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Suggestions for chord progression practice, please


trader56

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As a number of you are, I'm sure, tired of hearing by now, I've come back to playing after decades away.

 

Can yuo suggest some 2, 3, or 4 chord progressions that I might practice to get the fingers moving again? In an earlier thread, someone mentioned Am to F, I think.

 

If they're chord progressions as part of songs, great - but if not, that's ok, too. I'm just looking for drills I can do in addition to practicing scales, etc. Open chords, barre chords, blues, jazz, yuo name it.

 

So if you've got a few easier ones, perhaps progressing to some more challenging ones, that would be pefect!

 

Thanks once again for any time and help - I'm just having WAY too much fun with this board, LOL!

 

Dave

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As a number of you are, I'm sure, tired of hearing by now, I've come back to playing after decades away.

 

Can yuo suggest some 2, 3, or 4 chord progressions that I might practice to get the fingers moving again? In an earlier thread, someone mentioned Am to F, I think.

 

Well, you COULD start on a barre chord (F# major, say) and then go from that one to each of the open chords (F#-C, F#-D, and so on). You could give yourself extra points for the sharp and flat chords (how the heck does one play C# as an open chord anyway?)

 

Just an idea.

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Thanks HT and Kramer!

 

Just got back from a friend's birthday party and finally heard If Six Was Nine and All along The Watchtower on their soundtrack - of course no one but the 57 Yr old hot babe I met regognised it...

 

Sorry, a bit too much partying tonight,

Dave

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I, IV, V. The root of all songs! i.e. D, G, A. just play those cords over and over and see how many songs you can sing. It's more than you think.
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Thanks HT and Kramer!

 

Just got back from a friend's birthday party and finally heard If Six Was Nine and All along The Watchtower on their soundtrack - of course no one but the 57 Yr old hot babe I met regognised it...

 

Sorry, a bit too much partying tonight,

Dave

 

If you want to analyze good chord progressions, you certainly can't go wrong with Jimi.

 

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I, IV, V. The root of all songs! i.e. D, G, A. just play those cords over and over and see how many songs you can sing. It's more than you think.

 

Good advice. Also try ii V I and I vi ii V progressions for the same reason (they get used all the time).

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Also try I vi ii V progressions

 

Yeah for a simple jazz prog check out Breezin' by George Benson which follows that...

 

 

Dmaj7///Bm7///Em7///A7

 

On the A7 you can also play two beats on A13 and two on A7#5

 

For an exercise try working out a few different voicings for each of the chords.

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Here's a fun one that crops up a lot in jazz fusion and soul (Bill Withers, Freddie Hubbard etc.)

 

Cmin7/// Bbmin7/Eb7/ Abmaj7/// Dmin7b5/G7#5/

 

Change the key if the fingering is hard, e.g.

 

Bmin7/// Amin7/D7/ Gmaj7/// C#min7b5/F#7#5/

 

 

 

Here's an easier one from a friend's tune

 

C7#9/// Ebmaj7(9)/// Dm7//// G7////

 

 

 

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Well, as ekoldr says, lots of tunes are I IV V. Probably the most famous I IV V progression is the twelve bar blues. Several variations. Can't go wrong with Stevie Ray Vaughan for good examples here.

 

Another oldie but goodie is I vi IV V. Play it 2 beats per chord with a bouncy rhythm and it should sound familiar. Also works slow-and-ballady with 4 beats per chord. (Hey look! It's the '50s! ;) ) This is a variation of the above: I (vi) IV V.

 

Impress your friends by learning The Romantics "What I Like About You" (primarily E A D A) and John Cougar "R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A." (same). Mix them up and make a medley. Hours of fun! Lots of 3-chord songs by The Romantics. Gotta love The Kinks, too, for 3 chorders.

 

The most famous Am to F I can think of is the rock out ending to "Stairway". They throw a G in the middle of that and there's those fun muted strums and the open E string to F thingie on the F chord. (Oh look! Since this is in the key of C that's a vi V IV. Shades of the above!) Aerosmith (and nearly everybody else in the world) uses the same progression; for Tyler and the boys it shows up on "Kings and Queens" starting on Fm (because Steve really loves belting out those high Fs).

 

Then of course there is the ii V7. 'Nuff said.

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There are books out on the subject. I recommend visiting music stores and seeing what you can find. It's true that there is a vast ocean of chordal possibilities and it's good to have a cupful or two for yourself! (Just to add color to your rhythm playing, if nothing else!)
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WARNING: I like minor keys, so get ready.

 

This one probably isn't as common for a lot of people (I dunno, maybe it is; it certainly is in more modern music), but I've always been a huge fan of: vi I IV V7 (I think Robert Cray uses that one in "Time Takes Two").

 

Another one I like (I'm sure its more of a jazz thing, but it's still cool) is: vi V IV V7.

 

A spin on that in a song I wrote: iv Vsus4 iii7 VIsus4 V7

 

A spin on I-IV-V: vi VI V(7) (the seventh is optional)

 

 

Shut up and play.
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