Folk pop axis progression on guitar
What is the Folk pop axis progression?
The Folk pop axis progression is G, D, EmEmEmEm and C (I–V–vi–IV), in the key of G 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.
Play any song you love and it does this: leaves home, takes a walk, and at the right moment somebody yells "come back!". This progression is that route, road sign by road sign: G (I, home) → D (V, time to come back) → Em (vi, home) → C (IV, the stroll). Hit play and follow with your finger on the names — when you reach the chord marked "time to come back", notice your own body waiting for G — the home chord.
Guitar
On the acoustic guitar you hold the whole song in your hands: the low sixth string lays down a bass note while the higher strings build the chord above it. Folk, country and Celtic songs are built on the acoustic guitar; in reggae it chops the off-beat, and Hawaiian slack-key is its own gentle guitar tradition. Its home chord G keeps its lowest note on G and rings 3 open strings.
Circle of Fifths: See the key's diatonic chords and its secondary dominants · see 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 · use it in Chord and Fret
Learn each chord of the trip
This is one shape of G. 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