Editing Three-chord song

{{Short description|Song built around three chords played in a certain sequence}}
[[Image:IV-V-I in C.png|thumb|248px|IV-V-I progression in C {{audio|IV-V-I in C.mid|Play}}]]
A '''three-chord song''' is a [[song]] whose [[music]] is built around three [[chord (music)|chords]] that are played in a certain [[chord progression|sequence]]. A common type of three-chord song is the simple [[twelve-bar blues]] used in [[blues]] and [[rock and roll]].

Typically, the three chords used are the chords on the [[Tonic (music)|tonic]], [[subdominant]], and [[Dominant (music)|dominant]] ([[scale degree]]s I, IV and V): in the key of C, these would be the C, F and G chords. Sometimes the [[dominant seventh|V<sup>7</sup> chord]] is used instead of V, for greater [[Consonance and dissonance|tension]].

The I ([[Tonic (music)|tonic]]), IV ([[subdominant]]) and V ([[Dominant (music)|dominant]]) chords ([[primary triad]]s) together encompass all seven tones of the tonic's [[major scale]]. These three chords are a simple means of covering many melodies without the use of [[passing notes]].

The order of the chord progression may be varied; popular chord progression variations using the I, IV and V chords of a scale are:  
* I – IV – V  
* IV – I – V
* I – IV – I – V  
* I – IV – V – IV
Beside the I, IV and V chord progression, other widely used 3-chord progressions are:<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.theguitarlesson.com/guitar-theory/guitar-chords/chord-progressions/| title = Chord progressions – TheGuitarLesson.com}}</ref>
* I – vi – V
* I – ii – V

==Quotes==
Songwriter [[Harlan Howard]] once said "[[country music]] is three chords and the truth."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/h/harlanhowa171024.html|title=Harlan Howard Quotes|newspaper=BrainyQuote|language=en|access-date=2017-01-26}}</ref>

[[Lou Reed]] said "One chord is fine. Two chords is pushing it. Three chords and you're into jazz."<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.rhino.com/RZine/StoryKeeper.lasso?StoryID=73| title = Rhino Records: The Rhino Musical Aptitude Test, 2001| date = 24 November 2023}}</ref> Reed nevertheless wrote many songs with unique or complex chord progressions himself, such as the material on ''[[Berlin (Lou Reed album)|Berlin]]''.

==See also==
* [[Cadence (music)]]
* [[I–V–vi–IV progression]]
* [[Twelve-bar blues]]
*[[Bergamask]]

==References==

{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Three-Chord Song}}
[[Category:Harmony]]
[[Category:Song forms]]
[[Category:Chord progressions]]