i–VII–VI–V chord progression
The Andalusian cadence. In A minor it's Am – G – F – E. Press play, then pick any key from the menu.
In A minor, 4 beats per chord. Open in the progression builder
- iAm
- VIIG
- VIF
- VE
Why it works
Four chords stepping down: Am, G, F, E. The bass walks down the top of the minor scale, and the last chord is major, so it lands with a bright, unresolved tension that sends you back to the top. It's the classic sound of flamenco, and the descending bass makes it instantly recognizable in rock, pop and film music.
How it feels: descending, Spanish, dramatic.
Inside i–VII–VI–V
Play just the bass notes and you hear the shape of it: A – G – F – E. The smoothest way through it on piano:
- i → VII: Am to G: play G in root position (G–B–D), while A moves down to G, C down to B and E down to D.
- VII → VI: G to F: play F in root position (F–A–C), while G moves down to F, B down to A and D down to C.
- VI → V: F to E: play E in root position (E–G♯–B), while F moves down to E, A down to G♯ and C down to B.
- V → i (back to the top): E to Am: play Am in 2nd inversion (E–A–C) and E stays under the same finger, while G♯ moves up to A and B up to C.
i–VII–VI–V in all 12 keys
The numerals never change; only the chord names do. Tap Play on any row, or open the key for its other chords.
| Key | Chords | |
|---|---|---|
| A minor | Am – G – F – E | |
| E minor | Em – D – C – B | |
| B minor | Bm – A – G – F♯ | |
| F♯ minor | F♯m – E – D – C♯ | |
| C♯ minor | C♯m – B – A – G♯ | |
| G♯ minor | G♯m – F♯ – E – D♯ | |
| E♭ minor | E♭m – D♭ – C♭ – B♭ | |
| B♭ minor | B♭m – A♭ – G♭ – F | |
| F minor | Fm – E♭ – D♭ – C | |
| C minor | Cm – B♭ – A♭ – G | |
| G minor | Gm – F – E♭ – D | |
| D minor | Dm – C – B♭ – A |
On guitar
The friendliest keys for i–VII–VI–V on guitar are A minor and E minor; A minor still needs one barre chord.
A minor: Am – G – F – E
E minor: Em – D – C – B
A capo lets you keep these easy shapes in any key. Capo chart.
Ways to vary it
- Play the final chord with a flamenco strum (rasgueado) and let it ring.
- Add a flat-nine on the last chord for a more Spanish color.
- Loop it without ever returning to i: the V chord is the rest point in flamenco.
Related progressions
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i–VII–VI–V: questions
What is the i–VII–VI–V chord progression?
The Andalusian cadence: the chords on degrees 1, 7, 6, 5 of a minor key. In A minor that's Am – G – F – E.
Why does i–VII–VI–V sound good?
Four chords stepping down: Am, G, F, E. The bass walks down the top of the minor scale, and the last chord is major, so it lands with a bright, unresolved tension that sends you back to the top.
How do I play i–VII–VI–V in G?
It's a minor progression, so use a minor key. In E minor: Em – D – C – B.
How do I change i–VII–VI–V to another key?
Keep the numerals and swap the key: the numbers say which note of the scale each chord is built on. Use the key menu in the player above, or the table of all 12 keys on this page.
What else is i–VII–VI–V called?
"andalusian cadence". Musicians also call it the Andalusian cadence.
Chords in every key are generated from the scale and checked by the site's theory tests. We describe progressions in general terms and don't transcribe songs. Updated September 2026.