Chord Progression I-V

How to play the progression

1. Learn each chord of the progression separately — make sure every note rings clearly.
2. Play the full progression without a metronome, focusing on clean transitions.
3. Set a metronome to 60 BPM and play each chord as whole notes (4 beats per chord).
4. Use the player at the top of the page for tempo control and an audio reference.

Chord change practice

• Isolate each pair of adjacent chords and repeat the transition 10–20 times.
• Start slow, increase by 5 BPM only when the transition is stable.
• Loop the progression continuously without stopping between repetitions.
• Watch for economy of motion — fingers should move as little as possible.

Rhythm work

• Start with a simple downstroke on each beat.
• Add alternation: down–up on each eighth note.
• Try the "Whole → Quarters → Eighths" pattern from the player.
• Play arpeggios instead of strumming to develop fingerpicking technique.

Improvising over the progression

• Sing the chord tones aloud while playing — this develops your inner ear.
• Play a 3–4 note melody over each chord, using notes from the compatible scale.
• Try changing the rhythmic pattern of the melody while keeping the same notes.
• Record yourself and listen back — this is the best way to assess progress.

Playing in different keys

• Use the key selector at the top to see chords in a new key.
• Start with nearby keys (±1 accidental): e.g., from C → G or F.
• Play the progression 5–10 times in each new key before moving on.
• Goal: play the progression in any key without looking at a reference.