How To Play Chord Progressions

Chord progressions make up a huge part of what we play as guitarists!

There are a large variety of chords and different ways to play those chords that dictate a particular style.

Major, minor, 7th’s, 9th’s, altered chords, you name it – these chords give the melodies we hear their signature sound and mood.

Melodies can sound totally different given a different harmony or chord structure.

Below is a nice variety of chords that I thought you’d like that are used in contrasting styles.

It’s good to have an understanding of what kinds of chords and voicings of those chords work for a particular style.

This makes you much more valuable as a guitarist and makes everything you play more fun because you will have the appropriate sound at your fingertips.

Some of these chords you’ll already know and some will be new. The chords you’re already familiar with might use a different technique for a particular style.

Have fun with these progressions as I’ve organized them into musical styles that will give you a nice understanding as to how they’re used in context.

Folk

Example 1

     C         Am        Fmaj7       G

E |--0----------0----------0---------3---|
B |--1----------1----------1---------0---|
G |--0----------2----------2---------0---|
D |--2----------2----------3---------0---|
A |--3----------0--------------------2---|
E |----------------------------------3---|

Example 2

     D     Cadd9       G        D     Cadd9        Em

E |--2--------------------------2-------------------0---|
B |--3-------3---------3--------3--------3----------0---|
G |--2-------0---------0--------2--------0----------0---|
D |--0-------2---------0--------0--------2----------2---|
A |----------3---------2-----------------3----------2---|
E |--------------------3----------------------------0---|

Rock

Example 3

    Am          G          F          G

E |--5----------3----------1----------3---|
B |--5----------3----------1----------3---|
G |--5----------4----------2----------4---|
D |--7----------5----------3----------5---|
A |--7----------5----------3----------5---|
E |--5----------3----------1----------3---|

Example 4

    Cm          F        Bb         Eb

E |--8--------------------6-------------|
B |--8---------10---------6---------8---|
G |--8---------10---------7---------8---|
D |--10--------10---------8---------8---|
A |--10--------8----------8---------6---|
E |--8--------------------6-------------|

Blues

Example 5

    E7      A7       E7       A7      E7       B7        A7      E7        B7

E |------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B |5-------5--------5--------5--------5--------7--------5--------5--------7|
G |7-------6--------7--------6--------7--------8--------6--------7--------8|
D |6-------5--------6--------5--------6--------7--------5--------6--------7|
A |7----------------7-----------------7--------------------------7---------|
E |---------5----------------5-----------------7--------5-----------------7|

Example 6

   Am7     Dm7    Am7      A7     Dm7     Am7    Fmaj7    Em7      Am7    E7#9

E |5-------5------5-------5-------5-------5----------------7--------5-------|
B |5-------6------5-------5-------6-------5-------10-------8--------5------8|
G |5-------5------5-------6-------5-------5-------9--------7--------5------7|
D |5-------7------5-------5-------7-------5-------10-------9--------5------6|
A |7-------5------7-------7-------5-------7-------8--------7--------7------7|
E |5--------------5-------5---------------5-------------------------5-------|

Jazz

Example 7

    Cm7    F7#9     F7b9     Bbmaj7     Bdim7

E |------------------------------------------|
B |--8-------9--------7--------6----------6--|
G |--8-------8--------8--------7----------7--|
D |--8-------7--------7--------7----------6--|
A |----------8--------8----------------------|
E |--8-------------------------6----------7—-|

Example 8

   Fm9     Bb13    Ebadd9   Abmaj7     Dm7b5    G7#5     Cm9     C7#5

E |----------------------------------------------------------------|
B |8-------8--------8-------4-----------6---------4------3--------7|
G |8-------7--------10------5-----------5---------4------3--------7|
D |6-------6--------8-------5-----------6---------3------1--------8|
A |8----------------6-------------------5----------------3---------|
E |--------6----------------4---------------------3---------------8|

Want To Learn More …

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