5 Super Common Chord Progressions Every Guitarist Should Know

One of my early mentors was a guy named Ron Anthony who has gone on to join the choir invisible. But he played guitar for Frank Sinatra. 

And one day in a guitar lesson he told me, “Jon all music is patterns.”

And it’s true.

So in this post, I want to share with you 5 super common chord progressions every guitarist should know. But before we begin, let’s first talk about…

How These Common Chord Progressions Work

In any major key, we have seven diatonic chords. In the key of C major they would be:

C - Dm - Em - F - G - Am - Bdim

These chords are built by stacking thirds on each note of the scale. They follow a specific pattern of major, minor, and diminished chords:

• I (C): Major
• ii (Dm): Minor
• iii (Em): Minor
• IV (F): Major
• V (G): Major
• vi (Am): Minor
• vii° (Bdim): Diminished

This pattern applies to every major key, and understanding it is key to identifying and playing common chord progressions. These progressions are combinations of these chords, often grouped to create a sense of movement, tension, and resolution in music.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way let’s dive into the 1st of these 5 common chord progressions and that is the…

I, V, vi, IV Chord Progression

In the key of C major these chords would be C, G, Am, and F. This progression has a perfect balance to it. You start on the I chord which provides a sense of stability. Then you move to the V chord which builds the tension. But instead of going back home, like so many V chords do, it then goes to the relative minor chord (iv). After that, it provides just a little more tension going to the IV chord, before returning back home to the I.

This common chord progression works well as a loop and can be heard in famous tunes like:

• Let It Be
• Take On Me
• Don't Stop Believin'

Next up, we have the…

i, bVII, bVI, bVII Chord Progression

This chord progression is in a minor key and moves in whole steps on guitar.  A whole step is 2 frets. The first chord is minor, and then the other 2 are major. For example, Am, G, F, G. This common chord progression can be heard in many famous tunes like:

• All Along The Watchtower
• Stairway to Heaven
• Dream on

#3 is the…

Doo Wop Chord Progression (I, vi, IV, V)

This is a great chord progression often used in 50’s doo wop tunes. It starts on the I. Then moves to the vi. After that it finished with a little build from the IV to the V, before returning home to I. This common chord progression can be heard in many famous tunes like: 

• Earth Angel
• Stand By Me
• All I Have To Do Is Dream 

Next we have the… 

vi, IV, I, V Chord Progression

This one is very similar to the first progression we looked at, the I, V, vi, IV chord progression. If you look closely it’s almost the same thing, it’s just starting at a different part in the progression. It’s like a minor key version of the first example. It starts on the vi chord (relative minor), then moves to the IV, then I, then V.

This common chord progression can be heard in many famous tunes like:

• Africa
• Grenade by Bruno Mars (first part of chorus)

Finally, we have the… 

i, bVII, bVI, V Chord Progression

This chord progression is similar to the 2nd chord progression we learned, but it continues the walk down. So instead of climbing back up, it keeps descending down to the V chord. It’s used in many famous songs like:

• Hit The Road Jack
• Walk Don’t Run
• Runaway Del Shannon

Conclusion:

There you have it! 

5 super common chord progressions every guitarist should know. Once you start becoming familiar with these patterns in music, everything gets a lot easier.

Keep practicing, and if you want to learn songs way faster, better understand the fretboard, and not waste years spinning your wheels with guitar, grab my free fretboard guide right here now:  

Jon MacLennan