Begin with Eb using an A shape and use an E shape for Bb and Ab. Here you need to use barre chords to bring the “fat” rock sound to it, omit the highest e-string. To get a rock sound you only need three barre chords: This progression is associated with classic rock: Let’s take another sequence, based on the same intervals:īm7 – E7 – Amaj7 Progressions for countryĪ typical progression is the I - IV- I - V: To really get the jazzy sound from your guitar you are advice to learn jazz chords. Let’s get a little more sophisticated with these next sequences. Try the same chord sequence without a seventh note, and you will lose the blues sound.Ī bonus chord progression comes here with some minor blues:Īlmost like the one before but still a completely different thing. As you can see, we are using so-called dominant chords here. Try to strum four times at each chord and give extra accent to the first and third beat. Chord progressions for bluesĪ common progression you can use to get a blues feeling is this: Passing chords are often played for a shorter duration and typically to make the last beat in a bar. G/F and C/B are here used as passing chords. Passing chords can also be chords with alternative bass notes that create smooth transitions: Passing chords can be chords that don't belong to the key, but can be used as in-between chords :īb7, F#7 and D#m7b5 are here used as passing chords. Notice that the shapes, which otherwise are identical, has their bass notes on different frets. In progressions with many chords in a row using the same bass note: Shifting between major and dominant is one way to create variation in the harmony.Ĭ – C7 – Fmaj7 – Dm7 – Gmaj7 – G Progressions including pedal points Progressions including major to dominant changes See inverted chords and slash chords for more diagrams. There are some common progressions for this, including that is called cadence:Īnother ending concept is to involve a chromatic chord movement:Īnother ending concept is to modulate the IV chord from major to minor:Īnother ending concept is the circle progression, based on descending fifth intervals:Ī7 - D7 - G7 - C Progressions including chords with altered bass noteĬhords with an alternate bass note can enrich chord progressions. When ending a song, the standard way is to return to the root of the key. G – Am – Bm – C – D Chord progressions as outro and it can tone color can be variated even further by including some substitutions:Ĭmaj9 - Em9 - Am11 - Fmaj7 - G13 - Cmaj7 Chord streamsĪ category of progressions that involve diatonic chords that follows the scale order: There are more extended chords besides the 7th and the use of different extended chords adds more 'color'. Progressions including 7th chordsħth chords can create some flavor to progressions.Īm7 – E7 – Dm7 - G7 Progressions including various extended chords Such as C - Cadd instead for C, Em7 instead for Em, Am - Asus2 instead for Am, Fmaj7 instead for F and G7 instead for G.Ĭlick here for more progressions with backing tracks. You can develop the progression by using substitutions and embellishments. Your browser does not support the audio element. The chord together with the music are C - Em - Am - F - G and by clicking play buttom ('Start music and chord progressions') you can see when to change between the chords. If you want, you can play along with the track below (80 bpm in 4/4 time). In longer progressions, there is often a need for mixing major and minor chords. Progressions with 4 chords (including minor chords) So far, only major chords have been involved – let’s add some minor chords. See the I - IV - V and I - IV - V7 progressions in all keys. They can be written in Roman numerals as I - IV - V, which represent this certain sequence of chord degrees that can be transposed to all keys. This are the form av the most common progressions that exist in guitar playing. Normally, in vamps, chords can be hold on to longer, for example, two bars each.Ĭommon progressions using only three chords: These progressions are not directly mind-boggling, but are included here for the sake of completeness and also to make you familiar with a term that you may encounter once in a while. Progressions using only two chords are sometime called vamps (a vamp can also be just a single chord played). See also Chord progressions in famous songs. It starts with fundamental and easy progressions that include few chords and continues with progressions with more chords (the first in most categories is presented by diagrams otherwise, the chord names can mostly be clicked on if you need to look them up). On this page you will be presented to typical chord progressions. It's easy in theory, but the delicate aspect is to find great, and perhaps original, combinations. Three, four, five chords or so following after each other forms a progression.

A chord progression is a sequence of chords.

Guitar chord progression generator