The 8 chords every beginner guitar player should learn first are: C – A – G – E – D – Am – Em – Dm. With these chords alone you can play an endless amount of songs. For example there are about a zillion songs that use this chord progression: G – D – Em – C (also called the I – V – vi – IV progression).

Common chord patterns are a series of chords that are used together much of the time in popular music. They’re not key specific and aren’t even really genre specific. Learning these common chord patterns (also called common chord progressions) does a few good things for your guitar playing.

No 5 means you don’t play the 5. G#no5 would mean that you play a G# chord — G# B# D# — but not the 5, which is the D# (count up the G# major scale: G# A# B# C# D#; D# is the 5).

Resolution in a chord progression comes out of tension. Without tension, or a feeling of being “away from home”, there is no resolution to be made. This tension can be heard as being unresolved. The most common is the relationship between the dominant (5) and tonic (1) of a major key progression.

First Level Chord Progression

1. Determine the key. Find the Key Signature. Find Cadences at end of phrases and sections. Look for ii-V-I’s, V-I’s, and ii-V’s (incomplete cadences that resolve to the I chord at the beginning of the next section)
2. Label all chords with Roman Numerals based on their relationship to the I chord.

The chord formula for a Major chord = 1 – 3 – 5 C major scale = C D E F G A B C Now take the 1st, 3rd and 5th note of the major scale. Playing these notes simultaneously will result in a major chord.

Chord theory is a small component of overall music theory, or how music is created. This approach considers how clusters of three or more notes are used to produce distinct sounds.

Music Theory/Chord Structures. A chord structure, also called a chord progression or harmonic progression, helps indicate where the melody should go.