Chord Progressions: Let’s Learn Some Real Songs
Feb 14, 2009 Guitar Articles
Posted by
Paul Gian
Guitar chord progressions are the sequences of chords that create songs. Your chord progression defines the basic melody of your song. The order of chords in the progression can be used to create (and release) ‘tension’ by varying levels of dissonance.
Most guitar tabs will give you the named-note chords for a song. Serious, ‘theory focused’ books will usually describe chord progressions in terms of scale degree, and use Roman numerals in place of regular numbers.
For example, a chord progression of C-G-Am-F-C will be written as I-V-VI-!, which translates to 1-5-6-1 (the scale degrees of the root notes of each chord).
Artist: Metallica:
Song: Nothing Really Matters
Key: G Major
Chord Progression Verse: Em-D-C on first three lines of each verse, then G-B-Em on the last line (‘And nothing else matters…’)
Chord Progression Chorus: C-A-D-C/A-D-C/A-D-Em
Artist: U2
Song: Sunday Bloody Sunday
Key: D Major
Chord Progression Verse: Bm-D-G *note, this progression is picked rather than strummed, using just the top three notes of each chord, except on G, which is modified as follows: B-D-F#, A-D-F# – G-B-E.
Chord Progression Chorus: Bm-D-G with percussive strumming.
Artist: Nirvana
Song: Smells Like Teen Spirit
Key: E major
Chord Progression Verse: The bass moves the progression using the same notes as the intro/main riff/chorus, while the guitar plays the notes B and E.
Chord Progression Chorus: This is the main riff: E-G-A-C. Instead of strumming full chords,use two-note ‘power chords’ (intervals of fifths) in the open position: (E/A) -(G/D) – (A/E) – (C/G).
Artist: Bob Dylan
Song: Tangled Up In Blue
Key: A Major
Chord Progression Verse: Intro to verse begins with 2 measures of A-Asus4-Asus4. Main verse is simply A – G for 3 measures, then D on the 4thth: A-G/A-G/A-G/D.
Chord Progression Chorus: E-F#m-A-D-E-F#m-A-D-E-G-D-A
Artist: The Killers
Song: Smile Like You Mean It
Key: G Major
Chord Progression Verse: G-Am7-Em/G-Am7-Em/G-Am-Em/G-Am7-Em
Chord Progression Chorus: B-C-G-D
Where To Go From Here
Now that you’ve learned some of the elementary skills and necessary for playing guitar, you can easily dive into a more formal guitar training course with a good degree of confidence. You can teach yourself via online guitar lessons, or hire a teacher, or both. Let’s look at the benefits, as well as potential drawbacks, for each case.
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