Memorizing Chord Progressions

Lesson 14/184 | Study Time: 5 Min

Course: Guitar Chord Manual

Memorizing Chord Progressions

As with chord shapes, a great way to memorize a progression is to play it through all the keys in the key cycle. This is demonstrated in the next example with a II V I progression played clockwise around the cycle. Once you are comfortable with it, try playing the progression anticlockwise around the cycle.

As well as using the key cycle, try playing a chord progression in one key and then move through other keys by starting the progression up or down by a specific interval, e.g., chromatically (minor 2nds), major 2nds, minor 3rds or major 3rds.

If you make a habit of this, it won’t take long before you can play a progression in any key. This will make you popular with other musicians because it saves a lot of time at rehearsals.

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Peter Gelling and Gary Turner

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1- INTRODUCTION 2- Triads 3- Inversions of Four Note Chords 4- C Major Scale Up to the 13th Degree 5- The Major Scale 6- 12 Bar Blues 7- Electronic Tuner 8- Open Chords 9- Open Chords 10- Omitting Notes From Chords 11- Sharps and Flats 12- Turnaround Progressions 13- What is a Chord 14- Chord Progressions 15- Movable Chords 16- Open Chords 17- The Chromatic Scale 18- Chord Substitution 19- Chord Diagrams 20- Rhythm Patterns 21- Open Chords 22- Movable Chords 23- More about Major Scales 24- Turnaround Chord Substitution 25- Chord Symbols and Alternatives 26- Rhythm Notation 27- Movable Chords 28- Open Chords 29- The F Major Scale 30- Substitution and Context 31- How to Read Sheet Music 32- Arpeggios 33- Open Chords 34- Movable Chords 35- Keys and Key Signatures 36- Triad over Root Substitutions 37- Easy Chord Table 38- Bar Chords 39- Movable Chords 40- Open Chords 41- The Key Cycle 42- Using 7th Chords to Create 9ths 43- How to Read Music 44- Root 6 Bar Chords 45- Open Chords 46- Movable Chords 47- Major Scales in all Keys 48- Substitutions in Minor Keys 49- Music Notation 50- Notes on the Sixth String 51- Movable Chords 52- Open Chords 53- Intervals 54- Secondary Dominants 55- Rhythm Symbols 56- Percussive Strumming 57- Seventh Chord Types 58- Movable Chords 59- Interval Distances 60- Tritone Substitution 61- Rhythm Notation 62- Root 5 Bar Chords 63- Open Chords 64- Open Chords 65- Finding Intervals on the Fretboard 66- The II V I Progression 67- Time Signatures 68- Notes on the Fifth String 69- Movable Chords 70- Movable Chords 71- Identifying Intervals by Ear 72- I Becomes II 73- Chord Construction 74- Learning the Whole Fretboard 75- Open Chords 76- Open Chords 77- Power Chords 78- Memorizing Chord Progressions 79- Chord Formula Chart 80- Notes on the Guitar Fretboard 81- Movable Chords 82- Movable Chords 83- Chords Using 4ths 84- Modulation 85- Transposing 86- Notes in More Than One Place 87- Open Chords 88- Open Chords 89- Chord Construction Using 90- V Becomes II 91- How to Transpose 92- Higher and Lower Octaves of Notes 93- Movable Chords 94- Movable Chords 95- Scale Tone Chords 96- Learning Songs 97- The Capo 98- Movable Chord Shapes in Five Forms 99- Open Chords 100- Open Chords 101- Major Key Triad Pattern 102- Listening 103- Three Note Chord Voicings 104- Movable Chords 105- Movable Chords 106- Scale Tone Chords Along The Strings 107- Altered Chords Chart 108- Inversions 109- Open Chords 110- Open Chords 111- Primary Chords 112- Tuning Your Guitar 113- Using Inversions 114- Movable Chords 115- Movable Chords 116- Harmonizing Melodies 117- Movable Inversions 118- Open Chords 119- Open Chords 120- Common Progressions 121- Open Voicings 122- Four Chords in One 123- Movable Chords 124- Scale Tone 7th Chords 125- Four Note Voicings 126- Open Chords 127- Open Chords 128- Scale Tone 7th Pattern 129- Movable Chords (Four Note Voicings) 130- Movable Chords 131- Movable Chords 132- Extended Scale Tone Chords 133- Open Chords 134- Open Chords 135- Open Chords 136- Voice Leading 137- Bar Chords 138- Movable Chords 139- Movable Chords 140- Guide Tones 141- Movable Minor Chords 142- Open Chords 143- Open Chords 144- Using Guide Tones 145- Movable Inversions 146- Movable Chords 147- Movable Chords 148- Other Guide Tones 149- Movable Minor Chords (4 Note Voicings) 150- Extended Sharp Eleven Chords 151- Minor Keys and Scales 152- Open Chords 153- Open Chords 154- The Natural Minor Scale 155- Bar Chords 156- Movable Chords 157- The Harmonic Minor Scale 158- Movable Chords 159- Open Chords 160- The Melodic Minor Scale 161- Open Chords 162- Movable Chords 163- Minor Key Scale Tone Triads 164- Movable Chords 165- Open Chords 166- Minor Key Chord Progressions 167- Open Chords 168- Movable Chords 169- Scale Tone 7ths in Minor Keys 170- Three Chords in One 171- Altered Thirteenth Chords 172- Higher Extensions in Minor Keys 173- Movable Chords 174- Creating Your Own Chords 175- Relative Keys 176- Diminished Triad Shapes 177- Moving Chords Over One Symbol 178- Slash Chords 179- Pedal Tones 180- Moving Bass Lines Under a Chord 181- Chords with More Than One Name 182- Modes 183- Harmonizing Modes 184- Modes in Minor Keys

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Memorizing Chord Progressions