Write a song using a I – IV – V chord progression | Songwriting Club

Countless rock and pop songs are written using the I – IV – V chord progression, or some variation of it.

If it’s good enough for The Beatles, it’s good enough for us! On that note, this week’s Songwriting Club prompt is to write a song that uses a I – IV – V chord progression. If you’re unsure exactly what that means – in the key of C, this would consist of the chords C, F, and G. A reordering of these chords or minor versions of any of them are welcome as well!

As a refresher, Songwriting Club is a community for songwriters to get their creative juices flowing and give and receive constructive feedback (check out our first entry for more details).

Here’s my example:

      

Digging these sounds? Check out this Collection to get your hands on the samples that were used in the track. Although it’s not a requirement, if you used a sound you found on Splice Sounds, let us know! If you want to use Splice Sounds in your song but don’t have an account, get your first month free with the code songwriting.

If you’re feeling proud of your tune or you’re looking for some feedback, upload it to the Splice community, SoundCloud, YouTube, Bandcamp, etc., and toss the link in the comments below. Before you share, just make sure you’re following these guidelines:

  1. Make sure your track aligns with the prompt – it should be something that you’ve specifically written in response to this blog post.
  2. No promotional posts – no links to contests, social media pages, etc.
  3. Comment on at least one other person’s song before you go – even if it seems small to you, your praise or critique can make a transformative impact on someone else’s craft.
  4. Give a quick summary of your goals for your song – asking for feedback on specific aspects (ex. the lyrics, chord progression, etc.) is also recommended!

We can’t wait to hear what you come up with!

Check back in for your next prompt on August 2nd. We can’t wait to hear what you create!

July 19, 2019

Katie Smith Katie is an Artist Marketing Manager at Splice and a singer / songwriter under the moniker Lewis Lane.