

The iv – V – IV – V chord progression, of course, was made famous in the crescendo of “ Stairway to Heaven,” featuring one of Page’s most memorable guitar solos.

The lead balloon had an obvious influence on the likes of Eddie Van Halen, Extreme’s Gary Cherone, Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell, and countless others. Page used the Yardbirds platform to begin exploring and expanding on new blues and rock musical territory, later forming the much-celebrated Led Zeppelin as his main outlet. Yardbird alumni guitarists include the likes of the previously mentioned Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and of course, the unmistakably prolific and influential Jimmy Page. Whether you’re looking to craft a memorable melody hook, or need some solid chords to solo over, this chord progression will give you what you need in a pinch. There are probably other examples I’m missing. And it seems Clapton himself found quite a bit of use for it, as Cream’s “White Room” is based around a rather similar progression, with an epic, wide-open sound to it. Whether you want to play the original electric version or the unforgettable acoustic Unplugged version, you’ll want to pay careful attention to the timing of the chords.Īs “Layla” demonstrates, this minor chord progression has a very serious, urgent sound to it.

King, and others, has created a highly influential, unforgettable body of work.Īs for this chord progression? It’s the one made famous by Derek & The Dominos’ “Layla,” which, I think you’ll agree, is hard to describe as anything other than “classic” or “essential.” “Slowhand” Eric Clapton has sometimes been referred to as “God,” and while his lack of musical vocabulary has sometimes been criticized (he doesn’t know his way around jazz, though that’s never been much of a hindrance), his perfectionist tendencies and faithful allegiance to the blues, Robert Johnson, B. Overall, I, IV, and V are very consonant and happy sounding chords, especially when played together. Whether you use it in your songwriting or not, it would still be wise to do a thorough study of this progression in every key signature and to add it to your musical vocabulary. Big did in “Just Take My Heart” is incredibly effective. The trick, then, is to know when to use it, and when to opt for something a little less conventional. This chord progression is a cliché, no doubt, but it’s remarkably effective, which probably explains why it is so often recycled and reused.
