Today, you will become a better guitarist and song writer. How? Simple: you’re going to learn the basics of what makes songs sound great: chord progressions
All the best songwriters KNOW what chords go together and in what order. Sure, they have other things going for them too, things like natural talent and good looks, but all good – and most importantly, successful – musicians know their chord progressions.
Whether you’re talking about The Beatles, Metallica, or Interpol. Anyone who has ever made a house-hold name of themselves with a guitar knows their chord progressions forwards and backwards.
So let’s get you up to speed with some of the basics surrounding chord progressions.
What Are Chord Progressions?
Imagine you’re telling a story with music. Each chord is like a word, and a chord progression is like a sentence.
A chord is when you play multiple strings on the guitar at once, creating a rich, full sound.
A progression is simply the order in which you play these chords.
The Basics…
How Chord Progressions Work:
- You start with one chord (let’s say it’s C).
- Then you move to another chord (maybe G).
- Then another (perhaps F), and so on.
- This sequence of chords creates a musical journey.
Why Use Progressions?
- They create a sense of movement in music.
- They can evoke different emotions (happy, sad, excited).
- They provide a foundation for melodies and solos.
How to Play:
- Learn the individual chords first.
- Practice switching between them smoothly.
- Start slowly, then speed up as you get comfortable.
Getting Started…
Knowing Which Chords Go Together
Use the Major Scale
Most popular music is based on the major scale. Each note in this scale can be the root of a chord.
The I-IV-V Rule
The 1st (I), 4th (IV), and 5th (V) chords of any major scale always sound good together.
For example, in the key of C, these would be C (I), F (IV), and G (V).
The vi-ii-iii Addition
- The 6th (vi), 2nd (ii), and 3rd (iii) chords also work well.
- In C, these would be Am (vi), Dm (ii), and Em (iii).
Common Patterns
- I-V-vi-IV (C-G-Am-F in the key of C)
- ii-V-I (Dm-G-C in C)
- I-vi-IV-V (C-Am-F-G in C)
Consider the Mood
- Major chords (like C, G, F) often sound happy or uplifting.
- Minor chords (like Am, Dm, Em) often sound sad or contemplative.
Use Your Ear: As you play more, you’ll develop an intuition for what sounds good together.
Experiment: Try different combinations. Sometimes unexpected pairings can sound interesting.
Learn from Songs: Analyze the chord progressions in songs you like. This can give you ideas for your own music.
The Circle of Fifths: This is a visual tool that shows relationships between keys. Chords next to each other on the circle often sound good together.
Example Progression
In the progression C – G – Am – F:
- You’d strum a C chord
- Then switch to G
- Move to Am
- Finish with F
- Then usually repeat this pattern
Remember, it’s like learning a new language. Start with simple “sentences” (easy progressions), and as you get better, you can create more complex musical stories.
These are guidelines, not strict rules.
Music is creative, so feel free to experiment and find what sounds good to you! The key is practice and having fun with it!
Guitar Chord Progressions For Beginners
You now know what a chord progression is, in its most basic form, but in order to start actually putting two and two together, it’s best to do some practical work.
Grab you guitar. Sit down. Below, you’ll find a selection of chord progressions for a variety of different genres of music from pop to jazz, to sad and happy to things like funk and, well… I couldn’t resist, Bossa nova.
| Progression Type | Chord Progression |
|---|---|
| Minor Chord Progressions | Am – G – F – Am |
| Em – D – C – Em | |
| Cm – Ab – Bb – Cm | |
| Dm – C – Bb – A | |
| Fm – Eb – Db – C | |
| Gm – F – Eb – D | |
| Bm – A – G – F#m | |
| Am – F – C – G | |
| Basic Chord Progressions | G – D – Em – C |
| A – E – F#m – D | |
| C – G – Am – F | |
| D – A – Bm – G | |
| E – B – C#m – A | |
| F – C – Dm – Bb | |
| B – F# – G#m – E | |
| G – Cadd9 – D – G | |
| Common Chord Progressions | C – F – G – C |
| Dm – G – C | |
| C – G – Am – F | |
| C – Am – F – G | |
| Am – F – C – G | |
| C – F – Dm – G | |
| C – Em – F – G | |
| F – C – F – G | |
| Sad Chord Progressions | Am – F – C – G |
| Dm – Bb – A – Dm | |
| Em – C – G – D | |
| Cm – G – Bb – Ab | |
| Fm – C – Db – Bbm | |
| Gm – Eb – F – Gm | |
| Bm – G – D – A | |
| Am – Dm – E – Am | |
| Pop Chord Progressions | C – G – Am – F |
| D – A – Bm – G | |
| E – B – C#m – A | |
| F – C – Dm – Bb | |
| G – D – Em – C | |
| A – E – F#m – D | |
| B – F# – G#m – E | |
| C – F – G – Am | |
| Cool Chord Progressions | Cmaj7 – Amin7 – Dmin7 – G7 |
| Em9 – A7 – Dmaj7 – G#dim | |
| F#m7 – B7 – E9 – Aadd9 | |
| G13 – C9 – F#7b5 – Bm7 | |
| Am11 – D7#9 – Gmaj7 – C#m7b5 | |
| Bb9 – Ebmaj7 – Ab13 – Dm7 | |
| C#m9 – F#11 – B7 – Eaug | |
| D9 – Gm6 – A7 – Dmaj7 | |
| Dark Chord Progressions | Cm – G – Cm – G |
| Dm – A – Dm – A | |
| Em – B – Em – B | |
| F#m – C# – F#m – C# | |
| Gm – D – Gm – D | |
| Am – E – Am – E | |
| Bm – F# – Bm – F# | |
| C#m – G# – C#m – G# | |
| RnB Chord Progressions | Cmaj7 – Amin7 – Fmaj7 – G7 |
| Dmin9 – G13 – Cmaj9 – F#dim7 | |
| Emaj7 – C#min7 – G#min7 – F#9 | |
| Fmin9 – Bb13 – Ebmaj7 – Ab9 | |
| Gmin7 – C9 – Fmaj7 – D7 | |
| Amaj7 – F#min9 – B7 – E9 | |
| Bmin7 – E9 – Amin7 – D7 | |
| C#min9 – F#13 – Bmaj7 – G#7 | |
| Jazz Chord Progressions (Guitar) | Am7 – D7 – Gmaj7 – Cmaj7 |
| Bm7 – E7 – Amaj7 – Dmaj7 | |
| Cm7 – F7 – BbMaj7 – EbMaj7 | |
| Dm7 – G7 – CMaj7 – FMaj7 | |
| Em7 – A7 – DMaj7 – GMaj7 | |
| F#m7 – B7 – EMaj7 – AMaj7 | |
| Gm7 – C7 – FMaj7 – BbMaj7 | |
| Am7 – Dm7 – G7 – Cmaj7 | |
| Bossa Nova Chord Progressions | Am7 – D9 – Gmaj7 – C#7b5 |
| Bm7 – E9 – Amaj7 – D#7b5 | |
| Cm7 – F9 – Bbmaj7 – E7b5 | |
| Dm7 – G9 – Cmaj7 – F#7b5 | |
| Em7 – A9 – Dmaj7 – G7b5 | |
| F#m7 – B9 – Emaj7 – A7b5 | |
| Gm7 – C9 – Fmaj7 – B7b5 | |
| Am7 – D9 – Gmaj7 – C7b5 | |
| Funk Chord Progressions | E9 – A7 – D9 – G7 |
| F9 – Bb7 – C9 – Eb7 | |
| G9 – C7 – F9 – Bb7 | |
| A9 – D7 – G9 – C7 | |
| B9 – E7 – A9 – D7 | |
| C9 – F7 – Bb9 – Eb7 | |
| D9 – G7 – C9 – F7 | |
| E9 – A7 – D9 – G7 | |
| Happy Chord Progressions | C – G – A – F |
| D – A – G – Bm | |
| E – B – A – C#m | |
| F – C – G – Am | |
| G – D – C – Em | |
| A – E – D – F#m | |
| B – F# – E – G#m | |
| C – F – G – C |
10 Examples of EPIC Guitar Chord Progressions
Here’s 10 iconic, well known songs that use memorable yet simple chord progressions. As you can see below, literally none of them are particularly fancy.
They’re just nice sounding chords, stacked together in a meaningful order.
- “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin – Am – Cmaj7/G – C – D – F – Am – Am/G – Am/F# – Am/F – Am
- “Hotel California” by Eagles – Bm – F# – A – E – G – D – Em – F#
- “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd – G – Em – G – Em – C – D – Am
- “Blackbird” by The Beatles – G – A – D – G – C – F – Em – D
- “Sweet Child o’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses – D – C – G – D
- “Under the Bridge” by Red Hot Chili Peppers – D – F# – A – E
- “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana – F – Bb – Ab – Db
- “Purple Haze” by Jimi Hendrix – E7#9 – G – A
- “Wonderwall” by Oasis – Em7 – G – Dsus4 – A7sus4
- “Back in Black” by AC/DC – E – D – A – E – D – A – B – A
So, here’s some homework. For the next couple of weeks, rather than trying to play faster and faster or learn a face-melting solo, instead focus your creative energies on experimenting with chord progressions.
Personally, I like to work in Ableton with a MIDI keyboard to do this. I mess around with different notes and chords and progressions until I find something that sounds good, and then I’ll sit down with my guitar and transpose it.
🎸 Master Guitar Music Theory ⤵️
Think music theory is boring and dull? Think you don’t need it? Well, think again – learning even just a little theory will 10x your playing in a matter of weeks.
If you liked what you read above, check out these posts.
They’re all written with the beginner in mind. No jargon, no nonsense. Just the basics, explained in a way anyone can understand.
- 10 Beautiful Chord Progressions For Guitar – No Theory Required!
- Memorizing Guitar Scales 101: Awesome Tools For Beginner Guitarists
- The 5 Most Commonly Used Chord Progressions In Rock
- Intervals For Beginners: The #1 Way To Unlock The ENTIRE Fretboard!
- Minor Scale & 6th Mode Explained: Guitar Theory For Beginners
- Beginner Music Theory For Guitarists: The #1 Way To Level Up Your Playing!
