What the I–bVI–bVII–I progression sounds like
Heroic and cinematic. The borrowed bVI to bVII climbs back home. In A major it's A F G A.
You'll find it in Rock songwriting.
Scales that fit I–bVI–bVII–I
Over this progression in A, the best-fitting scales are A Mixolydian, D Melodic minor (jazz), A Major (Ionian). Put your own chords into the scale finder to see more.
I–bVI–bVII–I in every key
| Key | Chords |
|---|---|
| C major | C Ab Bb C |
| G major | G Eb F G |
| D major | D Bb C D |
| A major | A F G A |
| E major | E C D E |
| B major | B G A B |
| F# major | F# D E F# |
| Db major | Db A Cb Db |
| Ab major | Ab Fb Gb Ab |
| Eb major | Eb Cb Db Eb |
| Bb major | Bb Gb Ab Bb |
| F major | F Db Eb F |
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Common questions
What are the chords in the I–bVI–bVII–I progression?
In A major the I–bVI–bVII–I progression is A F G A. The pattern is the same in every key; the table above lists all 12.
What scale goes with I–bVI–bVII–I?
In A, the A Mixolydian fits best. D Melodic minor (jazz) and A Major (Ionian) add different colors.
Last updated November 14, 2026.