The eight chords that outlived their century, and ours.
The Progression
Pachelbel's Canon in D is built over a ground bass — an eight-chord progression that repeats unchanged from the first bar to the last while the melodic voices weave their canon above it. In its diatonic form the loop steps I–V–vi–iii–IV–I–IV–V, a graceful descending arc that touches nearly every chord in the key and then rises through the subdominant and dominant back to the top. The bass line itself, falling by steps, is as recognizable as any melody.
The progression endures because it balances motion and stability. The descent through vi and iii lends a gentle, processional melancholy, while the closing IV–V restores forward drive and hands the loop cleanly back to the tonic. It is symmetrical enough to repeat indefinitely and rich enough that endless countermelodies can be draped over it — which is precisely what the canon does.
Structure
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Roman numerals | I – V – vi – iii – IV – I – IV – V |
| Example in C | C – G – Am – Em – F – C – F – G |
| Chords used | Major Triad (I, V, IV), Minor Triad (vi, iii) |
| Character | Stately, poignant, endlessly repeatable |
| Function | Descending ground bass looping to tonic |
In Practice
Beyond the Baroque original, the progression became a pop and rock staple — "Basketcase," "Graduation (Friends Forever)," "Don't Look Back in Anger," and a comedian's famous "Canon rock" medley all borrow its bones. Weddings adopted it wholesale. Its first four chords overlap the I-V-vi-IV family, and its stepwise elegance rewards study in pytheory.