Folk — Cavaquinho

Outside Brazil the cavaquinho is a newcomer to these styles, but its short, percussive strums fit reggae's off-beat chop nicely and add a thin, bright layer. Folk thrives on simplicity: songs meant for singing together, with direct melodies and lean harmony that put the story front and center. This page collects the style's classic progressions, like the three-chord — the trio of chords behind countless songs — and the axis, a four-chord loop heard all over popular music.

Progressions

My Chords & Scales — Build the genre's repertoire — save and organize in the Notebook · try it in Chord & Fret

Updated July 9, 2026