The chords
Every chord links to its full reference page — notes, keyboard diagram, audio, fingering, and inversions.
Which key is it in?
A progression's key is the one whose scale contains all of its chords, and the Roman numerals below are each chord's job in that key. When several keys qualify, the ear usually decides by where the music comes to rest.
| Key | Roman numerals | Named pattern |
|---|---|---|
| E major | I – IV – V – IV | The rock-and-roll vamp |
| C♯ minor | ♭III – ♭VI – ♭VII – ♭VI | Not a named pattern |
| D♭ minor | ♭III – ♭VI – ♭VII – ♭VI | Not a named pattern |
Why The rock-and-roll vamp works
A driving vamp that bounces between IV and V over the tonic and never settles — it keeps pushing forward instead of resolving.
The full The rock-and-roll vamp reference → covers variations, songs built on it, and the pattern in every key.