Classical / Pop

Pachelbel's Canon Chord Progression (I–V–vi–iii–IV)

The 300-year-old eight-chord sequence reused in countless pop songs.

The chords, in every key

I – V – vi – iii – IV – I – IV – V

CDbDEbEFF#GAbABbB

Pachelbel's Canon in C major
Bar	Chord	Numeral
1	C	I
2	G	V
3	Am	vi
4	Em	iii
5	F	IV
6	C	I
7	F	IV
8	G	V

What to play over it

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

Bars 1–8

C Major (Ionian)

the plain major scale

NotesCDEFGAB

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

Chord-Scale Reference §2 / §7.5

Play it in C major · The key of C major

Pachelbel's Canon in Db major
Bar	Chord	Numeral
1	Db	I
2	Ab	V
3	Bbm	vi
4	Fm	iii
5	Gb	IV
6	Db	I
7	Gb	IV
8	Ab	V

What to play over it

In Db major. Shapes on each progression's own page.

Bars 1–8

Db Major (Ionian)

the plain major scale

NotesD♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭C

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

Chord-Scale Reference §2 / §7.5

Play it in Db major · The key of Db major

Pachelbel's Canon in D major
Bar	Chord	Numeral
1	D	I
2	A	V
3	Bm	vi
4	F#m	iii
5	G	IV
6	D	I
7	G	IV
8	A	V

What to play over it

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

Bars 1–8

D Major (Ionian)

the plain major scale

NotesDEF♯GABC♯

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

Chord-Scale Reference §2 / §7.5

Play it in D major · The key of D major

Pachelbel's Canon in Eb major
Bar	Chord	Numeral
1	Eb	I
2	Bb	V
3	Cm	vi
4	Gm	iii
5	Ab	IV
6	Eb	I
7	Ab	IV
8	Bb	V

What to play over it

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

Bars 1–8

Eb Major (Ionian)

the plain major scale

NotesE♭FGA♭B♭CD

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

Chord-Scale Reference §2 / §7.5

Play it in Eb major · The key of Eb major

Pachelbel's Canon in E major
Bar	Chord	Numeral
1	E	I
2	B	V
3	C#m	vi
4	G#m	iii
5	A	IV
6	E	I
7	A	IV
8	B	V

What to play over it

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

Bars 1–8

E Major (Ionian)

the plain major scale

NotesEF♯G♯ABC♯D♯

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

Chord-Scale Reference §2 / §7.5

Play it in E major · The key of E major

Pachelbel's Canon in F major
Bar	Chord	Numeral
1	F	I
2	C	V
3	Dm	vi
4	Am	iii
5	Bb	IV
6	F	I
7	Bb	IV
8	C	V

What to play over it

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

Bars 1–8

F Major (Ionian)

the plain major scale

NotesFGAB♭CDE

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

Chord-Scale Reference §2 / §7.5

Play it in F major · The key of F major

Pachelbel's Canon in F# major
Bar	Chord	Numeral
1	F#	I
2	C#	V
3	D#m	vi
4	A#m	iii
5	B	IV
6	F#	I
7	B	IV
8	C#	V

What to play over it

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

Bars 1–8

F# Major (Ionian)

the plain major scale

NotesF♯G♯A♯BC♯D♯E♯

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

Chord-Scale Reference §2 / §7.5

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

Pachelbel's Canon in G major
Bar	Chord	Numeral
1	G	I
2	D	V
3	Em	vi
4	Bm	iii
5	C	IV
6	G	I
7	C	IV
8	D	V

What to play over it

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

Bars 1–8

G Major (Ionian)

the plain major scale

NotesGABCDEF♯

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

Chord-Scale Reference §2 / §7.5

Play it in G major · The key of G major

Pachelbel's Canon in Ab major
Bar	Chord	Numeral
1	Ab	I
2	Eb	V
3	Fm	vi
4	Cm	iii
5	Db	IV
6	Ab	I
7	Db	IV
8	Eb	V

What to play over it

In Ab major. Shapes on each progression's own page.

Bars 1–8

Ab Major (Ionian)

the plain major scale

NotesA♭B♭CD♭E♭FG

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

Chord-Scale Reference §2 / §7.5

Play it in Ab major · The key of Ab major

Pachelbel's Canon in A major
Bar	Chord	Numeral
1	A	I
2	E	V
3	F#m	vi
4	C#m	iii
5	D	IV
6	A	I
7	D	IV
8	E	V

What to play over it

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

Bars 1–8

A Major (Ionian)

the plain major scale

NotesABC♯DEF♯G♯

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

Chord-Scale Reference §2 / §7.5

Play it in A major · The key of A major

Pachelbel's Canon in Bb major
Bar	Chord	Numeral
1	Bb	I
2	F	V
3	Gm	vi
4	Dm	iii
5	Eb	IV
6	Bb	I
7	Eb	IV
8	F	V

What to play over it

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

Bars 1–8

Bb Major (Ionian)

the plain major scale

NotesB♭CDE♭FGA

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

Chord-Scale Reference §2 / §7.5

Play it in Bb major · The key of Bb major

Pachelbel's Canon in B major
Bar	Chord	Numeral
1	B	I
2	F#	V
3	G#m	vi
4	D#m	iii
5	E	IV
6	B	I
7	E	IV
8	F#	V

What to play over it

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

Bars 1–8

B Major (Ionian)

the plain major scale

NotesBC♯D♯EF♯G♯A♯

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

Chord-Scale Reference §2 / §7.5

Play it in B major · The key of B major

The shapes

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

Bars 1–8

C Major (Ionian)

the plain major scale

NotesCDEFGAB

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

Chord-Scale Reference §2 / §7.5

Documented in the wild

Canon in DJohann Pachelbel
Don't Look Back in AngerOasis
Basket CaseGreen Day
MemoriesMaroon 5

Want more?

See how the chords are played, edit the progression, and hear it live in Turnaround

The chords, in every key

What to play over it

C Major (Ionian)

What to play over it

Db Major (Ionian)

What to play over it

D Major (Ionian)

What to play over it

Eb Major (Ionian)

What to play over it

E Major (Ionian)

What to play over it

F Major (Ionian)

What to play over it

F# Major (Ionian)

What to play over it

G Major (Ionian)

What to play over it

Ab Major (Ionian)

What to play over it

A Major (Ionian)

What to play over it

Bb Major (Ionian)

What to play over it

B Major (Ionian)

The shapes

C Major (Ionian)

Documented in the wild

The four-chord songs family

Want more?