Famous Chord Progressions I-IV-V-I

Now that you've learned which chords you can draw from a major scale, I'm going to show you some songs that use that same major chord progression with a basic pattern; I-IV-V-I

The pattern is referring to scale degrees that you play sequence. Let's take a look at the C major chord progression and it's sale degrees,

1(I) = C major
2(ii) =D minor
3(iii)=E minor
4(IV)=F major
5(V)= G major
6(Vi)=A minor
7(vii) B diminished

Major= Indicated by a capital or uppercase roman numeral
Minor=Indicated by a lowercase roman numeral

If we apply the I-IV-V-I formula to the key of C major then we'd play

C major
F major
G major
C major

We can apply this pattern to any key and here are a few for example

Key of G= G C D G
Key of A= A D E A
Key of D= D G A D


Here are a few famous songs that use this I-IV-V-I  pattern

1. Surrender by Cheap Trick

2. Good Riddance(Time of your life) by Green Day

3. Blitzkrieg Bop By The Ramones

4. Sugar Sugar by the Archies

5. Message in a bottle by The Police

Go to your guitar and try this chord progression pattern in a couple keys. Now, GO FORTH AND ROCK!

Major Chord Progression

A chord may be built upon any note within a scale which means a seven note scale allows seven basic chords. Each degree of the scale becoming the root of its own chord in a chord progression. If we wanted to make a major chord progression then we'd used a simple pattern and apply if to any major scale; for the sake of simplicity I will start with C major. 

1. C= Tonic = Major chord
2. D= Super Tonic = Minor Chord
3. E= Mediant = Minor Chord
4. F= Sub-Dominant = Major chord
5. G= Dominant = Major chord
6. A= Sub-Mediant = Minor chord
7. B= Leading Tone = Diminished chord
8. C 

So the pattern for a major chord progression is:

1. Major
2. Minor
3. Minor
4. Major
5. Major
6. Minor
7. Diminished

You add these chord values to each scale degree starting from the root. You can apply this formula to every key there is. If you figure out the major scale in every key then you just have to remember the major chord progression formula and apply it to every key.

Here is an easy reference chart for the major chord progressions of the major scales of the natural tones.

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Below isn't necessary unless you want full understanding of how chords were chosen

If you're like me then you're probably asking, "how did they find that pattern?" Let's take the C Major scale so we could make this easy. Basically, the 1-3-5 formula used to make a major chord is used with every degree within C major while staying in C major...

C

D
E
F
G
A
B
C

The major scale in the key of C; to find the first chord we use the 1-3-5 pattern starting with C and repeat the process with entire scale to find each note we'll use. You should end up with something like this:

CEG= C Major
DFA= D Minor
EGB= E Minor
FAC= F Major
GBD= G Major
ACE= A Minor
BDF= B Diminished

Try applying this to different keys and enjoy!

Chord Construction

In my last post I introduced you to the major scale, along with leaving some patterns for others, so I could lead to chord construction. By now, I would hope that you at least tried writing up the major scale in a couple different keys. Its completely fine if you haven't yet but I'd advise to give it a try so you can confirm your understanding. 

Just like scales, chords come in many different shapes, sizes, and patterns. One of the most basic chord patterns is that of the major chord which is 1-3-5. What does the 1-3-5 mean? Those are just scale degrees(a scale degree is the name given to a particular note of a scale to specify its position relative to the tonic). Sometimes scale degrees are repeated in 2 octaves so we can add 9ths and 13ths among others.

The names of the Scale Degrees are:

1. Tonic
2. Supertonic
3. Mediant
4. Subdominant
5. Dominant
6. Submediant
7. Leading Tone

We already learned the scale degrees of the C major scale so let's apply this major chord pattern to the C Major scale.

1. C= Tonic(root)
2. D= Supertonic
3. E= Mediant
4. F= Subdominant
5. G= Dominant
6. A= Submediant
7. B= Leading Tone
8. C= Tonic( You repeat if you're going to add another octave)

If we apply the 1-3-5 pattern to the C mjor scale, we are given the notes C,E, and G. So now we'll look at the shape of a C major chord and dissect the notes the comprises the chord.

This is the C chord in it's open string position(there are many different places to play a C chord which would be playing the same tone at a higher or lower octave, depending on the position). As you probably noticed, the only notes within the C Major chord are the ones we've deduced by using the major chord pattern with it's relative scale(C major scale).

We can use this same chord pattern with it's relative scale in any key. Let's try finding a D major chord using the D major scale. The scale degrees of  D major are

1. D
2. E
3. F#
4. G
5. A
6. B
7. C#
8. D

Using the major chord patter of 1-3-5, we are left with the notes D, F#, and A. Here is the open string position for the D chord and as you can see, it only uses the notes we've just taken from the D major scale.

Here is a few of the most basic chords to learn in their open string positions. Practice each of these chords until they sound clean and transitions between the chords are fluent. The best way to practice is to play slowly and accurately. If the chords are sounding funny then play every individual string while holding the chord until you find what note you were hitting wrong and fix that note.

I hope this quick reference guide will help you along the way to finding new chords.

The Major Scale

A scale is a collection of notes, selected from the full set of notes in an octave. The choice of notes in the scale provides the structure on which a piece of music is built.

We have already been introduced to the Chromatic scale which is rarely used as the basis for a piece of music because it excludes no notes and provides no structure. The importance of the Chromatic scale is that it defines the full set of notes in music, from which all other scales are built.

A scale type is defined by the pattern of intervals between its notes. This gives each scale their unique sound.There are many different types of scales which we'll explore in detail later. We'll start by learning the most common scale in western music... The Major Scale!


There are seven notes in the major scale and seven intervals between them.The notes of the major scale make the famous do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do sound when played in sequence. The root note(first note in a scale which is also known as the Tonic) determines the key of the scale. This is the pattern used to make the major scale.


Major Scale: R, W, W, H, W, W, W, H

R= root note
H= Half step/semitone= 1 fret
W= Whole step/tone= 2 frets
1 1/2= 3 frets (some scales use 1 1/2 intervals)


Using the Chromatic scale we can extract every scale as long as we use the scale pattern. For the sake of simplicity, we will start with the C Major scale(C Ionian)

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


Since C is our root, we will count intervals according to the pattern starting from C. Our root is followed by a whole step so we count two on the chromatic scale from C. This gives us our first two notes of the scale which are C and D.

Next in the pattern is another whole step so now we count two after our last note. Now starting from D we add a whole step which leads us to E. We now have three notes in the scale which are C, D, and E.

We've reach our first half step, so instead of counting two we will just move over once in the scale. Directly following E is F which is our 4th note in the scale.

After F there is another whole step so we'll count two on the chromatic scale from F. We have five notes in the scale which are C, D, E, F, and G.

You repeat this process until you return to the root note. By the end you should end up with the notes C, D, E, F, G, A, B, and C to make up the entire C major scale(C Ionian).  I'd suggest trying this pattern with every root possible to get the major scale in every key(don't forget about accidentals!). Refer to the chromatic scale for an easier time.

Below is the tablature, Tabs, for the C Major



Key of C: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C


E-0-1-3-5-7-8-10-12-

B-0-1-3-5-6-8-10-12-

G-0-2-4-5-7-9-10-12-

D-0-2-3-5-7-9-10-12-

A-0-2-3-5-7-8-10-12-

E-0-1-3-5-7-8-10-12-


E-----------------------------0-1-3-

B-----------------------0-1-3-------

G-------------------0-2-------------

D-------------0-2-3-----------------

A-------0-2-3-----------------------

E-0-1-3-----------------------------


E----------------------------3-5-

B-----------------------3-5-6----

G-----------------2-4-5----------

D-----------2-3-5----------------

A-----2-3-5----------------------

E-3-5-----------------------------


E-----------------------------5-7-8-

B-----------------------5-6-8-------

G-----------------4-5-7-------------

D-------------5-7-------------------

A-------5-7-8-----------------------

E-5-7-8-----------------------------


E----------------------------------7-8-10-

B-----------------------------8-10--------

G----------------------7-9-10-------------

D---------------7-9-10--------------------

A--------7-8-10---------------------------

E-7-8-10----------------------------------


E-----------------------------------------10-12-13-

B--------------------------------10-12-13----------

G------------------------9-10-12-------------------

D----------------9-10-12---------------------------

A----------10-12-----------------------------------

E-10-12-13-----------------------------------------

Fretboard Diagram

This is a diagram of a guitar fretboard in standard tuning all the way to the 24th fret which means each string has 2 octaves on a fretboard of 24.

All the natural tones(notes without accidentals) are color coded to make it easier to find any note needed.

A=Red

B=Green

C=Blue

D=Orange

E=Yellow

F=Purple

G= green/yellow

Each tone with an accidental( Sharp or flat symbols) are all grey.

Notice how each grey tone has two different note names, that is because the two notes are one in the same. A half step higher than A is A sharp (A#) which is followed by B. A half step lower than B is B flat (Bb) which is followed by A. Both A# and Bb are the same note but you change which note you're using depending on if you're trying to make a higher toned A or a lowered tone B. 

The general rule for sharps(#) and flats(b) are that you use sharps when ascending and flats when descending. 

The Chromatic Scale

The chromatic scale is a musical scale with twelve pitches, each a semitone above or below another. On a modern piano or other equal-tempered instrument, all the semitones are the same size (100 cents). In other words, the notes of an equal-tempered chromatic scale are equally spaced.

All 12 notes of a chromatic scale makes up an octave(a tone on the eighth degree from a given tone.)
As you probably noticed, you add a sharp(#) when ascending in a scale and a flat(b) when descending.

To help you understand what an octave is just play an open string and then the 12th fret on the same  string. You'll hear the same tone but at a higher pitch.

Tuning your guitar

Now that you know that parts of the guitar, I believe it'd be a good time to learn to tune your guitar. When tuning your guitar, you're adjusting the pitch(highness or lowness of sound) of each string by turning the corresponding tuning keys. Tightening the String raises the pitch and loosening lowers the pitch.

I will refer to most concepts in the simplest form to understand so I'm going to teach you the standard tuning for guitars.


The 1st string is the thinnest string, or the E string.
The 2nd string is the string above the first, the B string.
The 3rd string is above the second, the G string.
The 4th string is above  third, the D string.
The 5th string is above the fourth, the A string.
The 6th string is the top string, also a E string.

1=E
2=B
3=G
4=D
5=A
6=E

A simple way to remember the strings starting from the 6th string down is (E)at (A)  (D)arn  (G)ood (B)reakfast (E)veryday. Eat a darn good breakfast everyday.


If you do not have a tuner available there are other ways to tune a guitar.
You can search the internet for videos playing the notes so you can tune by ear.
You can also try relative tuning if you think you can tune the 6th string to E accurately.
With relative tuning, you tune each string to the previous string.

If the 6th string is tuned to E then you can count frets until you reach A, which would be the pitch for the 5th string. You repeat this process with each string until all have been tuned.


There are many other tuning available and here are a few that you can try for yourself.

Minor Third- C, D#, F#, A, C, D#
Major Third- C, E, G#, C, E, G#

All Fourths- E, A, D, G, C, F
Aug Fourths- C, F#, C, F#, C, F#
Mandoguitar- C, G, D, A,  E, B
Minor Sixth- C, G#, E, C, G#, E
Major Sixth- C, A, F#, D#, C, A

Your guitar and it's components

The steel-string acoustic guitar is a modern form of guitar that descends from the classical guitar, but is strung with steel strings for a brighter, louder sound. It is often referred to simply as an acoustic guitar, though the nylon-strung classical guitar is also sometimes called an acoustic guitar.

The classical guitar (or Spanish Guitar) is the member of the guitar family used in classical music. It is an acoustical wooden guitar with six classical guitar strings, nylon strings, as opposed to the metal strings used in acoustic and electric guitars designed for popular music.

An electric guitar is a guitar with a built-in pickup or pickups that convert string vibrations into electrical signals for amplification.

Thank You

Welcome and thank you for visiting! I'm here to help guide you along your awesome path to guitar god/goddess. I'll try to cover the most rudimentary of techniques, intermediate, and eventually advanced techniques. I appreciate your interest in music and I hope I'll be able to shed some light on you.


"Sometimes you want to give up the guitar, you'll hate the guitar. But if you stick with it, you're gonna be rewarded."- Jimi Hendrix