♭C

Home base — the one set of notes all these bars share.

Chord-Scale Reference §3 / §7.4

Bar 3

G Mixolydian

major with a flat 7th

NotesGABCDEF

A major IV in a minor key brightens the 6th. This is the key's notes counted from that chord.

Chord-Scale Reference §9.4

Bar 7

A Phrygian dominant

Phrygian, but with a major 3rd

NotesAB♭C♯DEFG

This chord raises the key's 7th so it pulls hard back home — plain minor can't do that, and the scale carries the raised note with it.

Chord-Scale Reference §3

Play it in D minor · The key of D minor

Rising Sun in Eb minor
BarChordNumeral
1Ebmi
2Gb♭III
3AbIV
4Cb♭VI
5Ebmi
6Gb♭III
7BbV

What to play over it

In Eb minor. Shapes on each progression's own page.

Bar by bar

This one plays the 6th both ways, flat and natural, so no single scale fits the whole thing. The scale changes with the chord.

Bars 1, 2, 4–6

Eb Natural Minor (Aeolian)

the plain minor scale

NotesE♭FG♭A♭B♭C♭D♭

Home base — the one set of notes all these bars share.

Chord-Scale Reference §3 / §7.4

Bar 3

Ab Mixolydian

major with a flat 7th

NotesA♭B♭CD♭E♭FG♭

A major IV in a minor key brightens the 6th. This is the key's notes counted from that chord.

Chord-Scale Reference §9.4

Bar 7

Bb Phrygian dominant

Phrygian, but with a major 3rd

NotesB♭C♭DE♭FG♭A♭

This chord raises the key's 7th so it pulls hard back home — plain minor can't do that, and the scale carries the raised note with it.

Chord-Scale Reference §3

Play it in Eb minor · The key of Eb minor

Rising Sun in E minor
BarChordNumeral
1Emi
2G♭III
3AIV
4C♭VI
5Emi
6G♭III
7BV

What to play over it

In E minor. Shapes on each progression's own page.

Bar by bar

This one plays the 6th both ways, flat and natural, so no single scale fits the whole thing. The scale changes with the chord.

Bars 1, 2, 4–6

E Natural Minor (Aeolian)

the plain minor scale

NotesEF♯GABCD

Home base — the one set of notes all these bars share.

Chord-Scale Reference §3 / §7.4

Bar 3

A Mixolydian

major with a flat 7th

NotesABC♯DEF♯G

A major IV in a minor key brightens the 6th. This is the key's notes counted from that chord.

Chord-Scale Reference §9.4

Bar 7

B Phrygian dominant

Phrygian, but with a major 3rd

NotesBCD♯EF♯GA

This chord raises the key's 7th so it pulls hard back home — plain minor can't do that, and the scale carries the raised note with it.

Chord-Scale Reference §3

Play it in E minor · The key of E minor

Rising Sun in F minor
BarChordNumeral
1Fmi
2Ab♭III
3BbIV
4Db♭VI
5Fmi
6Ab♭III
7CV

What to play over it

In F minor. Shapes on each progression's own page.

Bar by bar

This one plays the 6th both ways, flat and natural, so no single scale fits the whole thing. The scale changes with the chord.

Bars 1, 2, 4–6

F Natural Minor (Aeolian)

the plain minor scale

NotesFGA♭B♭CD♭E♭

Home base — the one set of notes all these bars share.

Chord-Scale Reference §3 / §7.4

Bar 3

Bb Mixolydian

major with a flat 7th

NotesB♭CDE♭FGA♭

A major IV in a minor key brightens the 6th. This is the key's notes counted from that chord.

Chord-Scale Reference §9.4

Bar 7

C Phrygian dominant

Phrygian, but with a major 3rd

NotesCD♭EFGA♭B♭

This chord raises the key's 7th so it pulls hard back home — plain minor can't do that, and the scale carries the raised note with it.

Chord-Scale Reference §3

Play it in F minor · The key of F minor

Rising Sun in F# minor
BarChordNumeral
1F#mi
2A♭III
3BIV
4D♭VI
5F#mi
6A♭III
7C#V

What to play over it

In F# minor. Shapes on each progression's own page.

Bar by bar

This one plays the 6th both ways, flat and natural, so no single scale fits the whole thing. The scale changes with the chord.

Bars 1, 2, 4–6

F# Natural Minor (Aeolian)

the plain minor scale

NotesF♯G♯ABC♯DE

Home base — the one set of notes all these bars share.

Chord-Scale Reference §3 / §7.4

Bar 3

B Mixolydian

major with a flat 7th

NotesBC♯D♯EF♯G♯A

A major IV in a minor key brightens the 6th. This is the key's notes counted from that chord.

Chord-Scale Reference §9.4

Bar 7

C# Phrygian dominant

Phrygian, but with a major 3rd

NotesC♯DE♯F♯G♯AB

This chord raises the key's 7th so it pulls hard back home — plain minor can't do that, and the scale carries the raised note with it.

Chord-Scale Reference §3

Play it in F# minor · The key of F# minor

Rising Sun in G minor
BarChordNumeral
1Gmi
2Bb♭III
3CIV
4Eb♭VI
5Gmi
6Bb♭III
7DV

What to play over it

In G minor. Shapes on each progression's own page.

Bar by bar

This one plays the 6th both ways, flat and natural, so no single scale fits the whole thing. The scale changes with the chord.

Bars 1, 2, 4–6

G Natural Minor (Aeolian)

the plain minor scale

NotesGAB♭CDE♭F

Home base — the one set of notes all these bars share.

Chord-Scale Reference §3 / §7.4

Bar 3

C Mixolydian

major with a flat 7th

NotesCDEFGAB♭

A major IV in a minor key brightens the 6th. This is the key's notes counted from that chord.

Chord-Scale Reference §9.4

Bar 7

D Phrygian dominant

Phrygian, but with a major 3rd

NotesDE♭F♯GAB♭C

This chord raises the key's 7th so it pulls hard back home — plain minor can't do that, and the scale carries the raised note with it.

Chord-Scale Reference §3

Play it in G minor · The key of G minor

Rising Sun in G# minor
BarChordNumeral
1G#mi
2B♭III
3C#IV
4E♭VI
5G#mi
6B♭III
7D#V

What to play over it

In G# minor. Shapes on each progression's own page.

Bar by bar

This one plays the 6th both ways, flat and natural, so no single scale fits the whole thing. The scale changes with the chord.

Bars 1, 2, 4–6

G# Natural Minor (Aeolian)

the plain minor scale

NotesG♯A♯BC♯D♯EF♯

Home base — the one set of notes all these bars share.

Chord-Scale Reference §3 / §7.4

Bar 3

C# Mixolydian

major with a flat 7th

NotesC♯D♯E♯F♯G♯A♯B

A major IV in a minor key brightens the 6th. This is the key's notes counted from that chord.

Chord-Scale Reference §9.4

Bar 7

D# Phrygian dominant

Phrygian, but with a major 3rd

NotesD♯EF♯♯G♯A♯BC♯

This chord raises the key's 7th so it pulls hard back home — plain minor can't do that, and the scale carries the raised note with it.

Chord-Scale Reference §3

Play it in G# minor · The key of G# minor

Rising Sun in A minor
BarChordNumeral
1Ami
2C♭III
3DIV
4F♭VI
5Ami
6C♭III
7EV

What to play over it

In A minor. Shapes on each progression's own page.

Bar by bar

This one plays the 6th both ways, flat and natural, so no single scale fits the whole thing. The scale changes with the chord.

Bars 1, 2, 4–6

A Natural Minor (Aeolian)

the plain minor scale

NotesABCDEFG

Home base — the one set of notes all these bars share.

Chord-Scale Reference §3 / §7.4

Bar 3

D Mixolydian

major with a flat 7th

NotesDEF♯GABC

A major IV in a minor key brightens the 6th. This is the key's notes counted from that chord.

Chord-Scale Reference §9.4

Bar 7

E Phrygian dominant

Phrygian, but with a major 3rd

NotesEFG♯ABCD

This chord raises the key's 7th so it pulls hard back home — plain minor can't do that, and the scale carries the raised note with it.

Chord-Scale Reference §3

Play it in A minor · The key of A minor

Rising Sun in Bb minor
BarChordNumeral
1Bbmi
2Db♭III
3EbIV
4Gb♭VI
5Bbmi
6Db♭III
7FV

What to play over it

In Bb minor. Shapes on each progression's own page.

Bar by bar

This one plays the 6th both ways, flat and natural, so no single scale fits the whole thing. The scale changes with the chord.

Bars 1, 2, 4–6

Bb Natural Minor (Aeolian)

the plain minor scale

NotesB♭CD♭E♭FG♭A♭

Home base — the one set of notes all these bars share.

Chord-Scale Reference §3 / §7.4

Bar 3

Eb Mixolydian

major with a flat 7th

NotesE♭FGA♭B♭CD♭

A major IV in a minor key brightens the 6th. This is the key's notes counted from that chord.

Chord-Scale Reference §9.4

Bar 7

F Phrygian dominant

Phrygian, but with a major 3rd

NotesFG♭AB♭CD♭E♭

This chord raises the key's 7th so it pulls hard back home — plain minor can't do that, and the scale carries the raised note with it.

Chord-Scale Reference §3

Play it in Bb minor · The key of Bb minor

Rising Sun in B minor
BarChordNumeral
1Bmi
2D♭III
3EIV
4G♭VI
5Bmi
6D♭III
7F#V

What to play over it

In B minor. Shapes on each progression's own page.

Bar by bar

This one plays the 6th both ways, flat and natural, so no single scale fits the whole thing. The scale changes with the chord.

Bars 1, 2, 4–6

B Natural Minor (Aeolian)

the plain minor scale

NotesBC♯DEF♯GA

Home base — the one set of notes all these bars share.

Chord-Scale Reference §3 / §7.4

Bar 3

E Mixolydian

major with a flat 7th

NotesEF♯G♯ABC♯D

A major IV in a minor key brightens the 6th. This is the key's notes counted from that chord.

Chord-Scale Reference §9.4

Bar 7

F# Phrygian dominant

Phrygian, but with a major 3rd

NotesF♯GA♯BC♯DE

This chord raises the key's 7th so it pulls hard back home — plain minor can't do that, and the scale carries the raised note with it.

Chord-Scale Reference §3

Play it in B minor · The key of B minor

The shapes

Drawn in C minor. Each one is movable \u2014 slide the whole pattern to put its root on the key you picked above.

Bars 1, 2, 4–6

C Natural Minor (Aeolian)

the plain minor scale

NotesCDE♭FGA♭B♭

Home base — the one set of notes all these bars share.

Chord-Scale Reference §3 / §7.4

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Bar 3

F Mixolydian

major with a flat 7th

NotesFGAB♭CDE♭

A major IV in a minor key brightens the 6th. This is the key's notes counted from that chord.

Chord-Scale Reference §9.4

eBGDAE0357912
Bar 7

G Phrygian dominant

Phrygian, but with a major 3rd

NotesGA♭BCDE♭F

This chord raises the key's 7th so it pulls hard back home — plain minor can't do that, and the scale carries the raised note with it.

Chord-Scale Reference §3

eBGDAE0357912

Documented in the wild

  • House of the Rising SunThe Animals

The dorian progressions family

A minor key with a major IV. 4 progressions share this shape.

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