Advanced chord progressions
This guide presents some uncommon chord progressions for guitar players that already know lots of fundamental progressions. You will probably learn some new chords and shapes that can help you develop your guitar playing further, especially if you also write songs.
It's understood that you already know basic chords; therefore, only the rare chords are shown in pictures.
E – Aadd9/E – E
Aadd9/E
This is only two chords, but it's a very simple yet original combination that you can develop further into longer sequences, see below.
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E – Aadd9/E – Badd11/E – Aadd9/E – E (see tab)
Badd11/E
This is a continuation of the last sequence and as you can see the shape is the same for all three chords.
You can also try to experiment with the following nearby shapes: 0x2100, 7x7600 and 9x9800, more suited for finger picking.
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G (320033) - Cadd (X32033) - G - Dadd11 - Gadd9 - Dadd11
Dadd11 X Gadd9 X
Observe that only two shapes are in use.
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Em – A7/D – Dadd9
Em A7/D Dadd9
Observe that the thumb should be used to press down the sixth string in two cases.
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Badd11 - E - C#m7 (X46600) - Bsus4 (X24400) - F#11
Badd11 E F#11
The E and F#7sus4 chords are played in different ways than usual as the pictures indicate. The B chord should be played as a pseudo-barre 799800.
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D – G/D – A/D – G/D – D (see tab)
G/D A/D
From the regular D chord you continue to play on the highest strings with two similar shapes.
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G – C/G – G – Em9 – D7/F# – G
Em9
As you can see is Em9 (more or less) a C major with the root on the fifth fret. This progression is actually a part of the Bob Dylan song “Boots Of Spanish Leather” and is in the original context played with capo on the third fret. This progression sound especially great using fingerpicking.
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C – G/B – Bm b6 add11 – Am – Am/B – C
Bm b6 add11
Bm b6 add11 has a messy chord name and can be a little tricky to play, but your muscle memory will probably get a hang of it soon.
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E(II) – B/D# – A/C#
E(II) B/D# A/C#
An alternate E major chord is to prefer here since it use the fifth string for its root note.
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D5 - Dmaj7(no3)/C# - D6sus4/B
D5 Dmaj7/C# D6sus4/B
An example with descending bass.
Learn from video
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Dm - DmMaj7 (XX0221) - Dm7 - G7 (XX0001)
An example of a middle voice movement.
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C - Cadd9 - G6 (X 10 9 0 8 0) - G6/9 (X 10 9 0 10 0) - Fmaj9 (X 9 7 0 6 0) - Fmaj9 (X 9 7 0 9 0)
An example with movable chords.
This guide to uncommon chord progression will continue to increase in following updates.
There are more chords and keys to learn and if you want to go more into depth, see the 500 Guitar Chord Progressions ebook.
See also: Chord progressions in various keys.
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