12 Bar Progression in E:E / / / E / / / E / / / E / / /
A / / / A / / / A / / / A / / /
B / / / A / / / E / / / E / / /
12 Bar Progression in C:
C / / / C / / / C / / / C / / /
F / / / F / / / F / / / F / / /
G / / / F / / / C / / / C / / /12 Bar Progression in D:
D / / / D / / / D / / / D / / /
G / / / G / / / G / / / G / / /
A / / / G / / / A / / / A / / /12 Bar Progression in G:
G / / / G / / / G / / / G / / /
C / / / C / / / C / / / C / / /
D / / / D / / / G / / / G / / /Well, there you have it, the most basic changes, in the most basic keys in blues and rock and roll.
Now to spice it up a little:
12 Bar Progression in G(with 7th Chord):
G / / / G / / / G / / / G / / /
C / / / C / / / C / / / C / / /
D7/ / / D7/ / / G / / / G / / /12 Bar Progression in G(with Turn Around):
G / / / G / / / G / / / G / / /
C / / / C / / / C / / / C / / /
D7/ / / D7/ / / G / / / D7/ / /One of the classic set of chord changes is the "Rhythm Changes". This is the chord progression for Gershwin's "I've Got Rhythm". The progression we played at the jam was a variation of this. C / / / Am/ / / F / / / G7/ / /
For a true "circle of 6ths":
C / / / Am/ / / Dm/ / / G7/ / /
For the record, here's the changes for "I've Got Rhythm":
(Beginners, you can ignore this, but keep it in mind. Someday, when you take up jazz, this is a rudiment)Bb / Gm7 / Cm7 / F7 /
Bb / Gm7 / Cm7 / F7 /
Bb / Gm7 / Cm7 / F7 /
Bb / Gm7 / Cm7 / F7 /Bb / Gm7 / Cm7 / F7 /
Bb / Gm7 / Cm7 / F7 /
Bb / Gm7 / Cm7 / F7 /
Bb / F7 / Bb / / / D7 / / / D7 / / /G7 / / / G7 / / / C7 / / / C7 / / /
F7 / / / F7 / / /Bb / Gm7 / Cm7 / F7 /
Bb / Gm7 / Cm7 / F7 /
Bb / Gm7 / Cm7 / F7 /
Bb / Bb7 / Eb / Ebm /
Bb / F7 / Bb . . .
This was the lesson not given at Little Falls. I sketched it out, but didn't have a chance to spell it out. It's not a playing exercise anyway, it's an intellectual exercise. This is basically the "Rosetta Stone" of chords in songs, at least in the European idea of musical harmony.
Anyway, you're familiar with the western scale: Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do. If you have a chord it has at least three tones, Tonic (1st note in the scale, Do), the 3rd (3rd note in the scale, Mi) and the 5th (5th note in the scale, So).
It's possible to construct a scale of chords from Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do. The one subtle issue, is that the chords must be constructed of the notes Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do. So, you get some minor and diminished chords along the way.
I ii iii IV V vi VII(dim) Tonic Super Tonic Mediant Sub Dominant Dominant Sub Mediant Leading Note A Bm C#m D E F#m G#dim Bb/(A#) Cm Dm Eb F Gm Adim B C#m D#m E F# G#m A#dim C Dm Em F G Am Bdim Db/(C#) Ebm Fm Gb Ab Cm Cdim D Em F#m G A Bm C#dim Eb Fm Gm Ab Bb Cm Ddim E F#m G#m A B C#m D#Dim F Gm Am Bb C Dm EDim F#/(Gb) G#m A#m B C# D#m FDim G Am Bm C D Em F#Dim Ab/(G#) Bbm Cm Db Eb Fm GDim So why would I do this? Simple, chords tend to repeat themselves in various songs. Take your basic 12 bar progression:
12 Bar Progression:
I / / / I / / / I / / / I / / /
IV/ / / IV/ / / IV/ / / IV/ / /
V / / / IV/ / / I / / / I / / /So, here's Lil Jimmy Reed on the web:
Big Boss Man (A)I'm a bit taken back that Lil Jimmy played it in A. We all know it's played in E! But take your numbered chords from the progression, look them up in the chart (for the key of https://youtu.be/xV7gODCmHEw) and play along.