i–iv–v

The three primary chords in minor — old, austere, without the pull of a major dominant.

Degrees: i–iv–v
Mode: minor
Bars: 3
In A minor: Am – Dm – Em

The progression in A minor

In all twelve keys

The same degrees, shifted twelve times. To move a song into another key, read off the row.

Key	i	iv	v
A minor	Am	Dm	Em
E minor	Em	Am	Bm
B minor	Bm	Em	F#m
F# minor	F#m	Bm	C#m
C# minor	C#m	F#m	G#m
G# minor	G#m	C#m	D#m
D minor	Dm	Gm	Am
G minor	Gm	Cm	Dm
C minor	Cm	Fm	Gm
F minor	Fm	Bbm	Cm
Bb minor	Bbm	Ebm	Fm
Eb minor	Ebm	Abm	Bbm

Why it sounds that way

In the natural minor scale the fifth degree is minor too. That removes the leading note, which is why this sounds more like a church mode than like pop. Raise the seventh degree and the pull comes back as i–iv–V.

Where you hear it

Scarborough Fair
Greensleeves
House of the Rising Sun

Related progressions

i–VII–VI–VIIThe minor loop i–VII–VI–VThe Andalusian cadence

Anotona does this for you

Photograph a page of sheet music or play the melody — Anotona finds the key, engraves the notes and transposes them into any other. Free.

See Anotona

Every note on this page is computed, not typed in — following the rule that also makes F# major spell its seventh degree E#, not F.