GUITAR
4 CHORD PROGRESSIONS YOU NEED TO KNOW | David Harsh
How do we put chords into progressions that sound good? What are some of the most essential popular 4-chord progressions out there, especially in worship music? How do we identify which progressions are in the worship songs we tend to favor? How do we compose or arrange songs with awesome chord progressions? If you want the answers to any of these questions, keep reading.
As a guitarist, songwriter, recording artist, worship leader, arranger and music listener, I’ m constantly exposed to chord progressions, and whether you know it or not, you are too. Today I’ m going to unpack 4 of the most popular 4-chord progressions, and show you how you can identify, play and use them in your own guitar and music artistry. I’ ll be speaking from the perspective of a guitarist, but really, if you play a different instrument, you could still totally get a ton of value from today’ s article. I do encourage you to watch the accompanying video, because it’ s there that you will be able to hear these progressions in action.
it – all 4 of the chord progressions I’ m going to show you today involve the same 4 chords in different sequences.
If you watch the accompanying video, towards the end, I will test your ear to see if you can recognize the progressions after I equip you with the knowledge and skills, I’ m about to share with you.
Here are the 5 main reasons you’ ll want to develop your ear and mind with these progressions.
First, let’ s say you want to learn a simple song( including a worship song) by ear. You’ ll need to be able to hear what the chords are, at least in relation to each other.
Second, what if you want to write or arrange a song and want it to sound fresh? It’ s important to use progressions that work well, and jamming on these progressions will get you making some creative sounds you can use in a song.
Third, what if you’ re listening to a song and you want to know why the chords work so well together? Understanding these progressions will help you recognize when they appear and why they are pleasing to your ears.
Fourth, what if you are playing a song and you want to transpose it to a new key? Your understanding of chord progressions will help you do this much more quickly.
Lastly, what if you want to memorize a song and you need a strategy to help you grab onto the song? Knowing the progression will keep you on track.
I’ ll be in G Major for this entire article. If you know the chords in G Major, you may also know their Nashville numbers. Just in case you don’ t, I’ ll provide them here.
These 4 progressions have been battle-tested across decades, styles and genres, and that’ s because they work. The best part is they consist of only 4 chords each, and – wait for
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