6.4 · The vi, ii, and iii Chords

The doo-wop loop

Doo-wop is the pop loop's four chords in a new order: I, vi, IV, V. It ends on V, so every pass leans straight back into the next.

The pop loop, reordered

Same four chords. vi moves to second and V to last.

C
Am
F
G

I–vi–IV–V: Stand By Me, Every Breath You Take, and a thousand slow dances.

C
G
Am
F

I–V–vi–IV, for comparison. It ends on IV, away from home; doo-wop ends on V, the strongest pull.

Game · Which loop?

1 / 5

One pass of a four-chord loop. Which one is it?

Listen first. Then answer.

Quiz

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Doo-wop (I–vi–IV–V) differs from the pop loop by…

Score 100% on every quiz and game to complete this lesson.ii stands in for IV →