Chord progression ear training
Four chords in a major key. Name the progression in Roman numerals. Follow the bass line and the chord colours.
Use headphones if you can. Keyboard: Space = play/next, R = replay, 1–9 = answer.
The chords of a major key
Build a triad on each note of the major scale and you get seven chords, written in Roman numerals: capitals for major, lower case for minor, and a small circle for diminished.
| Degree | I | ii | iii | IV | V | vi | vii° |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In C major | C | Dm | Em | F | G | Am | B° |
| Function | Tonic | Pre-dominant | Tonic sub. | Pre-dominant | Dominant | Tonic sub. | Dominant |
Harmony moves roughly from tonic (home) to pre-dominant (away) to dominant (tension) and back. Hearing that journey is what this drill trains. If chord qualities still trip you up, go back to single-chord ear training; to see how keys relate, open the circle of fifths.
Questions
How do I hear chord progressions by ear?
Follow the bass line first. Most progressions in this drill start on the tonic (I), so the question becomes: where does the bass move next? A drop of a 5th (or rise of a 4th) usually means IV; a rise of a 5th means V; a fall of a 3rd means vi.
What is the difference between IV and ii?
They share two notes and do the same job (leading to V), but ii is minor, so it sounds softer and slightly sadder. Listen to the quality of the chord as well as the bass.
Why does I–V–vi–IV sound so familiar?
It is used in a huge number of pop songs. The comedy group Axis of Awesome famously strung dozens of hits together over these same four chords.
What is a cadence?
A cadence is the chord movement at the end of a phrase. V–I is a perfect (authentic) cadence and sounds final; IV–I is a plagal (“Amen”) cadence; ending on V is a half cadence and sounds unfinished.