In this lesson
A chord progression is a sequence of chords. These six exercises use open shapes and give each chord a stated place in the beat. Choose one sequence whose shapes you can form comfortably. Their order below is a list of options, not a difficulty ranking.
To understand how chords relate to a key, read chords in a major key and Roman numerals. Its G major examples label G, C, D and Em as I, IV, V and vi, so you can compare chord orders and move a progression to another key.
To use familiar shapes in another key, try the capo progression exercise. It gives both the shapes to play and the sounding chord names for another musician.
Chord shapes for these exercises
Use standard tuning: E A D G B E, from the lowest-pitched string to the highest. Read each row in that order. A number is the fret to press on that string, 0 means play it open, and x means leave it out. String 6 is low E; string 1 is high E.
| Chord | Low E, A, D, G, B, high E | Strings to strum |
|---|---|---|
| E minor (Em) | 0 2 2 0 0 0 |
All six |
| G major (G) | 3 2 0 0 0 3 |
All six |
| D major (D) | x x 0 2 3 2 |
D (4) through high E (1) |
| C major (C) | x 3 2 0 1 0 |
A (5) through high E (1) |
| A minor (Am) | x 0 2 2 1 0 |
A (5) through high E (1) |
The first-chord lesson gives suggested fingers for these positions. Check each chord’s intended strings separately before using the count below. Use enough pressure to sound them clearly; if a note buzzes or is muted, check its placement and accidental contact from another finger before pressing harder.
Use one four-beat bar per chord
All six exercises below are in 4/4, with four quarter-note beats per bar. Count 1 2 3 4 evenly for each bar. Play the next chord on 1 after the previous bar’s 4, without adding another beat for the change.
Begin with one downstrum on beat 1 and let the chord ring while you count 2, 3 and 4. Once you can follow the changes, try one downstrum on every number instead. The chord still lasts a whole bar: four strikes do not mean four different chords.
If you use the online metronome, select four beats per bar and let each click represent one numbered beat. Try 60 BPM as an example, then adjust if the count feels rushed or hard to follow. Count one full bar before starting.
Six progressions to try
Each chord name in the table takes one full bar. After the last chord, return to the first on the next beat 1. These are written practice loops; they do not establish a particular song’s rhythm or chord-change timing.
| Exercise | Chord order | Bars in one loop |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Em → G | 2 |
| 2 | G → D | 2 |
| 3 | C → G | 2 |
| 4 | G → C → D | 3 |
| 5 | Am → C → G → D | 4 |
| 6 | Em → C → G → D | 4 |
For exercise 1, for example, play Em throughout 1 2 3 4, then G throughout the next 1 2 3 4. Return to Em on the following 1. Exercise 4 is deliberately a three-bar loop: G for one bar, C for one bar, D for one bar, then back to G. The number of bars in a loop is separate from the four beats in each bar.
To keep your place through a longer form, try the twelve-bar blues in E. Its E7, A7 and B7 chart names every bar and separates the final stop from the return to bar 1.
With G to D, practise changing the range of your strum as well as the shape: G uses all six strings here, while D starts from string 4. For Am to C with the suggested first-chord fingerings, the index finger can stay on the B string at fret 1 and the middle finger on the D string at fret 2, while the ring finger moves from the G string at fret 2 to the A string at fret 3. Keep those fingers in place only if the movement stays comfortable.
When a change interrupts the count
Stop and isolate the two shapes. Form each one slowly, check its intended strings, and then move back. A pause is useful while you learn that movement. When you return to the timed exercise, reduce the tempo, use one strike per bar or give each chord two full bars while keeping the beat steady.
Getting the hang of new chords explains the note checks. The smooth chord-change lesson offers a longer two-chord drill. Take breaks and stop if playing hurts; seek qualified healthcare advice if pain or other symptoms persist or keep returning.
Optional variation: change every two beats
This is a separate two-bar exercise using G, C, D and C. Strum down once on every numbered beat and use the chord shown in its column:
| Bar | Beat 1 | Beat 2 | Beat 3 | Beat 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G | G | C | C |
| 2 | D | D | C | C |
Each chord lasts two beats. After bar 2, return to G on beat 1 of bar 1 and repeat. This gives you eight quarter-note beats in each two-bar cycle, with a new chord on beats 1 and 3 of each bar. Return to whole-bar changes if these arrive too quickly.
Add a strumming pattern without changing the chord lengths
To practise a progression whose bass moves between chord tones, try C, G/B, Am and C/G in the slash-chord lesson. It states the lowest note and exact strings for each shape, with a separate four-bar score.
Choose one pattern from beginner strumming patterns and use it with the whole-bar progressions first. Follow its number-and-“and” count, while changing chords only at the bar boundaries stated here. You can also experiment with quieter and louder strikes while keeping the same beat spacing.
When you take a progression into a song, use that song’s instructions for chord lengths, beat grouping and rhythm. A list of chord names alone does not supply those details. The beginner practice routine gives you a way to fit a short progression into a wider session.
Source notes
Fender’s written G lesson and D lesson include four-beat chord-change practice. Its G, C and D instructions, Em instructions, and the Am finger-placement section of D’Addario’s Am/E lesson support the open shapes. The bar lengths and counted variations here are practice examples.