Mandolin · chord progressions

Country chord progressions

The progressions of country, bluegrass and country rock, from the three chords every country song starts from to the ragtime changes of western swing. Pick a key, choose a strum or the boom-chick pattern, and press Play to hear each on mandolin.

Progressions

Sound Pattern Tempo85

↓ · ↓ ↑ · ↑ ↓ ↑ · Down, down-up, up-down-up: the campfire strum, also called the calypso strum.

The three chords of country

I | IV | V | I

Key Chord chart The chords of G major ›

I, IV and V, the backbone of country, folk and bluegrass: most country songs can be played with these three.

The 8 bar country form

I | I | IV | IV | I | I | V7 | V7

Key Chord chart The chords of G major ›

Two bars on each chord, with V7 to turn round to the top: the shape of countless country verses.

The bluegrass turn

I | IV | I V | I

Key Chord chart The chords of G major ›

I to IV and home, with a quick V before the last bar: the progression jam sessions start from.

The ragtime progression

I | VI7 | II7 | V7

Key Chord chart The chords of C major ›

Dominant sevenths round the circle of fifths back to I, from ragtime into western swing and country picking.

Country pop

I | V | vi | IV

Key Chord chart The chords of G major ›

The four chords of modern country radio, the same four as pop, played with a country strum.

The country ballad

I | vi | IV | V

Key Chord chart The chords of D major ›

I–vi–IV–V at a slow tempo, the waltzes and heartbreak songs of classic country.

The gospel lift

I | I7 | IV | I

Key Chord chart The chords of G major ›

I turns into I7 on its way to IV, the move of country gospel and church songs.

Country rock

I | ♭VII | IV | I

Key Chord chart The chords of D major ›

The ♭VII chord, a step below home, borrowed from the mixolydian mode: the sound of southern and country rock.

The two-chord song

I | I | V7 | V7 | I | I | V7 | I

Key Chord chart The chords of G major ›

Just I and V7: enough for many old country and folk songs.

Honky-tonk

I | I7 | IV | IV | V7 | V7 | I | I

Key Chord chart The chords of A major ›

I7 leading to IV, then V7 home: the barroom sound of honky-tonk.

The long ragtime circle

I | III7 | VI7 | II7 V7

Key Chord chart The chords of G major ›

Dominant sevenths from III all the way round the circle to I: the swing of western and ragtime country.

The country waltz

I | I | IV | I | I | V | V | I

Key Chord chart The chords of D major ›

A slow progression in three: choose a waltz pattern above to hear it as a country waltz.

The mountain minor

i | VII | i | VII

Key Chord chart The chords of A minor ›

A minor chord and the major chord a step below it: the modal sound of old-time and bluegrass fiddle tunes.

I–ii–V–I

I | ii | V | I

Key Chord chart The chords of C major ›

Home, through the minor ii and the pull of V, and home again: a gentle country and folk cadence.

What chords are used in country music?

Mostly I, IV and V, the three major chords of a key, often with V7. G, C, D, A and E are the favourite keys on guitar, because their chords are open shapes that ring. Later country borrows the ♭VII from rock and the four chords of pop.

The boom-chick strum

Country rhythm guitar plays the bass note of the chord, then a strum, then another bass note, then a strum. Choose the Boom-chick or Carter scratch pattern above to hear it with these progressions.

What is the ragtime progression?

I–VI7–II7–V7: dominant seventh chords each a fifth above the next, leading back to I. It came from ragtime and turns up in western swing, country picking and old-time songs.

More: the 12 bar blues, rock chord progressions, every chord progression.

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