PorchtoneQuick answer: the seven chords in C major are C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am, B°. The strongest are C, F and G (the I, IV and V); most songs in C lean on those.
The chords
| CIC E G | DmiiD F A | EmiiiE G B | FIVF A C | GVG B D | AmviA C E | B°vii°B D F |
Progressions that sound good in C
- Pop anthemC – G – Am – F (I V vi IV)
Big, hopeful, singable. One of the most used progressions in pop.
- SensitiveAm – F – C – G (vi IV I V)
The same four chords starting on the minor: wistful, then lifting.
- FiftiesC – Am – F – G (I vi IV V)
Doo-wop and slow-dance warmth.
- LiftF – C – G – Am (IV I V vi)
Starts away from home, so it feels like it is always reaching.
- Slow burnC – Em – F – G (I iii IV V)
Tender, with a gentle ache on the iii chord.
- HymnC – F – C – G (I IV I V)
Plain and honest; leaves room for the words.
- Three chordsC – F – G (I IV V)
The backbone of folk, country and rock and roll.
- HighwayC – A♯ – F – C (I bVII IV I)
Open-road rock: the borrowed ♭VII gives it swagger.
- HeartlandC – A♯ – F – F (I bVII IV IV)
Jangly, wide-open guitar rock.
- 12-bar bluesC7 – C7 – C7 – C7 – F7 – F7 – C7 – C7 – G7 – F7 – C7 – G7 (I7 I7 I7 I7 IV7 IV7 I7 I7 V7 IV7 I7 V7)
Twelve bars that most of rock and roll grew out of.
- Two-five-oneDm7 – G7 – Cmaj7 (ii7 V7 Imaj7)
The basic cadence of jazz standards.
Playing in C with a capo
If the barre chords in C are a stretch, put a capo on and play easier open shapes. The song still sounds in C.
| Capo | Play these shapes |
|---|---|
| Fret 3 | A, Bm, C♯m, D, E, F♯m (shapes from A) |
| Fret 5 | G, Am, Bm, C, D, Em (shapes from G) |
Related keys
C major shares all its chords with its relative minor, A minor. Its closest neighbours are G major and F major, which share six of its seven notes and make easy key changes.