BASIC PROGRESSIONS
A progression is simply a group of 2 or more chords. Each chord you play leads, or progresses, to the next chord. For the most part, the ultimate goal is to get back to the 1 of the key you are in. Progressions get their name from the bass/left hand notes you play. The right hand chords being used (in this post) are the scale degree chords. For example, a 1 in the bass will be paired with a 1 chord.
Most of these progressions are based off the circle of 4ths (circle of 5ths in reverse). Here is a basic form of the progressions that are used the most in gospel music. I'll put them in the key of C:
First, the members of C major scale:
C=1 D=2 E=3 F=4 G=5 A=6 B=7
And the C major scale degree chords:
1 = C-E-G 2 = D-F-A 3 = E-G-B 4 = F-A-C 5 = G-B-D 6 = A-C-E 7 = B-D-F
1-5-1
This progression is usually found at the end of a song. As you are playing this, once you play the 5, you should feel a strong urge play the 1:
C / C-E-G (1) C / C-E-G (1) C / E-G-C (1) C / G-C-E (1)
G / G-B-D (5) G / B-D-G (5) G / D-G-B (5) G / G-B-D (5)
C / C-E-G (1) C / C-E-G (5) C / E-G-C (1) C / G-C-E (1)
(repeat) (repeat) (repeat) (repeat)
1-V7-1 progression
This is just a little variation of the 1-5-1 progression. By adding the minor 7th note to the 5 chord, it creates an even stronger urge to go to 1. Here, you don't add the 7th of the key you are in, you add the 7th of the chord. The correct term for the V7 chord is the dominant 7th chord:
C / C-E-G (1) C / C-E-G (1) C / E-G-C (1)
G / G-B-D-F (V7) G / B-D-F-G (V7) G / D-F-G-B (V7)
C / C-E-G (1) C / C-E-G (1) C / E-G-C (1)
(repeat) (repeat) (repeat)
C / G-C-E (1) C / G-C-E (1)
G / G-B-D-F (V7) G / F-G-B-D (V7)
C / G-C-E (1) C / G-C-E (1)
(repeat) (repeat)
1-4-1 progression
This progression is knick-named the "Amen" progression. It is also a great chord to end a song with:
C / C-E-G (1) C / C-E-G (1) C / E-G-C (1) C / G-C-E (1)
F / F-A-C (4) F / C-F-A (4) F / F-A-C (4) F / A-C-F (4)
C / C-E-G (1) C / C-E-G (1) C / E-G-C (1) C / G-C-E (1)
(repeat) (repeat) (repeat) (repeat)
1-4-5-1 progression
This is the most basic progression of chords that can be used to play a whole song. A lot of the hymns follow this progression:
C / C-E-G (1) C / C-E-G (1) C / E-G-C (1) C / G-C-E (1)
F / F-A-C (4) F / C-F-A (4) F / F-A-C (4) F / A-C-F (4)
G / G-B-D (5) G / B-D-G (5) G / D-G-B (5) G / G-B-D (5)
C / C-E-G (1) C / C-E-G (1) C / E-G-C (1) C / G-C-E (1)
(repeat) (repeat) (repeat) (repeat)
1-4-V7 progression
This is a variation of the 1-4-5 progression. Instead of playing a regular 5 chord, you can play a V7 chord:
C / C-E-G (1) C / C-E-G (1) C / E-G-C (1) C / G-C-E (1)
F / F-A-C (4) F / C-F-A (4) F / F-A-C (4) F / A-C-F (4)
G / G-B-D-F (V7) G / B-D-F-G (V7) G / D-F-G-B (V7) G / G-B-D-F (V7)
C / C-E-G (1) C / C-E-G (1) C / E-G-C (1) C / G-C-E (1)
(repeat) (repeat) (repeat) (repeat)
C / G-C-E (1)
F / A-C-F (4)
G / F-G-B-D (V7)
C / G-C-E (1)
(repeat)
Dominant 7th chord to 4 (of the chord)
Whenever you have any kind of major chord, you can add the minor 7th of that chord to it. Once you do that, it becomes a dominant 7th chord. It naturally resolves (wants to go) to 4 of the chord. Key does not matter here:
C / C-E-G-Bb C / C-E-G-Bb C / E-G-Bb-C
F / F-A-C (4 of C) F / C-F-A (4 of C) F / F-A-C (4 of C)
(repeat) (repeat) (repeat)
C / G-Bb-C-E C / Bb-C-E-G
F / A-C-F (4 of C) F / A-C-F (4 of C)
(repeat) (repeat)
7-3-6 progression
This is a progression that by itself doesn't mean much. But, when you add other chords or progressions, it sounds really good. You can find this progression being used as transition or passing chords in verses of a song:
B / B-D-F (7) B / B-D-F (7) B / B-D-F (7)
E / E-G-B (3) E / G-B-E (3) E / B-E-G (3)
A / A-C-E (6) A / A-C-E (6) A / C-E-A (6)
(repeat) (repeat) (repeat)
B / D-F-B (7) B / F-B-D (7)
E / E-G-B (3) E / G-B-E (3)
A / E-A-C (6) A / A-C-E (6)
(repeat) (repeat)
3-6-2 progression
This is another progression that by itself doesn't mean much. But, when you add other chords or progressions, it sounds really good. You can find this progression being used as transition or passing chords in verses of a song:
E / E-G-B (3) E / G-B-E (3) E / B-E-G (3)
A / A-C-E (6) A / A-C-E (6) A / C-E-A (6)
D / D-F-A (2) D / A-D-F (2) D / D-F-A (2)
(repeat) (repeat) (repeat)
E / E-G-B (3) E / G-B-E (3)
A / E-A-C (6) A / A-C-E (6)
D / F-A-D (2) D / F-A-D (2)
(repeat) (repeat)
2-5-1 progression
This progression can be used instead of the 1-4-5 progression. Sort of like a substitute progression. It is used the most at the end of songs:
D / D-F-A (2) D / A-D-F (2) D / D-F-A (2) D / F-A-D (2)
G / G-B-D (5) G / B-D-G (5) G / D-G-B (5) G / G-B-D (5)
C / C-E-G (1) C / C-E-G (1) C / E-G-C (1) C / G-C-E (1)
(repeat) (repeat) (repeat) (repeat)
2-5-6 progression
This progression is knick-named the deceptive progression. You would expect to go to 1 after playing 5, but here a 6 is thrown in for some added suspense. This progression (and other variations) is used a lot in song vamps and repeats of choruses.
D / D-F-A (2) D / A-D-F (2) D / D-F-A (2) D / F-A-D (2)
G / G-B-D (5) G / B-D-G (5) G / D-G-B (5) G / G-B-D (5)
A / A-C-E (6) A / C-E-A (6) A / E-A-C (6) A / A-C-E (6)
(repeat) (repeat) (repeat) (repeat)
3-6-2-5-1 progression
This progression is the musical ZIP CODE. If you want your chords to flow smoothly and naturally from chord to chord, follow this pattern as much as possible:
E / E-G-B (3) E / G-B-E (3) E / B-E-G (3) E / E-G-B (3)
A / A-C-E (6) A / A-C-E (6) A / C-E-A (6) A / E-A-C (6)
D / D-F-A (2) D / A-D-F (2) D / D-F-A (2) D / F-A-D (2)
G / G-B-D (5) G / B-D-G (5) G / D-G-B (5) G / G-B-D (5)
C / C-E-G (1) C / C-E-G (1) C / E-G-C (1) C / G-C-E (1)
(repeat) (repeat) (repeat) (repeat)
7-3-6-2-5-1-4 progression
This is my musical ZIP CODE. Here, every scale degree chord is combined to form one big progression:
B / B-D-F (7) B / B-D-F (7) B / B-D-F (7)
E / E-G-B (3) E / G-B-E (3) E / B-E-G (3)
A / A-C-E 6) A / A-C-E (6) A / C-E-A (6)
D / D-F-A (2) D / A-D-F (2) D / D-F-A (2)
G / G-B-D (5) G / B-D-G (5) G / D-G-B (5)
C / C-E-G (1) C / C-E-G (1) C / E-G-C (1)
F / F-A-C (4) F / C-F-A (4) F / F-A-C (4)
(repeat) (repeat) (repeat)
B / D-F-B (7) B / F-B-D (7)
E / E-G-B (3) E / G-B-E (3)
A / E-A-C (6) A / A-C-E (6)
D / F-A-D (2) D / A-D-F (2)
G / G-B-D (5) G / B-D-G (5)
C / G-C-E (1) C / C-E-G (1)
F / A-C-F (4) F / C-F-A (4)
(repeat) (repeat)
Get familiar with all of these progressions. Listen to how each one sounds. Also, pay attention to the inversions used. I tried to use inversions of each chord that will allow you to flow to the next chord w/out moving your hands too much. It is very important to use the nearest inversion of a chord so that you don’t have to jump around the keyboard (unless you want to).
