The Roman Numeral

What does the Roman numeral mean?The Major scale is made up seven different notes.

For instance the key of C Major  = C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C or key of G = G-A-B-C-D-E-F#-G

Those are the pitches in those keys but you can turn those single notes into chords by stacking every other note (up to three notes) on top of each other: C = C E G, G = G B D, etc.( See Chapter Triads).

 The Major Scale Chord pattern is the same for all keys. The pitch names change from key to key but the quality (Major, minor or diminished) of the chord remains the same. Here is the pattern:

 

I            II            III          IV            V         VI          VII

Major   Minor    Minor      Major     Major   Minor        Diminished

 

Key of C chords = C Major, D minor, E minor, F Major, G Major, Am, B diminished

 

Key of G chords = G Major, A minor, B minor, C Major, D Major, Em, F# diminished

 

Below is an incomplete list of I V vi IV songs. I’ve made note of the song title, artist, key and how much of the song actually maintains the progression. There are also a few “minor” versions of this chord progression all that means is the song starts on the minor “vi” chord instead of the “I” for instance “Save Tonight” is:

 

vi             IV            I             V

Am            F            C            G

 

Do I need to tell you all you need do now is search Youtube and starting playing along?

(Note: As you can see I stopped listing the keys, etc. after 40 songs...isn't that enough?)

 

I            V            vi            IV            CHORD PROGRESSIONS

 

Key

Root

I            V            vi            IV

 

C            G            Am            F

G            D            Em            C

D            A            Bm            G

A            E            F#m            D

E            B            C#m            A

 

  1. So Lonely: The Police                              Keys of C & D               Entire Song
  2. With or Without You: U2                         Key of D                        Entire Song
  3. Taylor: Jack Johnson                               Key of C                        Entire Song (Except Intro and Coda)
  4. Soundtrack to My Life: Kid Cudi              Key of C                        Entire Song
  5. Under the Bridge: R.H.C.P.                      Key of E                        Verse
  6. Beast of Burden: The Rolling Stones        Key of E                        Verse
  7. Damn It: Blink 182                                  Key of C                         Verse & Chorus
  8. Hey Soul Sister: Train                              Key of E                        Verse
  9. Down Under: Men at Work                       Key of D                        Chorus (Partial)
  10. Let It Be: The Beatles                               Key of C                        Partial Verse
  11. What’s My Age Again: Blink 182              Key of F#                        Partial Verse & Chorus
  12. As Is: Ani DiFranco                                  Key of Bb                       Verse
  13. Out of Habit: Ani DiFranco                      Key of E                          Partial Verse
  14. Glycerine: Bush                                       Key of F                        Verse
  15. When I Come Around: Green Day            Key of G                        Verse
  16. My Name is Jonas: Weezer                      Key of C ¾                   Partial Verse
  17. No Woman, No Cry: Bob Marley              Key of C                        Verse & Partial Chorus
  18. How Far We’ve Come: Matchbox 20        Key of C                        Entire, Chorus Am
  19. Don’t Stop Believing: Journey                  Key of E                        Partial Verse
  20. Run: Snow Patrol                                     Key of C                        Chorus
  21. Head Over Feet: Alalanis Morissette        Key of C                        Verse
  22. Today: Smashing Pumpkins                    Key of E                        Partial Verse
  23. Jessie’s Girl: Rick Springfield                   Key of D                        Partial Verse
  24. Effortlessly: Sister Hazel                         Key of G                        Verse & Chorus
  25. Move Along: All American Rejects           Key of Eb                        Intro
  26. Save Tonight: Eagle Eye Cherry               Key of Am                        Entire Song
  27. The Passenger: Iggy Pop                         Key of Am                        99% (Has an E in it)
  28. Grenade: Bruno Mars                              Key of Dm                        Chorus
  29. Peace of Mind: Boston                             Key of C#m                        Intro & Outro Melody
  30. I Want You to Want Me                             Key of A                          Chorus
  31. No One Else: Weezer                               Key of E                             Chorus
  32. Heat of the Moment: Asia                        Key of Db                        Twisted version.
  33. One Last Breath: Creed                              Key of D                        Verse
  34. Self Esteem: The Offspring                      Key of Am                         Verse & Chorus 75%
  35. Country Roads: John Denver                   Key of A                           First part of Chorus
  36. Black Label Society: In This River         Key of Ebm                        Verse
  37. Michelle Branch: All You Wanted         Key of Fm                           Chorus
  38. One Republic: Apologize                        Key of C#m                        Entire Song
  39. Avril Lavigne: Complicated                    Key of Dm                        Chorus
  40. Zzzzz: The Cab                                        Key of D                           Entire (except Pre-Chorus)
  41. Beautiful: James Blunt