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Chord & Fret

Folk · three-chord — Electric guitar

What is the Folk · three-chord progression?

The Folk · three-chord progression is G → C → D (I – IV – V), in the key of G. Read as harmonic function it moves tonic → subdominant → dominant, arriving home on a cadence. Play one chord per bar and let it loop.

Good music works like a good walk: you leave, get a little lost on purpose, and come back. The map of this one: G (I, home) → C (IV, the stroll) → D (V, time to come back). Press play and follow along — at the "time to come back" chord, notice the physical urge to hear G again — the home chord.

Electric guitar

On an electric guitar you rarely have to cover the low bass yourself, because in a band the bass player takes that job, so your chords can sit higher and cleaner. In this family the electric fits country's bright twang and reggae's clean chords, which land between the main beats, while softer Hawaiian and celtic styles lean on acoustic voices. Its home chord G keeps its lowest note on G and rings 3 open strings.

Cadences — Harmony comes to rest here — hear every cadence type and train your ear · see it in Chord & Fret

Save this progression in Chord & Fret

Reharmonize — Want richer substitutions? Reharmonize the progression in a tap · try it in Chord & Fret

Learn each chord of the trip

G · C · D

G, 3 2 0 0 0 3G213GBDGBG

This is one shape of G. In Chord & Fret, you open every position of all 3 chords in this progression along the neck — on any instrument, and hear each one. Open in Chord & Fret →

Metronome — Drill this change in time, with tap tempo and subdivisions · open in Chord & Fret

When you're ready to go from reading to playing, the Chord & Fret app puts this fretboard interactive in your hand — grab it on the stores.