29 Chord Progressions to Get You Going
The following list of chord sequences or progressions is suited for beginner guitar players, all the chords on this page are open chords that are fairly easy to press with your fretting hand.
Along the progressions I also included the chord diagrams of every chord involved, so you'll be able to look them up without distracting your attention by going somewhere else.
Knowing a number of chord progressions will help you write accompaniments to your own songs, you can use them as a starting point to put your lyrics on and feel free to mix and match other chords as you hear fit. You can also use the progressions to compose and write your own jamming tracks.
1.
Am- - - C- - - G- - - Em
Used in VERSE of Fade to Black by Metallica
2.
Em- - - C- - - G- - - D
Used with some variations in VERSE of Numb by Linking Park
3.
Am- - - - - - - G- - - Em
Great guitar chord progression for slow songs and ballads
4.
G- - - Em- - - C- - - D
à la '60s
5.
Am- - - Dm- - - C- - - G
6.
Am- - - G- - - F- - - E
A sort of progression often used in flamenco, you might quickly alternate the last E chord with the F chord a number of times to make it sound even more flamenco.
7.
Am- - - D- - - C- - - F
Similar to Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana
8.
C- - - G- - - Am- - - F
Used in With Or Without You by U2
9. The previous progression extended
C- - - G- - - Am- - - F- - - Dm- - - F- - - Am- - - G
10.
Am- - - - - - F- - - G
A simple and well sounding chord sequences often found in rock and pop music
11.
Am- - - F- - - G- - - Em
Another variation of the 10th progression
12. The previous one extended
Am- - - F- - - G- - - Em- - - F- - - Dm- - - G- - - Am
13.
Dm- - - Am- - - G- - - F
Used in VERSE of Mystify by INXS
14.
Em- - - Am7- - - C2- - - D
In INTRO of Animal Instinct by Cranberries
15.
Am- - - C- - - Dm- - - F
In VERSE of I Kissed a Girl by Katy Perry
16.
Em- - - G- - - D- - - A
17.
Am- - - G- - - Em- - - F
18.
Bm7- - - G- - - D- - - Dsus2
In VERSE of The Scientist by Coldplay
19.
C- - - G- - - D- - - Em
Used in Chorus of Breakeven by The Script
20.
C- - - Em- - - Am- - - F
In Queen UK by Bob Schneider
21. A beautiful, jazzy sounding sequence
Cmaj7- - - Am7- - - Fmaj7- - - Em7
22. Twelve Bar Blues Progression
A7 - X4 - - D7 - X2 - - A7 - X2 - - E7- - - D7- - - A7 - X2
23.
Am- - - F- - - Dm- - - Em
24.
A- - - E- - - D- - - A
Used in Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol
25.
Am- - - G- - - F- - - Em - G
26.
Am- - - B7- - - Dm- - - E7
27.
Em- - - C- - - D7- - - G- - - C- - - Am- - - B7- - - Em
28.
Dm- - - G- - - C- - - Am
29.
Am- - - C- - - Dm- - - G
Many songs I mentioned in this chart were originally played in different keys, I adopted (transported) these chord sequences to better suit beginning and "lazy" guitar players to make it possible to play each progression just with the open chords.
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