Pagode climb progression on guitar
What is the Pagode climb progression?
The Pagode climb progression is CmCmCmCm, F and Bb (ii–V–I), in the key of Bb major. Read as harmonic function it moves subdominant → dominant → tonic, arriving home on a cadence. With sevenths, common in this repertoire, the same path becomes Cm7Cm7Cm7Cm7, F7F7F7F7 and Bbmaj7Bbmaj7Bbmaj7Bbmaj7: there is no single required version. 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: Cm (ii, the stroll) → F (V, time to come back) → Bb (I, home). Press play and follow along — at the "time to come back" chord, notice the physical urge to hear Bb again — the home chord.
Guitar
Its six strings spread across a wide neck, so each chord has room to ring, and one player can be the rhythm and the harmony at the same time. 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 Bb keeps its lowest note on A#.
Cadences: Harmony comes to rest here: hear cadences on the neck, 9 free and another one each week · use 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 · open in Chord and Fret
Learn each chord of the trip
This is one shape of Bb. 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 · try it in Chord and Fret