i-VII-VI-V (Andalusian Cadence)
Why do certain songs give you chills? There are 4 chords behind that effect
i-bVII-bVI-V7 is the Andalusian cadence. The most dramatic chromatic descent in Western music. Stairway to Heaven, The Sound of Silence, classical flamenco — all use this tension map.
ibVIIbVIV7
Famous songs
Stairway to Heaven (intro) · The Sound of Silence (Simon & Garfunkel) · Sultans of Swing (Dire Straits) · Classic Flamenco
Did you know?
The bVII and bVI are borrowed from the Phrygian mode — the scale that defines the flamenco and Arabic sound. The V7 at the end creates maximum tension without resolving.