Pop pop axis progression on cavaquinho
What is the Pop pop axis progression?
The Pop pop axis progression is C, G, Am and F (I–V–vi–IV), in the key of C major. Read as harmonic function it moves tonic → dominant → tonic → subdominant, cycling as a vamp with no full cadence. Play one chord per bar and let it loop.
Four chords, a whole story: C (I, home) → G (V, time to come back) → Am (vi, home) → F (IV, the stroll). 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 C — home — is coming.
Cavaquinho
The cavaquinho is a small, bright four-string with no low bass, so it fills the upper-middle range and leaves the deep notes to others. 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 C keeps its lowest note on E and rings 1 open string.
Circle of Fifths: See the key's diatonic chords and its secondary dominants · use it in Chord and Fret
Save this progression in Chord and Fret♪ The groove underneath is the tresillo: 3+3+2. Count "one-two-three, one-two-three, one-two" tapping your leg and you've found the engine of half the world's pop.
Reharmonize: 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 C. 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 · open in Chord and Fret