VII. Popular Music
Four-Chord Schemas
Megan Lavengood and Bryn Hughes
Key Takeaways
I, IV, V, and vi are the most common harmonies in pop music, and they can be arranged into several schemas, each with a distinct sound. Each schema can have variations, such as chord substitution or rotation, while still remaining recognizable as that schema.
- The doo-wop schema is I–vi–IV–V, and it was common in 1960s pop music. Common variations:
- I–vi–ii–V (ii substitutes for IV)
- IV–V–I–vi (rotation)
- The singer/songwriter schema is vi–IV–I–V or I–V–vi–IV, and it was common in 1990s singer/songwriter music. It can also be understood in its relative minor: i–VI–III–VII. A common variation is IV–I–V–vi (rotation).
- The hopscotch schema is IV–V–vi–I, and it is common in recent pop music (since 2010). It can also be understood in its relative minor: VI–VII–i–III. A common variation is VI–V–i–III (V substitutes for VII in minor).
The progressions discussed in this chapter all have something in common. They use the same four chords: I, IV, V, and vi, which are probably the most common chords in all of pop music. Because of this, they all sound somewhat similar; the difference is in the order of the chords.
Doo-wop
doo-wop schema: I–vi–IV–V, or C–Ami–F–G in C major.
shows music notation, chord symbols, and Roman numerals for the
The name for this cyclical chord progression comes from its common use in rock ballads from the 1950s and early 1960s, such as “Duke of Earl” by Gene Chandler (1962). However, it has continued to be used frequently ever since: examples include the verse and chorus of “Friday” by Rebecca Black (2011) and the chorus of “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler (1983) (starts at 0:49).
Substituting ii for IV
Because ii and IV share the same function in this chord progression, ii can be swapped out for IV, as in Otis Redding’s “Try a Little Tenderness” (1966).
Rotation
Because the doo-wop schema is typically employed in cycles, it can also start on a different chord in the cycle and then proceed through the same succession of chords (rotation). For example, “Viva la Vida” by Coldplay (2008) works through a cyclical repetition of the same succession of chords, but the phrases begin on IV rather than I ( ).
Singer/Songwriter
The singer/songwriter schema may be the best known of all the four-chord schemas. A common Roman numeral analysis for this schema is vi–IV–I–V, or Ami–F–C–G in C major, but the rotation starting with I is also exceedingly common. On top of that, either rotation may be understood as having either the major tonic or the relative minor tonic. This is best understood through .
Like the 1950s doo-wop, this is a four-chord cyclical progression. It has been around for some time and can be found in a variety of musical styles, but it became increasingly common beginning in the mid-1990s with singer/songwriters such as Sarah McLachlan, Jewel, and Joan Osborne,
Tonal ambiguity
One important feature of this progression is that it