I–♭VII–IV

The Mixolydian turn — broad and rocky, as though the leading note had been abolished.

Degrees: I–♭VII–IV
Mode: major
Bars: 3
In C major: C – Bb – F

The progression in C major

In all twelve keys

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

Key	I	♭VII	IV
C major	C	Bb	F
G major	G	F	C
D major	D	C	G
A major	A	G	D
E major	E	D	A
B major	B	A	E
F major	F	Eb	Bb
Bb major	Bb	Ab	Eb
Eb major	Eb	Db	Ab
Ab major	Ab	Gb	Db
Db major	Db	Cb	Gb
F# major	F#	E	B

Why it sounds that way

The seventh degree is lowered by a semitone and carries a major triad — the major scale has no such chord. It comes from the Mixolydian mode. Without a leading note there is no pull to the tonic, and that is what sounds like rock rather than cadence.

Where you hear it

Sweet Child O' Mine — Guns N' Roses
Sympathy for the Devil
Can't You See — The Marshall Tucker Band

Related progressions

I–IV–VThe three primary chords i–VII–VI–VIIThe minor loop

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.