11,000+ lessons, 1000+ song tutorials with tabs, works on all devices.
Our top online guitar lesson pick, Guitar Tricks, offers a 14-day free trial, and it's a great program. But if it's not for you, just cancel. You can also fall back on the 60-day money-back guarantee.
Guitar Tricks is one of our most trusted partners.
The bulk of existing chord progressions never really change. And despite hearing the same small collection of them over and over again, they always seem to sound - or at least feel - different to us. When positioned with different rhythms, harmonies and melody lines, chord progressions can be reused a lot.
This is a collection of chords and progressions from the popular music of our day (and of days gone by) that you can re-purpose for your own songwriting, riff developing and every-day guitar playing. The plan is simply this: Learn everything we can about chord progressions then use them for something else.
1. F, B♭ and C
Example: Brad Paisley’s “All I Wanted Was a Car” - Key of F
This catchy riff is broken up into an arpeggiated pattern on one of Brad Paisley’s Telecasters, which sounds amazing. However, the actual chord progression is simple and ripe for the pickin' in a slew of other country tunes.
F, B♭, C Chord Progression
Other Properties
- Key played in: F
- Chord form: Power and barre
- Critical chord extensions: None
- Most used in: Country, rock, pop, and metal
Example Tabs
Tabbed example of the F, B♭, C chord progression
Tabbed example of the F, B♭, C chord progression with higher intervals
2. C♯m, E, B and A
Example: Hillsong’s “Lord of Lords” - Key of E
Hearing a C♯m in the key of E is a common occurrence in the world of contemporary worship music. If you take out the C♯m you have a common progression used by all the great blues guitar players. However, the C♯m chord gives it a distinctly more versatile and emotional appeal.
C♯m, E, B and A chord progression
Other Properties
- Key played in: E
- Chord form: Power and open
- Critical chord extensions: None
- Most used in: Contemporary worship, blues, pop, and rock
Example Tabs
C♯m, E, B and A short form chords
C♯m, E, B and A power form chords
3. F♯m, B and C♯
Example: Joe Satriani’s “House Full of Bullets” - Key of F♯
If you listen to “House Full of Bullets” (one of my favorites by Joe Satriani) you can hear that he’s uses a repetitive pattern made up of single notes played on the sixth and fifth strings that isn’t a chord progression as much as it is a 12-bar blues style riff that follows the three chords listed. It’s a great blues progression since it allows you to use the low E and A to chunk up the rhythm.
F♯m, B and C♯ chord progression
Other Properties
- Key played in F♯
- Chord form: Single note and power
- Critical chord extensions: None
- Most used in Blues, rock, pop, and jazz
Example Tabs
Example tab from "House Full of Bullets" by Joe Satriani
4. E, A, and B
Example: Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” - Key of E
Speaking of the 12 bar blues, “Folsom Prison Blues” by Johnny Cash is one of the more memorable uses of the E, A and B chord progression, though the likes of Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters would probably take precedence. It’s one of the most common chord progressions for guitar players within the entire scope of western music, making its rounds in all the major genres and sub genres. In other words, it pays dividends to learn this one.
E, A, and B chord progression
Other Properties
- Key played in: E
- Chord form: Power and open
- Critical chord extensions: None
- Most used in: Blues, pop, rock, and jazz
Example Tabs
12 barre blues pattern using the E, A, and B chord progression
E, A, and B chord progression using power chords
E, A, and B chord progression using open chords
5. D, A, B and G
Example: Creed’s “My Sacrifice” - Key of D
This progression was extremely common in the American and Canadian rock scene during the late ’90s and early 2000s. Part of what makes it so accessible is how it plays in a drop D tuning, offering plenty of heavy and emotional chorus swells.
D, A, B and G chord progression
Other Properties
- Key played in: D
- Chord form: Power, open, and drop D
- Critical chord extensions: None
- Most used in: Hard rock, pop, metal, and post-grunge
Example Tabs
D, A, Bm, and G chord progression in open form
D, A, Bm, and G chord progression in power chord form
D, A, Bm, and G chord progression in power chord form and drop D tuning
6. E, B and G
Example: Live’s “I Alone” - Key of E (E♭)
Nothing says ’90s like a band who you couldn’t search for on Google once Google became the way to find music. Still, this chord progression came down just right on “I Alone” making for a powerful chorus and can easily be reapplied to other grooves.
E, B, and G chord progression
Other Properties
- Key played in: E or B
- Chord form: Power and open
- Critical chord extensions: None
- Most used in: Rock, post-grunge, pop, blues
Example Tabs
Open form tab of the E, B, and G chord progression
7. D, Am7 and G
Example: Hank Williams Jr.’s “Country Boy Can Survive” - Key of D
Though the Am7 gets a little drowned out and could pass as a raw A major chord, the folksy, down-on-the-bayou appeal of this progression can be re-purposed to a number of different styles and genres.
D, Am7, and G chord progression
Other Properties
- Key played in: D
- Chord form: Open
- Critical chord extensions: Minor 7th
- Most used in: Folk, country, blues, and rock
Example Tabs
Open form tab of the D, Am7, and G chord progression
8. C, G, F and Am
Example: Our Lady Peace “Innocent” - Key of C (capo 1)
Adding the Am to the end of this progression really boosts the emotional power of the song’s chorus. Additionally, guitarist Steve Mazur arpeggiates the chord and slows things down to give the song a more driving and contemplative feel. This chord progression is extremely common, though it finds a uniquely cozy home in the post-grunge era and most of its resulting sub genres.
C, G, F, and Am chord progression
Other Properties
- Key played in: C
- Chord form: Open and power
- Critical chord extensions: Am chord
- Most used in: Post-grunge, rock, country, folk, alternative, and pop
Example Tabs
Open form tab of the C, G, F, and Am
Power form tab of the C, G, F, and Am chord progression
9. G, C, D and Em
Example: Bruce Hornsby’s “Gonna Be Some Changes Made” - Key of G
Bruce Hornsby is masterful at taking simple chord progressions and layering them with expansive vocal melodies, which is perhaps a little easier to do on the piano than the guitar. The progression he uses here is one of the most common in existence, and presents numerous melodic and rhythmic possibilities. It’s a good one to memorize early in your playing career.
G, C, D, and Em chord progression
Other Properties
- Key played in: G
- Chord form: Open
- Critical chord extensions: None
- Most used in: Bluegrass, rock, pop, blues, and jazz
Example Tabs
Open form tab of the G, C, D, and Em chord progression
10. B, A G F♯
Example: Incubus’ “Warning” - Key of B
This chromatic walk-down sounds great with the added minor 15th interval (minor second one octave higher). Making it work in other contexts could prove challenging, so props to Mike Einziger for getting a great rock sound out of an otherwise jazz-heavy progression.
B, A, G and F# chord progression
Other Properties
- Key played in: B
- Chord form: Power and triadic
- Critical chord extensions: Minor 15th (minor second)
- Most used in: Jazz, blues, and rock
Example Tabs
Power form tab of the B, A, G and F# chord progression
11. D, A, C and G
Example: Smashing Pumpkins’ “Cherub Rock” - Key of G (chorus)
Billy Corgan wasn’t reinventing the wheel here, but he did push the “Cherub Rock” track into a kind of power-mode that felt like you were being swept into each chord and lyric line. Particularly in a power form, the progression he implemented is highly reusable.
D, A, C, and G chord progression
Other Properties
- Key played in: G
- Chord form: Power
- Critical chord extensions: None
- Most used in: Rock, blues, country, post-grunge, and pop
Example Tabs
Power form of the D, A, C and G chord progression
12. Dm, F and C
Example: Everlast’s “What It’s Like” - Key of F
Erik Francis Shrody’s most popular song is a bluesy arpeggio highlighted by a prominent Dm chord at the beginning of the progression. Note that the progression on the track resolves with a second Dm chord at the end.
Dm, F, and C chord progression
Other Properties
- Key played in: F
- Chord form: Open
- Critical chord extensions: Dm interval
- Most used in: Folks, blues, country, rock, alternative, and pop
Example Tabs
Open version of the Dm, F, and C chord progression
Arpeggiated version of the Dm, F, and C chord progression
13. D, C, B♭ and F
Example: Korn’s “Hater” - Key of D
Though James Shaffer and Brian Welch handle this song in a drop A tuning, the power and open variation are easily replicated in a standard tuning.
D, C, B♭ and F chord progression
Other Properties
- Key played in: D
- Chord form: Power and open
- Critical chord extensions: None
- Most used in: Metal, rock, folk, and pop
Example Tabs
Open form of the D, C, B♭ and F chord progression
Power form of the D, C, B♭ and F chord progression
14. D, A and G (drop D version)
Example: Creed’s “Higher” - Key of D
Nothing says late ’90s rock like Creed’s radio hit (and Human Clay spearhead) “Higher.” The song is played in drop D and uses what is possibly the most common chord progression for that tuning. Playing it in drop D is incredibly easy with the open D and the other two root notes on the seventh and fifth frets respectively.
D, A and G (drop D version) chord progression
Other Properties
- Key played in: D
- Chord form: Open and power
- Critical chord extensions: None
- Most used in: Folks, country, pop, rock, and metal
Example Tabs
Open form tab of the D, A, and G chord progression (open D)
Power form tab of the D, A, and G chord progression (open D)
15. A, D and E
Example: Elvis Presley’s “All Shook Up” - Key of A
Elvis’s hit makes good use of this progression, though it’s widely used in nearly all musical genres and is friendly to the guitar player’s hand in a standard tuning. There are plenty of open notes to work with here.
A, D and E chord progression
Other Properties
- Key played in: A
- Chord form: Open
- Critical chord extensions: None
- Most used in: Blues, rock, pop, jazz, and metal
Example Tabs
Open form of the A, D, and E chord progression
16. D, C and G
Example: Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” - Key of D
Saying this song is “overplayed” is an understatement.
But, considering its popularity, we’d be remiss not to mention it when citing the D, C and G chord progression.
This grouping of chords is thought by many to be the most dynamic and useful in existence, prompting many to insist that you can learn a lot of music on the guitar using D, C and G alone.
D, C, and G chord progression
Other Properties
- Key played in: D
- Chord form: Open
- Critical chord extensions: None
- Most used in: Country, blues, Christian contemporary, rock, and pop
Example Tabs
Open form tab of the D, C, and G chord progression
17. D, G, Bm and A
Example: U2’s “Where the Streets Have no Name” - Key of D
One of music’s most infamous riffs overshadows what is a brilliantly constructed chord progression. This pattern, played by a synthesizer on the Joshua Tree track, is soulful and can be easily restructured or reapplied to other melodies and rhythms.
Other Properties
- Key played in: D
- Chord form: Open
- Critical chord extensions: Minor 3rd (in the III chord)
- Most used in: Rock, folk, country, and pop
Example Tabs
Open form tab of the D, G, Bm and A chord progression
18. E, B, C♯m, G♯m and A
Example: Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Under the Bridge” - Key of E
I’ve always thought John Frusciante was one of the more overrated guitar players coming out of the post-grunge era, but the progression he employs in “Under the Bridge” (I’m not sure whether he actually wrote it or not) is nothing short of brilliant. Played slowly it sounds just as good.
E, B, C♯m, G♯m and A chord progression
Other Properties
- Key played in: E
- Chord form: Open or power
- Critical chord extensions: Two minor 3rds
- Most used in: Rock, jazz, blues
Example Tabs
Open form tab of the E, B, C♯m, G♯m and A chord progression
Power form tab of the E, B, C♯m, G♯m and A chord progression
19. D, F, G, C and G
Example: Audioslave’s “Gasoline” - Key of B
Tom Morello plays this progression in a drop B tuning, which means the chords come out differently. However, we’ve transposed it to drop D for an easier read and to make the chords more transferable to other situations. We’ll do a single note and power version (tabbed below), both in a drop D tuning.
D, F, G, C and G chord progression
Other Properties
- Key played in: D
- Chord form: Power
- Critical chord extensions: None
- Most used in: Rock, metal, post-grunge, alternative, pop
Example Tabs
Tab of the D, F, G, C and G power chord progression
20. D, A, G and Em
Example: Our Lady Peace’s “Somewhere Out There” - Key of D
OLPs first single coming off the Gravity album is still its most recognizable track. The forceful lyrical performance is propped up by this chord sequence which varies between the verse and chorus. The one we have listed here is the chorus progression.
D, A, G and Em chord progression diagram
Other Properties
- Key played in: D
- Chord form: Open
- Critical chord extensions: None
- Most used in: Pop, blues, rock, country, folk, and post-grunge
Example Tabs
D, A, G and Em chord progression in open form
21. Em, G, D, C and A
Example: Limp Bizkit’s “Behind Blue Eyes” - Key of Em
This acoustic-friendly progression finds its home in numerous genres and is easily usable in a seemingly infinite number of musical scenarios.
Em, G, D, C and A chord progression
Other Properties
- Key played in: Em
- Chord form: Open
- Critical chord extensions: None
- Most used in: Folk, pop, country, rock, and blues
Example Tabs
Open form of the Em, G, D, C, and A chord progression
Power form of the Em, G, D, C, and A chord progression
22. D, E♭ and F (drop D)
Example: Tool’s “The Grudge” - Key of D
This progression only really makes sense in drop D making it a fairly common metal grouping, especially given its dark and minor tonal quality. Adam Jones’ guitar work on “The Grudge” highlights this in a fast-paced rhythmic pattern.
D, E♭ and F (drop D) chord progression
Other Properties
- Key played in: D
- Chord form: Power and single note
- Critical chord extensions: None
- Most used in: Metal, rock, and alternative
Example Tabs
Tab for the D, E♭ and F chord progression in drop D and power form
23. Asus2, E, B and G
Example: A Perfect Circle’s “Three Libras” - Key of A
Billy Howerdel’s arpeggiated pattern in the opening of “Three Libras” is based on the aforementioned chord progression. If you’d like, you could replace the Asus2 with a simple A major chord.
Asus2, E, B and G chord progression diagrams
Other Properties
- Key played in: G
- Chord form: Open
- Critical chord extensions: None
- Most used in: Rock, metal, pop, and alternative
Example Tab
Asus2, E, B and G chord progression guitar tab
24. Am7, Dm7, G7 and Cm7
Example: Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon” - Key of C
While the real attraction of Frank Sinatra’s music was his voice, his band used a number of jazz and blues-heavy chord progressions that provided the foundation for his vocal melodies. This one has a lot of blues flavor in it, being entirely comprised of seventh chords.
Am7, Dm7, G7 and Cm7 chord progression diagram
Other Properties
- Key played in: C
- Chord form: Open
- Critical chord extensions: Major and Minor 7th
- Most used in: Jazz and blues
Example Tab
Guitar tab for the Am7, Dm7, G7 and Cm7 chord progression in open form
25. F♯m7, B7, E and A
Example: Don Mclean’s “Castles in the Air” - Key of E
Don Mclean breaks this progression down into a catchy and melodic arpeggio, which is worth learning in and of itself. That said, the raw progression is a useful pattern for a number of different styles and genres.
F♯m7, B7, E and A chord progression diagram
Other Properties
- Key played in: E
- Chord form: Open
- Critical chord extensions: Major and minor 7th
- Most used in: Jazz, blues, and pop
Example Tab
Guitar tab for the F♯m7, B7, E and A chord progression
26. G7, C, C9, Dm7 and C
Example: Frank Sinatra’s “Come Fly With Me” - Key of C
It’s difficult to discern on the actual track, largely due to the emphasis on horns and vocals, which is typical of jazz compositions. However, if you remove the raw chords, this progression has a fantastic feel to it and is great for blues or jazz improvisation.
G7, C, C9, Dm7 and C chord progression
Other Properties
- Key played in: C
- Chord form: Open
- Critical chord extensions: 9th and 7th intervals
- Most used in: Jazz and blues
Example Tab
Guitar tab for the G7, C, C9, Dm7 and C chord progression
27. F, Em, Am, G and Am
Example: R.E.M.’s “Losing my Religion” - Key of Am
There are a lot of chord changes in this song and plenty of progressions to pick from. But I’m highlighting the progression played during the last two lines since it has a full sound and resolves on an A minor chord, which is the actual key of the song.
F, Em, Am, G and Am chord progression diagram
Other Properties
- Key played in: Am
- Chord form: Open and power
- Critical chord extensions: None
- Most used in: Rock metal, alternative, and pop
Example Tab
Open form guitar tab for F, Em, Am, G and Am chord progression
Power form guitar tab for F, Em, Am, G and Am chord progression
Sad Guitar Chord Progressions
Some progressions just have that weight to them. You know it when you hear it — there's a pull downward, a kind of unresolved tension that sits in your chest. Minor chords are usually the culprit, but it's really about how they're sequenced.
Em, G, D, C and A (progression 21) is the go-to for this mood. It's the one Limp Bizkit used on their cover of "Behind Blue Eyes," and if you strip away everything else about that band and just play through those chords slowly on an acoustic, you'll hear exactly why it works. The Em at the start sets the tone and the progression never fully resolves — it just keeps cycling. That quality makes it extremely reusable.
D, A, B and G (progression 5) leans more toward emotional rock than outright sadness, but the drop D version hits hard in a way that feels heavy and reflective at the same time. Creed made a career out of that sound, which is either a point in its favor or not, depending on who you ask.
Dm, F and C (progression 12) is the quieter option here. It's bluesy and a little mournful — the Dm does most of the emotional lifting. Good for slower, more introspective playing where you want something that sounds like it has a story behind it.
Beautiful and Emotional Chord Progressions
"Beautiful" is a little harder to pin down than "sad," but you know it when you land on it. These progressions have a kind of lift to them — they feel big, or hopeful, or cinematic, depending on how you play them.
D, G, Bm and A (progression 17) is one of the better examples of this on the list. The Bm is what does it — that minor third hanging in an otherwise major-key progression gives it the emotional complexity that makes something feel beautiful rather than just happy. U2 built one of their most iconic songs around it.
E, B, C♯m, G♯m and A (progression 18) is a longer sequence, but don't let that scare you off. The "Under the Bridge" progression has this sweeping, almost cinematic quality that holds up even when you're just strumming through it on a couch. The C♯m is where the emotion lives. Pull that chord out and the whole thing flattens.
C♯m, E, B and A (progression 2) covers similar emotional ground with fewer moving parts. It's heavily used in contemporary worship music for a reason — it has that reaching, expansive quality that works in a large room. But it's not limited to that context. Slow it down, clean it up, and it works just as well for solo acoustic playing.
Rock Chord Progressions
These are the workhorses. Most of what you've heard on rock radio for the last 50 years is built on a pretty small set of progressions, and most of them are on this list.
E, A, and B (progression 4) is probably the most foundational of the group. Johnny Cash used it, Robert Johnson used it, and a thousand bands in between used it. It's a 12-bar blues derivative, but in a rock context it's blunt and direct in a way that makes it easy to build riffs around. If you haven't locked this one into muscle memory yet, do that first.
D, A, C and G (progression 11) is the one you hear in Smashing Pumpkins' "Cherub Rock" and a hundred other tracks from the same era. It has a forward momentum that makes it good for verse/chorus structures, and the C in the key of G gives it just enough tension to keep it from sounding too resolved.
G, C, D and Em (progression 9) is as flexible as it gets. Bruce Hornsby's version is piano-driven and jazzy, but the same four chords have been used in bluegrass, country, pop, and straight-ahead rock. If you're going to have one all-purpose rock progression in your back pocket, this is probably it.
Acoustic and Folk Chord Progressions
These aren't necessarily simple — some of them have more going on than they first appear. But they have that open, resonant quality that works best without distortion or effects in the way.
D, Am7 and G (progression 7) has a real down-home, roots feel to it. The Am7 is the detail that makes it interesting — it softens the transition and gives the whole thing a loose, easy-going character that fits anywhere from front porch to open mic.
D, C and G (progression 16) is almost aggressively simple, which is also why it's everywhere. "Sweet Home Alabama" is the obvious reference point. A lot of players think they've outgrown this progression and then come back to it years later and realize it still works. It's hard to make it sound bad.
D, A, G and Em (progression 20) stretches the format a bit — four chords instead of three — but it still has that acoustic-friendly, open-key feel. The Em at the end of the sequence is what gives it character. Without it, you'd have a standard three-chord country progression. With it, there's a little more movement and a little more room to breathe.
The Chord Progression Formula
What if you wanted to come up with more chord progressions? There is actually a theoretical formula for doing this, which you can tap into in the event you need some structure to get going. First, settle on a key, then find the major scale in that key. Let’s take the key of C for example.
Here’s your scale:
C - D - E - F - G - A - B
Chord progressions can be built from scales because each note in the scale is a scale degree. Thus, you could also write the major scale like this:
I - ii - iii - IV - V - vi - vii°
Each degree then holds the following titles respectively:
- Tonic (i)
- Supertonic (ii)
- Mediant (iii)
- Subdominant (IV)
- Dominant (V)
- Submediant (vi)
- Leading tone (vii°)
You can then use the following diagram to plan out your progression:
Chord progression formula diagram
It might look confusing, but let’s go through it step by step.
Creating your own chord progressions one step at a time
Here's how you'd follow the chord progression diagram:
- Start with your root note, in this case C which would be the tonic, thus I.
- From there you can go to any scale degree, so let’s try IV.
- From there we can go to either V or vii°. Let’s go with V.
Notice that the tonic could go to any chord which means you could have followed it with a different note than IV. If we had chosen iii instead, it would have then moved to vi and then had a choice between ii or IV.
You would continue to follow the diagram until it resolved back to the tonic chord. From our three steps above we end up with the following progression:
I - IV - V or Tonic - Subdominant - Dominant
Now, if we plug that back into the C major scale, we get the following chord progression: C - F - G
And this can be easily transposed to any scale. Take the E major scale for example: E - F♯ - G♯ - A - B - C♯
If you apply the progression I - IV - V you get the following: E - A - B.
This way you can start to see how we get some of these more common and oft-used chord progressions.
Dyads and Chord Progressions
Another easy way to continue building chord progressions is to do so with dyads, which are two-note chords that can be quickly and easily strung together. We’ll highlight two different types of dyads, which are distinguished by the interval of each chord.
- Major fifth
- Octave
If you aren’t familiar with the interval concept, it’s quite easy. An interval is simply the distance between two notes on the fretboard. In the case of a dyad (or any guitar chord) the distance you’re measuring from is the root note.
The distance between the root and the second note in the chord will determine what type of interval it is.
Major fifth dyad
A major fifth is the term used to designate one such interval, which is seven frets away from the root note. Here’s a tabbed example:
Major fifth dyad guitar tab
I’ve chosen to put my root note on the fourth string at the fifth fret, but you can start this root note on any fret on the sixth, fifth, fourth or second string and play the same shape. The note at the seventh fret is a perfect fifth and the only note that accompanies the root.
This is your first, basic dyadic chord.
Octave dyad
An octave dyad looks almost the same, except our interval is (predictably) one octave higher than the root, which means it’s the same note at a higher pitch, 12 semitones (frets) above the root.
Here’s the tabbed example.
Guitar tab of an octave dyad shape
D major dyadic shape
The major sound you get from the basic shape of a D chord is also a moveable dyad.
Guitar tab of a D major dyad
We omit the root D, assuming it as a ghost note. If we move the note at the third fret (D) up to the fifth (E) we have another usable dyad, since that E note is the fifth of the root A.
Guitar tab of a second D major dyad
Once we get a handle on basic dyadic shapes, we can use them to easily build chord progressions that are a little thicker and more involved than playing only root notes.
Triads in Chord Progressions
To build off of the dyads we just learned, we can apply the same principles and technique to triads, which are three note chords that formally include the following intervals:
- Root
- Third
- Fifth
Note: If you need some help with the concept of intervals, checkout our full guitar intervals lesson.
However, it's widely accepted that any three note chord that resolves to its key can be treated as a dyad. For the purpose of building and understanding chord progressions, that's how we'll view triads in this context. For example, if you take the D major dyad shape we just covered and add the root note, you get a fairly common triadic chord with a D root, fifth and octave D:
Triadic chord with a D root note
Commonly used major and minor triadic chords
We’ll focus on a few triads that are movable and that you’ll be able to use most frequently. I’ll give you most of these chords in the key of C, though keep in mind they can be moved to any fret.
In many cases, a triadic chord can be a stripped down version of a more commonly known open chord.
Take the open C major for example:
Open C major guitar chord tab
We have four notes here, but we can omit the highest one on the first fret (C) since we’re already getting a C from the root note on the third fret.
Now our triadic shape looks like the following diagram, and we can more easily move it to other frets.
Note: This is an instance where the formal definition of a triad, a root, third and fifth, is fulfilled.
Triadic C major chord shape
Thus, if we transpose the root of the chord to the fifth fret, we’d get the following shape:
D major triad chord
Try picking through each shape one after another.
Arpeggiated triadic chord progression (C to D)
Let’s look at a few more triadic chords.
The triadic power chord
One of the most frequently used chords would be a power chord made up of three notes. The first, is the root note, followed by a fifth and an octave of the original root note.
For example:
Triadic power chord diagram (root C)
This chord can be easily fretted, moved and can work with a root note on either the sixth or fifth string.
You can move the fifth if you want to give the chord a different tone. For example, instead of adding a perfect fifth, add a major third, which will fall on the seventh fret.
Using movement of both the root note and the interval, you can easily develop chord progressions made up entirely of triadic power chords.
The major barre chord triadic shape
If you start a barre chord with the root note on the fifth string, a typical major shape will look like this:
Typical C major barre chord shape
If we omit the root note and the high G on the first string, we get a nice triadic chord where the lower root C is assumed.
Triad where the root C is assumed
This chord can be easily barred with one finger. You can also move the notes on the second and third strings to come up with a few other useable triadic chords.
Here are a few options that don’t change the key:
Second triadic form in the key of C
Third triadic form in the key of C
Fourth triadic form in the key of C
The minor barre chord triadic shape
Making this chord minor is quite easy. Simply move the note at the fifth fret on the second string down one semitone to the fourth fret.
Triadic shape in the key of C minor
The D minor triadic chord shape
In a similar manner, we can use the D minor shape to find another useful triadic chord.
Triadic chord shape in the key of D minor
Often it’s the simple shapes and patterns that end up being the most useful when it comes to building chord progressions and layering bass lines. Practice these, memorize them and make them a part of your chord vocabulary.
The G, C and D Chord Progression
In this section, we'll focus specifically on the G C D chord progression which is one of the easiest and most widely used arrangements. However, when playing each chord in its most conventional form, all three of the pointer, middle and ring fingers would at one point be fretting the root note of a chord. That’s not easy, especially for someone just starting out.
But, why play each chord in its most conventional form? You certainly don’t have to play a formal G, C and D all the time. In fact, it behooves you not to.
Making the Progression Easier
When I first started learning these three chords, I learned the forms that were probably familiar to most people.
A conventional G, C, and D chord progression
These are what I would call the “formal” or “proper” versions of an open G, C and D major chord.
They aren’t terribly difficult, but when it comes to progressing from one to another, they aren’t the most functional shapes. I eventually learned new forms of each chord which made for easier transitions.
What I wanted to do was find a way to move my fingers as little as possible, which kind of sounds like cheating, but it smoothed out the transitions and really tightened up the progression.
This is how I’ve played it ever since.
How to seamlessly transition through G, C and D
We’re going to focus on the following three basic elements for the entire progression:
- The D note on the second string
- The root note of each chord
- Octaves and intervals
The D note that I’m referring to falls on the third fret and the second string.
We’re going to hold that note with our ring finger through the entire progression, without ever moving our hand from that one spot.
So, to prepare, put your ring finger in position to play that note.
Position note for the G, C, and D chord progression
Our second step is to add the root note of each chord, then rock back and forth between that root note and our D:
Adding the root notes for each chord
By now you can start to see the progression come together. We’ll add one more step before strumming through the entire thing.
For the G chord, we’ll use the open-note octave on the third string, which is an open G. For the C and D chords, we’ll use two intervals, a perfect fifth for the C and a perfect fourth for the D.
Here's how the arpeggio tabs out:
The resulting arpeggio for the G, C, and D chord progression
Let’s go ahead and strum straight through the chords, then we’ll discuss the practical beauty of this method (if you haven’t already picked up on it).
Modded chords for the G, C, D chord progression
In addition to the D note on the second string, you’re only fretting one other note for each chord.
That means you can use one finger to grab each root note. Thus your hand doesn’t have to move from that spot and you can switch through each chord with simple, brief movements.
Thus, changing between these chords becomes incredibly quick and easy. What’s even more important, is that it sounds better and cleaner than the formal version of the progression.
The power variation (standard and drop D versions)
The second step of locking down the G, C and D chord progression is learning the simplest power chord form. To do that, we’ll cover two versions of the progression that account for two different tunings: Standard and drop D.
Let’s begin with the standard variation.
For our power chord we only need two notes.
- Root note
- Perfect fifth interva
Since we’re playing power chords, our root note will be the G at the third fret on the sixth string.
Root G positioned at the third fret
Our fifth will be up on the fifth fret and string (a D in this case).
Adding the fifth interval to the root G note
You'll use this form for the C and D power chords as well. There are also two different ways to play the full progression in a standard tuning.
First, you can simply slide up to the root notes on the sixth string without moving your fingers off the frets.
Sliding power chords through the G, C, and D progression
The second method is to take advantage of the root notes on the fifth string, which show up right beneath our initial G chord on the sixth string. Here’s what the tab looks like:
Moving root notes up to the fifth string
You can either slide to each chord or switch strings for a closer chord change. They’re both fairly quick and are by far the two most typically-occurring power versions of this chord progression.
The drop D version is the same concept, though you only need one finger to play each chord.
Dropping the sixth string one whole step means your G will now fall on the fifth fret, moving the other two chords up two frets as well.
Playing the G, C, and D chord progression in the drop D tuning
The last chord is just the top three open strings since we’ve dropped the sixth string down to D, making the progression even easier to play.
Less fingers and less movement
There isn’t anything in this method that requires you to use more than two fingers at a time.
Some might view that as a bit cheap, but I think it’s better to anchor your progressions and lock them down with the easier methods before moving along to the more complex, even if they are considered more formal and proper.
The less fingers you use and the less you need to move when you change chords, the better off you’ll be.
Questions
There are a lot of chord progressions for guitar players worth noting.
If you think we missed some or if you have additional questions, let us know in the comments section below.
We'll see you there.
Additional Chord and EDU Resources
Related Articles
Written by Bobby on Lessons and Roundups
Written by Bobby on Lessons and Roundups
This is well written. Thanks
Thanks, John. Glad you found it helpful.
I am gladly waiting for the chord progression at the other frets e g. 3rd 4th 7th 8th 10th frets etc
Very good! However, I want your chords beyond the guitar NECK position but across EVERY PART OF THE FRET BOARD where chord is necessary. e.g. Neck, 3rd 5th 7th or 8th frets etc
Am, Dm, E7 is one of my favorites for improvisation.
🤘🏻
Great that you’ve put this together; however I found it quite confusing to deal with. The lack of fret numbers on the diagrams had me puzzling over chords for quite a while until I noticed the feint grey dots on the fretboard. It’s an unhelpful omission especially for a beginner. I’m also surprised by the lack of Roman numerals to denote chord progression. It’s the norm and makes it far easier to remember the progressions and move those progressions around. I was also at a complete loss as to the meaning of some of the split tablature .. heavy root notes… higher intervals… what? I can see that you go into more detail later on, but you open the article with this stuff and I just found it unfamiliar and confusing and skipped to the end. I’d say I have an intermediate knowledge of music theory so not a beginner. In all honesty I could just have easily have moved on elsewhere rather than down to the comments section as there’s a lot of material here and I quickly get the impression that it’s going to be a struggle. It’s not even clear what content is available. Again it gives the impression of being just a list of random chord progressions – hence why I skipped to the end. An opening table of contents would have been enlightening. When you skip/swipe through on a tablet, nothing is visible. It’s only because I scrolled back to check something I’d seen at the beginning that I became aware of the additional content. There’s clearly a lot here and I’ll take a further look, but I really think the progression of what you have presented needs some further thought.
Best regards,
Richard.
Thanks for the comment, Richard. The format of this article was changed which ended up removing the table of contents. I’ve put it back in to improve the user experience, though I agree that this article needs more attention.
Thanks so much! I quite impressed by what you’ve sent so far, I found every bit of it quite useful for me. However I’ve advanced beyond the NECK POSITION on the guitar, so I would like to move forward. So I will like to advance myself by going into the middle of the guitar (frets) to play chords. Thanks
like what i see
Hi,
Thanks for all the examples of chord progressions.
I have a question about the chord diagrams.
Example #1 is displaying from what I thought the third and the fifth of each chord in the corresponding dots but then I got confused starting at example #2 about the meaning of the symbol/digit inside the dots. What does the content of the dots represents?
Thank you
Hey, Jack – thanks for your question.
Those symbols represent intervals. R = root, 5 equals fifth, p5 =equals perfect fifth and so on.
Does this answer your question? Let me know.
thank you…. it was very helpfull and lot of fun playing different chord progression,
Thanks for the comment. Glad to know you found it useful.
Hi
Thanks so much for your site, it’s been a huge help in my learning. I saw this article sometime last year and it included a link to a PDF of the chord progressions that’s no longer here. Any chance that’s still available?
Hey Marco – glad you’ve found this helpful. Here’s the link to the PDF: https://www.guitarchalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/27-Chord-Progressions-Graphics.pdf
I came across this article in airports and sent myself the link, because it looks like great material for a guitar player at my level.
Now, at home, it looks like the images won’t load. I see the article, but the images are just empty. I recall tabs and chord diagrams.
I can send screen shots if needed. I’m on a macbook air, problem is the same with chrome or safari.
Hey Steve – thanks for letting me know.
I’ve actually been noticing this too. Over the last few days (and for the next few) we’re having some optimization done to the site (and switching hosts) so I’m fairly certain these symptoms are due to these changes and should resolve soon.
For me pictures go in and out, and I’ve contacted the company we’re working with just to confirm this is a temporary setback.
Keep an eye on our Twitter account for updates: twitter.com/guitarchalk