Favorite chord progressions for practicing

[Roscoe295]

So I took the pandemic to actually learn some music & scales. Mixing minor & major now, trying to accumulate some licks while not abandoning rhythm. I’ve seen numerous good players mix good rhythm with nice runs but am always curious which chord progressions they choose.

Any favorites?

 

[Cheap Trills]

1-4-5?

 

[Chiogtr4x]

1-4-5?

There's really something to that with me, as there really is ( if you stretch a bit), a lot of great blues styles/ patterns/rhythms under the Big Tent of 1-4-5,
I bet I spend hours daily at home, not so much practicing, but rather, noodling around, exploring ways to play the blues ( or related, Country)

Also I like playing a lot of early Bob Dylan songs because A) I like the songs, and B) just a great way for me to keep fingers (on both hands) nimble playing 1st position ( 'Cowboy') chords, arpeggios, scale rund, strums...

 

[Willie Johnson]

There's really something to that with me, as there really is ( if you stretch a bit), a lot of great blues styles/ patterns/rhythms under the Big Tent of 1-4-5,
I bet I spend hours daily at home, not so much practicing, but rather, noodling around, exploring ways to play the blues ( or related, Country)

Also I like playing a lot of early Bob Dylan songs because A) I like the songs, and B) just a great way for me to keep fingers (on both hands) nimble playing 1st position ( 'Cowboy') chords, arpeggios, scale rund, strums...

Made me think of this...

I've been messing around with a lot of RHCP/John Frusciante minor/major stuff lately.

 

[superjam144]

Get the book modern progressions by ted Greene.

Hundreds of progressions with neat inversions and jazzy classical chords littering the pages.

Take years to get through all the way but it's helpful learning how to put voicings together in different ways.

Also. The caged method is great which is taking cowboy chords up the neck using your index finger to Barre the open notes. Aka inversions.

 

[Deeve]

Backwards thru the circle of fifths

 

[JL_LI]

Blues and jazz in A Dorian. The I, IV, and V chords are Am7, D7, Em7 with Am6 and D6 also used. I use this for warm up because what I play uses all 6 strings and 20 or 22 frets depending on the guitar.

 

[ahiddentableau]

People may laugh at this, but I've always liked to go through the first part of the alphabet. I mean open chords, A B C D E F G. I first started doing this when I was starting out because I wanted to remember the chords and I never stopped. I often do it when I first pick up the instrument and I find it helps the muscle memory kick in. Then when I'm trying to do other stuff the shapes and forms feel more familiar.

 

[guitar_paul1]

(never mind - I didn't read the OP close enough)

 

[guitar_paul1]

Oh in answer to the original post, anything by Joe Pass. It's all humbling.

Also check out

Nobody Knows You ( When you're down and out) Derek and the Dominoes

Or just roll 1 6 2 5 through all the keys in the circle of fifths

 

[Peegoo]

Any Steely Dan tune. These will open up your ears to new musical ideas if all you spend time with is I-IV-V.

A good one to start with is Josie. Work up the intro too. It's badass.

Look here:

 

[Skyhook]

The "Autopilot"! I named it that as any song using this automatically becomes a 7/10. If you need a higher score you gotta put in the work but an automatic 7/10 can be had using this progression: I - VIIb - IV. If you go "huh?" at that, that's the progression from the verse of Fortunate Son or all of Sweet Home Alabama or the chorus of Everybody Wants The Same Thing.

 

[MatsEriksson]

Yes, anything in the book by Ted Greene will keep me occupied, my brain cells as well as muscle memory for days, months on end. I bring out that book ever so often. "Chord Chemistry". it just takes cares of 2 chords...A and E, and when I came to page 5 I just balked. Talk about a black page... Every way to fret A and E on a guitar.

 

[vintagelove]

Cycle of 4ths.

 

[Teletubbie]

H, M, P minor

I really am as bad as I sound.

 

[tm1303]

... this progression: I - VIIb - IV. If you go "huh?" at that, that's the progression from the verse of Fortunate Son or all of Sweet Home Alabama or the chorus of Everybody Wants The Same Thing.

You momentarily melted my head surely you mean V - IV - I

 

[Skyhook]

You momentarily melted my head surely you mean V - IV - I

My sarcasm detector is a bit fritzy these days so I'll answer(truthfully): No, I do not. Alternatively("Yes, but you changed the key there now by doing that.")

I - The basic key the song is in.

VIIb - One whole step down from the basic key the song is in(easy description but you can't write it that way in this system).
Alternatively; seven whole steps up from the basic key the song is in(the VII -part) and then half a step down(the b -part).

IV - A fourth above the basic key the song is in.

 

[tm1303]

My sarcasm detector is a bit fritzy these days so I'll answer(truthfully): No, I do not. Alternatively("Yes, but you changed the key there now by doing that.")

I was indeed in full sarcasm mode You are of course correct, it's actually in Dmix not G, but it still makes me twitch to not just think of it as V - IV - I because I'm lazy

 

[Skyhook]

I was indeed in full sarcasm mode You are of course correct, it's actually in Dmix not G, but it still makes me twitch to not just think of it as V - IV - I because I'm lazy

Then we can most probably co-exist and have peace, tequila and guitars. Not necessarily in that order.

 

[Gimble]

I use the same very used I V vi IV, but in odd keys and trying to use as many different triad inversion with each run through…

Helps visualize the triads and shows how an old workhorse can be made to sound fresh.