Descending Major Tetrachord I-bVII-bVI-V
Piano sound loads on first tap. Resolved in the key of C — every chord links to its full analysis.
The major-key cousin of the Andalusian cadence: the same stepwise descending bass (this time from a major tonic) — I, bVII, bVI — landing on the dominant (V). It carries the same dramatic, borrowed-chord pull as its minor relative, heard in everything from flamenco to Queen.
What each degree does
Feels like home — complete rest, where the piece departs from and returns to. The major tonic, where everything settles.
The flat subtonic — a major chord borrowed from the minor/Mixolydian mode, a whole step below the tonic. It gives the classic rock turn and the 'backdoor' approach to I.
The flat sixth major — borrowed from the minor mode, a dramatic, epic colour. It falls over the key like a large shadow before the dominant.
Tension pulling home — the chord that 'wants to resolve' to I; it closes or opens sections. The dominant, the engine of the key.