Full ApproachChord progression · vi – ii – V7 – I
Full circle-of-fifths descent — vi to ii to V7 to I.
In C major
Why the Full Approach progression works
A chain of fifths. vi, ii, V7 and I each drop a fifth, so every chord sets up the next like a small dominant. The pull builds bar by bar and V7 to I finally lets go.
Songs built on it, each in its own key:
- Fly Me to the Moon
- I Will Survive
Heard in: DiscoGospelSwing and standardsBossa novaClassical
How to play Full Approach in C major
One voicing per chord, each the nearest to the chord before, so your hand stays in one spot. Open any chord in the chord library for every other way to play it.
Full Approach chords in all 12 keys
The same numerals in every key. Each chord opens in the chord library, and each key plays in the progression builder.
What scale to play over Full Approach
Over the whole progression in C major: C Major, C Major pentatonic. To follow every chord, switch to the scale the progression builder picks for it.
| Chord | Scale over it |
|---|---|
| vi · Am | A Natural minor |
| ii · Dm | D Dorian |
| V7 · G7 | G Mixolydian |
| I · C | C Major |
Full Approach questions
What are the chords of the Full Approach progression?
vi – ii – V7 – I. In C major that is Am, Dm, G7, C; in G major it is Em, Am, D7, G.
Which songs use the Full Approach progression?
Fly Me to the Moon and I Will Survive, each in its own key.
What scale do you play over the Full Approach progression?
C Major and C Major pentatonic fit the whole progression in C major. Chord by chord: A Natural minor over Am, D Dorian over Dm, G Mixolydian over G7, C Major over C.
How do you play the Full Approach progression in another key?
Keep the numerals and move every chord by the same distance. The table on this page spells it in all 12 keys, and each key opens in the progression builder.