Guitar Chord Progressions for Songwriters: Beyond I-IV-V
Go beyond I-IV-V with chord progressions that create real emotional movement. Covers the vi chord, secondary dominants, borrowed chords, and modal interchange for songwriters.
I-IV-V is the foundation. I-V-vi-IV is the pop standard. But if every song you write uses the same four chords, your songs will sound the same.
The vi chord: instant emotional depth
Adding the vi (minor six) to a major progression introduces melancholy without leaving the key. I-V-vi-IV has powered thousands of hits because it balances hope (I, IV, V are major) with vulnerability (vi is minor).
Secondary dominants: forward motion
Insert a dominant seventh chord before any diatonic chord to create momentum. In C major:
- A7 → Dm (V/ii → ii)
- E7 → Am (V/vi → vi)
- D7 → G (V/V → V)
Borrowed chords: darkness from the parallel minor
Borrow chords from C minor while staying in C major:
- bIII (Eb) instead of iii (Em) — darker, unexpected
- bVI (Ab) instead of vi (Am) — cinematic tension
- bVII (Bb) instead of vii° — Radiohead's favorite move
When to break the rules
The best chord progression is the one that serves the song. If a borrowed chord pulls focus from the vocal, it's the wrong chord. If a plain I-IV-V feels honest and direct, don't complicate it.