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Chord & Fret

Pagode · subida cromática — Guitar

What is the Pagode · subida cromática progression?

The Pagode · subida cromática progression is Cm → F → A# (ii – V – I), in the key of Bb. Read as harmonic function it moves subdominant → dominant → tonic, arriving home on a 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: Cm (ii, the stroll) → F (V, time to come back) → A# (I, home). 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 A# — 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. The acoustic guitar sits at the very heart of Brazilian music: bossa nova was practically invented on it, and it carries samba, choro and MPB with equal ease. Its home chord A# keeps its lowest note on A#.

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

Save this progression in Chord & Fret

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

Learn each chord of the trip

Cm · F · A#

A#, x 1 3 3 3 1A#12341×A#FA#DF

This is one shape of A#. 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

If this scale won you over, the Chord & Fret app plays it along with you — any key, any tuning. Look it up on the stores.