vi roman degree
The relative minor — the tonic's reflective shadow. It often replaces I in a deceptive cadence, where you expected home and its sad side arrives instead.
Where it lives
9semitones from the tonic
Major mode
minor triad
Hear it in context: Pop Axis Progression
Piano sound loads on first tap. Resolved in the key of C — every chord links to its full analysis.
Progressions that use it
Pop Axis Progression'50s Doo-Wop ProgressionI-IV-vi-VI-iii-vi-IVMinor-Start Authentic CadenceIV-I-V-viI-IV-vi-IVii–V–I Jazz TurnaroundRhythm Changes TurnaroundExtended ii–V–I TurnaroundI-V-vi-iiivi-IV-I-VI-vi-IV-iiI-V+-vi-IVSecondary Dominant (V of vi)The Borrowed iv (Modal Mixture)Relative-Minor Secondary Dominant (V of V)Tonicized-vi TurnaroundExtended ii–V–I (with vi)Tritone Substitution TurnaroundI-I+-IV-viI-III+-vi-Vii-#iio-iii-viI-III-vi-IV