Folk · three-chord — Ukulele
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.
Ukulele
With only four short strings and no bass note, the ukulele lives in a bright, high register; it sketches the chords and leaves the low end to a voice or another instrument. This is where the ukulele truly belongs: the Hawaiian vamp — a short back-and-forth of chords — is its native language, and its airy strum sits perfectly in folk sing-alongs, easygoing reggae and gentle country. Its home chord G keeps its lowest note on D and rings 1 open string.
Cadences — Harmony comes to rest here — hear every cadence type and train your ear · see it in Chord & Fret
Save this progression in Chord & FretReharmonize — Want richer substitutions? Reharmonize the progression in a tap · use it in Chord & Fret
Learn each chord of the trip
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
If you want to keep exploring, the Chord & Fret app picks up right here, with every variation of this chord one tap away. On the stores.