C major · no sharps or flats

Chords in C major

C major has no sharps or flats, and its notes are C, D, E, F, G, A and B. Its seven chords are C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am and B°; with sevenths, Cmaj7, Dm7, Em7, Fmaj7, G7, Am7 and Bm7♭5.

The seven chords of C major

Chords of C major, C major
Degree	Triad	Seventh	Function	Notes
I	C	Cmaj7	Tonic	C E G B
ii	Dm	Dm7	Subdominant	D F A C
iii	Em	Em7	Tonic	E G B D
IV	F	Fmaj7	Subdominant	F A C E
V	G	G7	Dominant	G B D F
vi	Am	Am7	Tonic	A C E G
vii°	B°		Dominant	B D F A

Hear where home is

Two short progressions in C major. The last chord of each is the tonic, and the chord before it is what makes it sound like arriving.

Cadence

CI
FIV
G7V7
CI

ii V I

Dm7ii7
G7V7
Cmaj7Imaj7

Common progressions in C major

ii V I ii7 V7 Imaj7
1. Dm7
2. G7
3. Cmaj7
I V vi IV I V vi IV
1. C
2. G
3. Am
4. F
vi IV I V vi IV I V
1. Am
2. F
3. C
4. G
I vi IV V I vi IV V
1. C
2. Am
3. F
4. G
I IV V I IV V I
1. C
2. F
3. G
4. C
12 bar blues I7 I7 I7 I7 IV7 IV7 I7 I7 V7 IV7 I7 V7
1. C7
2. C7
3. C7
4. C7
5. F7
6. F7
7. C7
8. C7
9. G7
10. F7
11. C7
12. G7
iii vi ii V I iii7 vi7 ii7 V7 Imaj7
1. Em7
2. Am7
3. Dm7
4. G7
5. Cmaj7
I vi ii V Imaj7 vi7 ii7 V7
1. Cmaj7
2. Am7
3. Dm7
4. G7
ii bII I ii7 bII7 Imaj7
1. Dm7
3. Cmaj7
Backdoor progression iv7 bVII7 Imaj7
1. Fm7
3. Cmaj7
I bVII IV I bVII IV I
1. C
3. F
4. C
Royal road progression IVmaj7 V7 iii7 vi
1. Fmaj7
2. G7
3. Em7
4. Am

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The seven chords of C major

Hear where home is

Common progressions in C major

Keys close to C major

Learn this by ear, five minutes a day