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Chords in the key of C

No sharps, no flats, and every chord is a friendly open shape on guitar and piano. It's the key everybody learns first and quietly comes back to.

Chord	Number	Roman
C	1	I
Dm	2m	ii
Em	3m	iii
F	4	IV
G	5	V
Am	6m	vi
Bdim	7°	vii°

The 1, 4 and 5 (C, F, G) are the backbone. Add the 6m (Am) and you can play most of what's on the radio. The 7° (Bdim) mostly shows up as a passing chord, so don't lose sleep over it.

Progressions you'll actually run into

• 1 5 6m 4 (The four-chord pop and worship progression): C · G · Am · F
• 1 4 5 (Three-chord rock, folk, blues and old hymns): C · F · G
• 6m 4 1 5 (The same four chords starting on the minor): Am · F · C · G
• 2m 5 1 (The jazz turnaround): Dm · G · C
• 1 6m 4 5 (The fifties doo-wop changes): C · Am · F · G

Those numbers are the Nashville number system. Learn the progression as numbers once and it works in every key.

Playing in C on guitar

No capo, C shapes; capo 3, play A shapes; capo 5, play G shapes.

The capo chart has every key, and the transpose chart moves a song somewhere else entirely.

Neighbor keys

Songs that leave C usually go to its 4 or 5: key of F or key of G. Or see every key.

Not sure what key the song is in?

Chartless listens to whatever is playing and shows the key, the chords and the numbers live, so you can check a recording against this page while it plays. How to find the key by ear if you'd rather do it yourself.