Gospel IV walk-up progression on cavaquinho
What is the Gospel IV walk-up progression?
The Gospel IV walk-up progression is Gb, Ab and BbmBbmBbmBbm (IV–V–vi), in the key of Db major. Read as harmonic function it moves subdominant → dominant → tonic, arriving home on a cadence. Play one chord per bar and let it loop.
Four chords, a whole story: Gb (IV, the stroll) → Ab (V, time to come back) → Bbm (vi, home). Hit play. First pass, just listen. Second pass, follow with your finger on the names — and notice that by the second-to-last chord, your body already knows Gb — home — is coming.
Cavaquinho
Its chords sound tight and punchy; instead of holding long shapes, it keeps the beat moving with short, repeated strums. In pop, rock or blues the cavaquinho is an unusual guest; it adds a bright, chopping rhythm layer, but it can't cover the low end a band expects. Its home chord Gb keeps its lowest note on F#.
Cadences: Harmony comes to rest here: hear cadences on the neck, 9 free and another one each week · use it in Chord and Fret
Save this progression in Chord and FretReharmonize: Want richer substitutions? Reharmonize's Subtle and Medium levels are free; Bold and Jazz are part of Pro · try it in Chord and Fret
Learn each chord of the trip
This is one shape of Gb. In the app, every chord in this progression comes with its other shapes and audio, free. Open in Chord and Fret →
Metronome: Drill this change in time, with tap tempo and subdivisions · see it in Chord and Fret