Sertanejo caipira (Brazilian country) progression on guitar
What is the Sertanejo caipira (Brazilian country) progression?
The Sertanejo caipira (Brazilian country) progression is G, C and D (I–IV–V), in the key of G major. 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.
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 G keeps its lowest note on G and rings 3 open strings.
Cadences: Harmony comes to rest here: hear cadences on the neck, 9 free and another one each week · try it in Chord and Fret
Save this progression in Chord and Fret♪ The groove is the waltz — three beats to the bar: the bass on one and the chord on two and three, the lilt of the sertanejo and caipira tradition.
Reharmonize: 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