Hey music makers!
Listen to these four songs back to back:
"Basket Case" by Green Day
"Memories" by Maroon 5
"Spectrum" by Florence + The Machine
"Under the Bridge" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
They all use the same harmonic loop from that wedding song. You know what I’m talking about.
A 300-year-old baroque piece shaped how modern pop works. And once you hear it, good luck unhearing it.
This week, I'm showing you the most recycled progression in music and why you need it in your toolkit.
📻 REAL SONGS. REAL PROGRESSIONS
💿 "Under the Bridge" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
Key: E Major
Progression: E - B - C#m - G#m - A - E - B - C#m - A
Roman numerals: I - V - vi - iii - IV - I - V - vi - IV
Why it works:
This is a variation of the Pachelbel progression, named after Johann Pachelbel's Canon in D. It’s a classical tune from the Baroque period (1600-1750) that you’ve heard at least at one wedding in your lifetime.
The original eight-chord loop goes: I–V–vi–iii–IV–I–IV–V
RHCP keeps the first four chords (I–V–vi–iii), which are the most recognizable part of the pattern. Then they alter the second half, replacing the traditional I–IV–V turnaround with I–V–vi–IV instead.
What does this do?
The original Pachelbel ending (I–IV–V) creates a strong return to the beginning, like resetting the loop with a clear "here we go again" moment.
RHCP's version (I–V–vi–IV) keeps the progression more open with less tension than you would get by ending the phrase on the V. The IV to I movement is satisfying but less intense than the V to I.
Both versions work because they're built on the same powerful harmonic foundation, a pattern that's been shaping pop music for over 300 years.
So what makes this foundation so powerful? Let's break it down.
🧠 IDEA OF THE WEEK
The Pachelbel Progression
The progression we know best comes from Canon in D, a baroque piece written around 1680-1694, possibly for a wedding.
Its full form is eight chords long:
I – V – vi – iii – IV – I – IV – V
[In D major: D - A - Bm - F#m - G - D - G - A]
Every chord fits neatly inside the key; it's completely diatonic. So this is one reason it feels so familiar.
But here's what makes it so effective:
The Root Motion Pattern
The progression follows a descending 4th/ascending 2nd sequence, which is a pattern music theorists note as creating strong harmonic momentum.
Put plainly the chord roots follow a specific zigzag pattern:
Down a fourth (or up a fifth)
Up a second
Down a fourth
Up a second
And so on
Let me break it down:
D → A (down a 4th)
A → B (up a 2nd)
B → F# (down a 4th)
F# → G (up a 2nd)
G → D (down a 4th)
D → G (up a 4th)
G → A (up a 2nd)
This pattern is powerful because descending 4ths follow the circle of fifths, creating strong root motion (more on that here). Your ear hears this as purposeful forward momentum, think gravity pulling the harmony toward a destination.
The ascending 2nd "breaks" serve two purposes:
They prevent the progression from feeling too linear (a pure circle-of-fifths descent would be I–IV–vii°–iii–vi–ii–V–I)
They avoid the diminished vii° chord, keeping everything consonant and stable
This zigzag pattern is why the progression can be transposed to any key and still feel exactly the same.
Why It Loops
Here's what makes this progression addictive: it ends on V (the dominant), not I (the tonic).
This creates what's called a half cadence, a moment of suspense that naturally wants to resolve back to I. That's what makes it "loopable". The progression doesn't reach a definitive ending instead, it creates momentum that pulls you back to the beginning.
This is the foundation of modern pop music structure. Since the 1970s, songwriting has shifted toward short, repeatable chord cycles that loop throughout entire songs. The Pachelbel progression showed us how to build progressions that move nicely, cycle, and support melodies without getting in the way.
Producer Pete Waterman calls it "the godfather of all pop music" for exactly this reason.
Modern Variants
Most contemporary songs don't use the full eight-chord version. Instead, they use simplified four-chord variants:
I–V–vi–IV (The "Axis Progression")
Examples: "Let It Be" (The Beatles), "Someone Like You" (Adele), "Don't Stop Believin'" (Journey)
This takes the first four chords of Pachelbel but skips iii and jumps straight to IV, creating a more compact loop.
I–vi–IV–V (The "50s Progression")
Examples: "Stand By Me" (Ben E. King), "Earth Angel" (The Penguins), "Perfect" (Ed Sheeran)
This reorders the Axis progression to emphasize the I–vi relationship (a descending third), creating warmth and nostalgia.
vi–IV–I–V (Starts on the relative minor)
Examples: "Zombie" (The Cranberries), "Grenade" (Bruno Mars)
Starting on vi gives the progression a more melancholic, minor quality.
All of these variants create nice harmonic movement while adapting the structure for different emotional effects.
🎯 CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK
Learn the Pachelbel Progression with Voice Leading
This week, practice the Pachelbel progression in three keys, focusing on voice leading and common tones.
What is voice leading?
Voice leading is how individual notes move from chord to chord. When roots move by fourths or fifths, there's usually one common tone (a shared note between chords) that stays in the same voice while other notes move by step. This creates smooth transitions instead of jarring jumps.
Practice in three keys:
Key of C Major: C - G - Am - Em - F - C - F - G
Key of G Major: G - D - Em - Bm - C - G - C - D
Key of D Major: D - A - Bm - F#m - G - D - G - A
How to practice:
Play slowly (60 BPM) and listen for the descending-4th/ascending-2nd root motion.
Find common tones between chords:
C (C-E-G) to G (G-B-D): G is common
G (G-B-D) to Am (A-C-E): No common tone, but B and C move by step
Am (A-C-E) to Em (E-G-B): E is common
Keep common tones in the same voice while moving other notes by the smallest intervals possible.
Experiment with modern variants:
I–V–vi–IV (Axis Progression)
I–vi–IV–V (50s Progression)
vi–IV–I–V (Minor start)
Notice how changing the order creates different emotional effects.
Hit reply and tell me: What songs have you discovered that use this progression?
The Pachelbel progression has been quietly shaping music for over 300 years, from baroque canons to rock ballads to modern pop hits.
And now that you know it, you'll hear it everywhere.
That's the beauty of discovering patterns in the music you love. Suddenly, the songs that moved you make even more sense. And the tools you need to write your own music become clearer.
I encourage you to dig into this progression. Learn the root motion. Practice the voice leading.
It's well worth your time
