Common chord progressions

mike_l

From Drew's suggestion, please everyone feel free to expand the list, and please give examples for reference.

Common chord progression

I-IV-V      (1-4-5)

pretty much the standard blues progression

mVI - V - IV  (m6 - 5 -4) Common "rock" progression (Stairway in Am), about 98% of Iron Maiden songs... Keep on Rockin in the free world too

Circle of fifths, EG Hey Joe (C-G-D-A-E) Each 2 chord phrase is the 1-5. The 5 becomes the new 1, and repeat. C-G = fifth, G-D = Fifth etc. The odd one out is the E-C, but use the E as a turn-round and alls good with the world

snakemanStoo

I - VIm - IV - V (1 - 6m - 4 - 5 )  is a popular progression 

Stand by me being the first one I can think of with it, sure I've come across it a lot more.

A - F#m - D - E

streethawk

Never understood what the hell numbers have to do with chords. 

Pls god explain, I'm 40 yrs old for christ's sake!

ChristophEar

@streethawk: It's just the scale number they correspond to.

If you're in the key of C, the scale notes are:

C, D, E, F, G, A, B

if you number them you get:

C=1, D=2, E=3, F=4, G=5, A=6, B=7

So a "1, 4, 5" progression in C is chords C, F and G

And a 1 - 6m - 4 - 5 like @snakemanStoo mentions would be C, Am, F, G.

If you wanted to play those same two progressions in the key of A, you'd number the scale:

A=1, B=2, C#=3, D=4, E=5, F#=6, G#=7

and get the progressions:

"1, 4, 5" = A, D, E

"1, 6m, 4, 5" = A, F#m, D, E

Does that help at all?

snakemanStoo

The numbers relate to where the root note of the chord is in relation to the scale, without pinning your chords down to any particular scale. Boring explanation I know.

So, in C it goes:

I  -  II - III - IV - V - VI - VII

C - D - E - F - G -  A  - B

So the blues progression I - IV - V becomes C - F - G. 

If you want to do your blues progression in E you'd go : 

E - F# - G# - A - B - C# - D# 

Bringing you E - A - B

Edit, beaten to it.

streethawk

It does, ta.

Although I feared as much!

Need to get on those music theory links from the other thread - so, so lazy. 

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mike_l

streethawk said:

It does, ta.

Although I feared as much!

Need to get on those music theory links from the other thread - so, so lazy. 

">

Feel free to ask me for help if you need.

I'm hoping the theory stuff I put up is clearly written

monquixote

I wrote a thing on four chord progressions on @ChristophEar site: http://www.easyeartraining.com/2011/01/26/four-chords-and-the-truth/

It's written with a beginner in mind.