- Hey I'm Scott from Fender Play.
A step-by-step online guitar learning platform.
In this lesson we're gonna work on chord combinations
using C, F, G, and A minor
that will unlock tons of songs.
You'll be able to hear some of your favorites
as you sequence them in different order.
If you missed any of our free lessons
on how to play these chords,
click this link to check them out.
Remember this is only one of the hundreds
of lessons you get access to when you subscribe
to Fender Play so enjoy this free sample.
- Guitarists love learning chord progressions.
When you learn enough songs,
you'll begin to notice that many songs
actually use the same chord progressions.
Let's concentrate on four chords.
C, F, G and A minor
which are the most important chords
in the key of C.
We can use these chords in different combinations
into a seemingly endless number of songs.
For the first progression,
we're gonna go C
to A minor
to the F chord
to the G chord.
Listen again so C,
A minor,
to F,
to G chord.
Now try it with me.
C,
A minor,
and what song is it that you think we're playing?
Can you think of one?
Maybe you can think of more than one.
What if I change the rhythm just a little bit.
But keep the same progression.
(playing chords)
This chord progression is commonly
referred to as the Doo-Wop progression
because a lot of artists in the 50s and 60s used it.
Think of songs like Earth Angel
or Stand By Me but more recent artists
have used it as well.
Think about The Police's Every Breath You Take
or even Lady Gaga's Million Reasons.
That's C, A minor, F, and G.
For our next progression we're gonna start again
with the C chord.
And we'll go to G chord this time.
I'm strumming steady quarter notes.
Here's A minor.
And the F chord.
Once again that's the C chord,
to the G chord,
A minor,
and the F chord.
Try it with me.
So that's the C chord right here.
Does this remind you of any songs?
Maybe more than one.
A minor,
and F.
Now I'm gonna change the rhythm to down strum eighth notes,
which might spark the memory.
(playing chords)
This chord progression is used by a number of artists.
Including Weezer and their song Pork and Beans,
or U2's With or Without You or
Adele's Someone Like You
so that's C, G, A minor and F.
For this last progression
we're gonna actually start with the A minor chord,
and then go to the F chord,
to the C chord,
and the G chord.
I'm just strumming quarter notes again.
A minor,
to the F chord,
C chord,
and the G chord.
Try it with me.
Grab your A minor chord right here.
Now the F chord.
Can you think of any songs that use this progression?
I'll change the rhythm up just a little bit.
Here's a syncopated strum pattern.
A minor,
to F chord,
and one, two, and three, four,
and G.
This chord progression is used
in Self Esteem by The Offspring,
or Sparks Fly by Taylor Swift,
or even Stronger by Kelly Clarkson.
That's A minor, F, C, and G.
- Pretty fun right?
Now you have these common chord progressions,
check back next week as we show you how to play
some awesome power chords across the fret board.
Whether you're a beginner who's played for while,
or you've never played at all before,
we can get you everything you need to start playing fast.
Click this link to begin your free trial at Fender Play
and remember anyone can play.