Lesson #8: Five Chords in G (Guitar, Beginner)

If you mastered last Sunday's lesson, you already know how to play the G, Am, and C chords. Add the D and Em chords, and you're good to go for whatever we have in store for this week (mostly):

Lesson #7: C and the Circle of Fifths (Guitar, Intermediate)

If you mastered the previous six lessons, then you've become an awesome guitar player...in the key of C. No doubt you already know what the C major diatonic scale is made of: C D E F G A B...and up a higher octave starting with C. Let's look forward to the next 11 weeks worth of lessons and see how their respective major diatonic scales work:

C

C

D

E

F

G

A

B

C

G (1 sharp)

G

A

B

C

D

E

F#

G

D (2 sharps)

D

E

F#

G

A

B

C#

D

A (3 sharps)

A

B

C#

D

E

F#

G#

A

E (4 sharps)

E

F#

G#

A

B

C#

D#

E

B (5 sharps)

B

C#

D#

E

F#

G#

A#

B

F# (6 sharps)

F#

G#

A#

B

C#

D#

E#

F#

Db (5 flats)

Db

Eb

F

Gb

Ab

Bb

C

Db

Ab (4 flats)

Ab

Bb

C

Db

Eb

F

G

Ab

Eb (3 flats)

Eb

F

G

Ab

Bb

C

D

Eb

Bb (2 flats)

Bb

C

D

Eb

F

G

A

Bb

F (1 flat)

F

G

A

Bb

C

D

E

F

Lesson #6: Swing Time in C Blues (Guitar, Intermediate)

To get a grasp of what it means to shuffle/swing, be sure to do the following:

1. Listen to a lot of blues and jazz records;
2. Read the Wikipedia article on the "Swung Note" for lots of background information;
3. Listen to those same blues and jazz records.

For the sake of simplicity, and due to the limitations of text lessons over audio-visual lessons, I'm going to say that a form of swing time goes: 1 and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a...and so on. It's a syncopated interpretation of the common time.

We'll do it over the twelve bar blues in C:

C and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a
C and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a
C and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a
C and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a
F and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a
F and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a
C and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a
C and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a
G and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a
F and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a
C and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a
C and a 2 and a F F# G yeah...

When you have that down (and its myriad variations), try to play some bluesy lead guitar in C blues:

Lesson #5: Power Chords in C Minor (Guitar, Intermediate)

I don't know if this lesson truly qualifies as an "intermediate" lesson, but it does take some experience to realize why these tonally ambiguous root-5th power chords are in the context of C minor (or Eb major):





In proper notation, G#5 should be Ab5.

Lesson #4: Power Chords in C (Guitar, Beginner)

Learn these power chords:




Go back to Monday's and Tuesday's lessons, replacing the Cs with C5s, Gs with G5s, Ams with A5s, and Fs with F5s. And crank up the distortion while you're at it. Have fun!

Lesson #3: Waltz Time in C (Guitar, Beginner)

Unlike common time, where four quarter notes make a full measure, in waltz time, three quarter notes make one bar (a measure and a bar are synonymous):

1 2 3, 1 2 3, 1 2 3, 1 2 3...and so on...

That's known as 3/4 time. A faster waltz, 6/8 time, is six eighth notes per bar:

1 2 3 4 2 3, 1 2 3 4 2 3, 1 2 3 4 2 3, 1 2 3 4 2 3, and so on...

Let's try it on some chord progressions and imagine people dancing the waltz to your music:

C 2 3, C 2 3, Am 2 3, Am 2 3, F 2 3, F 2 3, G 2 3, G 2 3...and repeat...

Now try the same progression in 6/8 time, and you'll probably notice it has more urgency and more jangle in the strum:

C 2 3 4 2 3, C 2 3 4 2 3,
Am 2 3 4 2 3, Am 2 3 4 2 3,
F 2 3 4 2 3, F 2 3 4 2 3,
G 2 3 4 2 3, G 2 3 4 2 3...and so on...

Lesson #2: Common Time in C (Guitar, Beginner)

Did you learn the chords from yesterday's lesson? Yes, they are hard on the fingers and tricky to remember, but keep at it! We're going to put those chords to use and start strumming in common time. In published sheet music, this is often stated as 4/4 time. Count it out!

In quarter notes: 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4... Four quarter notes make a full measure (and you thought this wouldn't be fractions and math class!).

In faster eighth notes: 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and...

Got it? Let's try this chord progression:

C 2 3 4, F 2 3 4, C 2 3 4, F 2 3 4...and repeat...C 2 3 4, F 2 3 4, C 2 3 4, F 2 3 4...

Or this one:

C 2 3 4, G 2 3 4, C 2 3 4, G 2 3 4...

Or this one:

C and 2 and 3 and 4 and
Am and 2 and 3 and 4 and
C and 2 and 3 and 4 and
Am and 2 and 3 and 4 and...

Like juggling, let's try three chords:

C 2 3 4, G 2 3 4, F 2 3 4, F 2 3 4...

Now four chords:

C 2 3 4, G 2 3 4, Am 2 3 4, F 2 3 4...

Get the picture? Good.

Lesson #1: Four Chords (and the Truth) in C (Guitar, Beginner)

Now that we're back to Week 1 the cycle, we'll try something different and not be as random in our lesson of the day. We'll start at (almost) the beginning, well, at the beginner level. If you miss the earlier lessons in this cycle, we'll be sure to backtrack every Sunday when we introduce a different key. Yes, we'll sometimes go on a tangent and bring in an interestingly random chord of the day, or chord du jour, if you will.

This week, we're in C, so learn these chords (C, F, G, Am):




And call me in the morning.

F Chord Progressions: IV and iv Substitutions

Remember from last time:

I. F major
ii. Gm
iii. Am
IV. Bb major
V. C major
vi. Dm
vii(b5). Edim

Remember that the F major diatonic scale is as follows: F G A Bb C D E F

Remember that the relative minor of F major (the chord and the scale) is D minor.

The D natural minor scale is as follows: D E F G A Bb C D (compare with F major).

The D harmonic minor scale is as follows: D E F G A Bb C# D (note the singular difference between the natural and harmonic minor scales).

Now we have those ground rules established, it might help in the songwriting process to punctuate the IV chord with a iv chord, which makes things a bit Beatlesque (for lack of a better word). Going back to the simple relative minor substitutions from last time, let's try the following progression:

I-V-IV-IV: F C Bb Bb

Let's replace the V chord with its relative minor, the iii chord.

I-iii-IV-IV: F Am Bb Bb

Let's try the III chord instead.

I-III-IV-IV: F A Bb Bb

Let's replace the second IV chord with a iv chord (which is a minor chord).

I-III-IV-iv: F A Bb Bbm

Anyway, to connect with the natural minor and harmonic minor scales mentioned above, let's look at the IV and iv chords.

IV. Bb major chord (Bb D F notes)

iv. Bb minor chord (Bb Db F notes)

Experiment with different chord progressions, and the best of luck to you in the songwriting process.

F Chord Progressions: iii and III Substitutions

Remember from last time:

I. F major
ii. Gm
iii. Am
IV. Bb major
V. C major
vi. Dm
vii(b5). Edim

The F major diatonic scale is as follows: F G A Bb C D E F

Therefore, the relative minor of F major (the chord and the scale) is D minor.

The D natural minor scale is as follows: D E F G A Bb C D

The D harmonic minor scale is as follows: D E F G A Bb C# D

Now we have those ground rules established, it might help in the songwriting process to substitute the mellow iii chord with a more confident III chord. Going back to the simple relative minor substitutions from last time, let's try the following progression:

I-V-I-V-IV-V-I (I-V): F C F C Bb C F (play F C quickly)

Let's replace some I and V chords with their relative minors, vi and iii respectively.

I-V-vi-iii-IV-V-I (vi-V): F C Dm Am Bb C F (Dm C)

Let's replace the iii chord with a III chord (that is a major chord).

I-V-vi-III-IV-V-I (vi-V): F C Dm A Bb C F (Dm C)

Anyway, to connect with the natural minor and harmonic minor scales mentioned above, let's look at the iii and III chords.

iii. A minor chord (A C E notes)

III. A major chord (A C# E notes)

F Chord Progressions: Relative Minor Substitutions

Remember from last time:

I. F major
ii. Gm
iii. Am
IV. Bb major
V. C major
vi. Dm
vii(b5). Edim

Each major chord in the key of F has a relative minor that might sound great instead of playing the major chord, and vice versa. What? In other words...

I/vi: F major could possibly be substituted with Dm
IV/ii: Bb major could possibly be substituted with Gm
V/iii: C major could possibly be substituted with Am

Instead of playing I-V-IV-I, for instance, try the following permutations (not an exhaustive list), but we'll start with the original progression:

I-V-IV-I: F C Bb F
I-iii-IV-vi: F Am Bb Dm
I-V-ii-I: F C Gm F
vi-V-IV-I: Dm C Bb F
vi-iii-ii-vi: Dm Am Gm Dm
etc.

Substituting a major chord with its relative minor (and vice versa) might liven up a boring progression with a less boring progression (albeit still widely used).

F Chord Progressions: I IV V vi

Remember from last time:

I. F major
ii. Gm
iii. Am
IV. Bb major
V. C major
vi. Dm
vii(b5). Edim

Now that you already know about I-IV-V (look above or refer to yesterday's entry), we'll bring in the vi chord in F major: D minor. Several popular chord progressions include some sort of combination of the I, IV, V, and vi chords.

As I-vi-IV-V: F Dm Bb C

As I-vi-V-IV: F Dm C Bb

As IV-I-V-vi: Bb F C Dm (Alternatively, I-V-II-iii)

As V-vi-IV-I: C Dm Bb F (Alternatively, I-ii-bVII-IV)

As vi-IV-I-V: Dm Bb F C (Alternatively, i-bVI-bIII-bVII)

As vi-I-V-IV: Dm F C Bb (Alternatively, i-bIII-bVI-bVII)

F Chord Progressions: I IV V

Remember from last time:

I. F major
ii. Gm
iii. Am
IV. Bb major
V. C major
vi. Dm
vii(b5). Edim

Many, many, many, many chord progressions in popular music contain some permutation of the I-IV-V progression, and since we're talking about the key of F:

I-IV-V can be replaced by the F, Bb, and C major chords.

You can change the order of the chords for some familiar-sounding progressions:

As I-IV-V-IV-V: F, Bb, C, Bb, and C chords.

As I-V-IV-IV: F, C, Bb, and Bb chords.

As IV-I-V: The Bb Lydian-sounding Bb, F, and C progression. (Also referred to as I-V-II.)

As V-IV-I: The C Mixolydian-sounding C, Bb, and F progression. (Also referred to as I-bVII-IV.)

All this looks a lot like high school algebra, but it sounds better than it looks.

F Chord Progressions: Basic Triads

If you remember from previous entries, the Bb major scale consists of the F, G, A, Bb, C, D, and E notes. This scale will relate directly to the simple triads (that is, three-note chords made of the root, major/minor third, and diminished/perfect fifth notes) in the key of F major (please refer to this website or elsewhere for more information):

I. F major (made of the F, A, and C notes);
ii. G minor (G, Bb, and D notes);
iii. A minor (A, C, and E notes);
IV. Bb major (Bb, D, and F notes);
V. C major (C, E, and G notes);
vi. D minor (D, F, and A notes); and
vii(b5). E diminished (E, G, and Bb notes).

Fm6add4 (Guitar, Intermediate)

This is the F minor 6th add-4th:

D string: F (root)
G string: Bb (4th)
B string: D (6th)
E string: Ab (minor 3rd)

Bb Chord Progressions: IV and iv Substitutions

Remember from last time:

I. Bb major
ii. Cm
iii. Dm
IV. Eb major
V. F major
vi. Gm
vii(b5). Adim

Remember that the Bb major diatonic scale is as follows: Bb C D Eb F G A Bb

Remember that the relative minor of Bb major (the chord and the scale) is G minor.

The G natural minor scale is as follows: G A Bb C D Eb F G (compare with Bb major).

The G harmonic minor scale is as follows: G A Bb C D Eb F# G (note the singular difference between the natural and harmonic minor scales).

Now we have those ground rules established, it might help in the songwriting process to punctuate the IV chord with a iv chord, which makes things a bit Beatlesque (for lack of a better word). Going back to the simple relative minor substitutions from last time, let's try the following progression:

I-V-IV-IV: Bb F Eb Eb

Let's replace the V chord with its relative minor, the iii chord.

I-iii-IV-IV: Bb Dm Eb Eb

Let's try the III chord instead.

I-III-IV-IV: Bb D Eb Eb

Let's replace the second IV chord with a iv chord (which is a minor chord).

I-III-IV-iv: Bb F Eb Ebm

Anyway, to connect with the natural minor and harmonic minor scales mentioned above, let's look at the IV and iv chords.

IV. Eb major chord (Eb G Bb notes)

iv. Eb minor chord (Eb F# Bb notes)

Experiment with different chord progressions, and the best of luck to you in the songwriting process.

Bb Chord Progressions: iii and III Substitutions

Remember from last time:

I. Bb major
ii. Cm
iii. Dm
IV. Eb major
V. F major
vi. Gm
vii(b5). Adim

The Bb major diatonic scale is as follows: Bb C D Eb F G A Bb

Therefore, the relative minor of Bb major (the chord and the scale) is G minor.

The G natural minor scale is as follows: G A Bb C D Eb F G

The G harmonic minor scale is as follows: G A Bb C D Eb F# G

Now we have those ground rules established, it might help in the songwriting process to substitute the mellow iii chord with a more confident III chord. Going back to the simple relative minor substitutions from last time, let's try the following progression:

I-V-I-V-IV-V-I (I-V): Bb F Bb F Eb F Bb (play Bb F quickly)

Let's replace some I and V chords with their relative minors, vi and iii respectively.

I-V-vi-iii-IV-V-I (vi-V): Bb F Gm Dm Eb F Bb (Gm F)

Let's replace the iii chord with a III chord (that is a major chord).

I-V-vi-III-IV-V-I (vi-V): Bb F Gm D Eb F Bb (Gm F)

Anyway, to connect with the natural minor and harmonic minor scales mentioned above, let's look at the iii and III chords.

iii. D minor chord (D F A notes)

III. D major chord (D F# A notes)

Bb Chord Progressions: Relative Minor Substitutions

Remember from last time:

I. Bb major
ii. Cm
iii. Dm
IV. Eb major
V. F major
vi. Gm
vii(b5). Adim

Each major chord in the key of Bb has a relative minor that might sound great instead of playing the major chord, and vice versa. What? In other words...

I/vi: Bb major could possibly be substituted with Gm
IV/ii: Eb major could possibly be substituted with Cm
V/iii: F major could possibly be substituted with Dm

Instead of playing I-V-IV-I, for instance, try the following permutations (not an exhaustive list), but we'll start with the original progression:

I-V-IV-I: Bb F Eb Bb
I-iii-IV-vi: Bb Dm Eb Gm
I-V-ii-I: Bb F Cm Bb
vi-V-IV-I: Gm F Eb Bb
vi-iii-ii-vi: Gm Dm Cm Gm
etc.

Substituting a major chord with its relative minor (and vice versa) might liven up a boring progression with a less boring progression (albeit still widely used).

Bb Chord Progressions: I IV V vi

Remember from last time:

I. Bb major
ii. Cm
iii. Dm
IV. Eb major
V. F major
vi. Gm
vii(b5). Adim

Now that you already know about I-IV-V (look above or refer to yesterday's entry), we'll bring in the vi chord in Bb major: G minor. Several popular chord progressions include some sort of combination of the I, IV, V, and vi chords.

As I-vi-IV-V: Bb Gm Eb F

As I-vi-V-IV: Bb Gm F Eb

As IV-I-V-vi: Eb Bb F Gm (Alternatively, I-V-II-iii)

As V-vi-IV-I: F Gm Eb Bb (Alternatively, I-ii-bVII-IV)

As vi-IV-I-V: Gm Eb Bb F (Alternatively, i-bVI-bIII-bVII)

As vi-I-V-IV: Gm Bb F Eb (Alternatively, i-bIII-bVI-bVII)

Bb Chord Progressions: I IV V

Remember from last time:

I. Bb major
ii. Cm
iii. Dm
IV. Eb major
V. F major
vi. Gm
vii(b5). Adim

Many, many, many, many chord progressions in popular music contain some permutation of the I-IV-V progression, and since we're talking about the key of Bb:

I-IV-V can be replaced by the Bb, Eb, and F major chords.

You can change the order of the chords for some familiar-sounding progressions:

As I-IV-V-IV-V: Bb, Eb, F, Eb, and F chords.

As I-V-IV-IV: Bb, F, Eb, and Eb chords.

As IV-I-V: The Eb Lydian-sounding Eb, Bb, and F progression. (Also referred to as I-V-II.)

As V-IV-I: The F Mixolydian-sounding F, Eb, and Bb progression. (Also referred to as I-bVII-IV.)

All this looks a lot like high school algebra, but it sounds better than it looks (pun intended).

Bb Chord Progressions: Basic Triads

If you remember from previous entries, the Bb major scale consists of the Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G, and A notes. This scale will relate directly to the simple triads (that is, three-note chords made of the root, major/minor third, and diminished/perfect fifth notes) in the key of Bb major (please refer to this website or elsewhere for more information):

I. Bb major (made of the Bb, D, and F notes);
ii. C minor (C, Eb, and G notes);
iii. D minor (D, F, and A notes);
IV. Eb major (Eb, G, and Bb notes);
V. F major (F, A, and C notes);
vi. G minor (G, Bb, and D notes); and
vii(b5). A diminished (A, C, and Eb notes).

Bbmaj7 (Guitar, Beginner)

B-flat major-7th is quite simple if you know how to play the Amaj7 chord and know the concept behind using the index finger as a barre (hint: it's like the nut at the guitar's headstock or a capo). In other words:

1. Barre your index finger at the 1st fret, from the A string to the High E string;
2. Place your middle finger on the G string, 2nd fret;
3. Place your ring finger on the D string, 3rd fret;
4. Place your pinky finger on the B string, 3rd fret;
5. Avoiding the Low E string, strum the Bbmaj7 chord!

Eb Chord Progressions: IV and iv Substitutions

Remember from last time:

I. Eb major
ii. Fm
iii. Gm
IV. Ab major
V. Bb major
vi. Cm
vii(b5). Ddim

Remember that the Eb major diatonic scale is as follows: Eb F G Ab Bb C D Eb

Remember that the relative minor of Eb major (the chord and the scale) is C minor.

The C natural minor scale is as follows: C D Eb F G Ab Bb C (compare with Eb major).

The C harmonic minor scale is as follows: C D Eb F G Ab B C (note the singular difference between the natural and harmonic minor scales).

Now we have those ground rules established, it might help in the songwriting process to punctuate the IV chord with a iv chord, which makes things a bit Beatlesque (for lack of a better word). Going back to the simple relative minor substitutions from last time, let's try the following progression:

I-V-IV-IV: Eb Bb Ab Ab

Let's replace the V chord with its relative minor, the iii chord.

I-iii-IV-IV: Eb Gm Ab Ab

Let's try the III chord instead.

I-III-IV-IV: Eb G Ab Ab

Let's replace the second IV chord with a iv chord (which is a minor chord).

I-III-IV-iv: Eb G Ab Abm

Anyway, to connect with the natural minor and harmonic minor scales mentioned above, let's look at the IV and iv chords.

IV. Ab major chord (Ab C Eb notes)

iv. Ab minor chord (Ab B Eb notes)

Experiment with different chord progressions, and the best of luck to you in the songwriting process.

Eb Chord Progressions: iii and III Substitutions

Remember from last time:

I. Eb major
ii. Fm
iii. Gm
IV. Ab major
V. Bb major
vi. Cm
vii(b5). Ddim

The Eb major diatonic scale is as follows: Eb F G Ab Bb C D Eb

Therefore, the relative minor of Eb major (the chord and the scale) is C minor.

The C natural minor scale is as follows: C D Eb F G Ab Bb C

The C harmonic minor scale is as follows: C D Eb F G Ab B C

Now we have those ground rules established, it might help in the songwriting process to substitute the mellow iii chord with a more confident III chord. Going back to the simple relative minor substitutions from last time, let's try the following progression:

I-V-I-V-IV-V-I (I-V): Eb Bb Eb Bb Ab Bb Eb (play Eb Bb quickly)

Let's replace some I and V chords with their relative minors, vi and iii respectively.

I-V-vi-iii-IV-V-I (vi-V): Eb Bb Cm Gm Ab Bb Eb (Cm Bb)

Let's replace the iii chord with a III chord (that is a major chord).

I-V-vi-III-IV-V-I (vi-V): Eb Bb Cm G Ab Bb Eb (Cm Bb)

Anyway, to connect with the natural minor and harmonic minor scales mentioned above, let's look at the iii and III chords.

iii. G minor chord (G Bb D notes)

III. G major chord (G B D notes)

Eb Chord Progressions: Relative Minor Substitutions

Remember from last time:

I. Eb major
ii. Fm
iii. Gm
IV. Ab major
V. Bb major
vi. Cm
vii(b5). Ddim

Each major chord in the key of Eb has a relative minor that might sound great instead of playing the major chord, and vice versa. What? In other words...

I/vi: Eb major could possibly be substituted with Cm
IV/ii: Ab major could possibly be substituted with Fm
V/iii: Bb major could possibly be substituted with Gm

Instead of playing I-V-IV-I, for instance, try the following permutations (not an exhaustive list), but we'll start with the original progression:

I-V-IV-I: Eb Bb Ab Eb
I-iii-IV-vi: Eb Gm Ab Cm
I-V-ii-I: Eb Bb Fm Eb
vi-V-IV-I: Cm Bb Ab Eb
vi-iii-ii-vi: Cm Gm Fm Cm
etc.

Substituting a major chord with its relative minor (and vice versa) might liven up a boring progression with a less boring progression (albeit still widely used).

Eb Chord Progressions: I IV V vi

Remember from last time:

I. Eb major
ii. Fm
iii. Gm
IV. Ab major
V. Bb major
vi. Cm
vii(b5). Ddim

Now that you already know about I-IV-V (look above or refer to yesterday's entry), we'll bring in the vi chord in Eb major: C minor. Several popular chord progressions include some sort of combination of the I, IV, V, and vi chords.

As I-vi-IV-V: Eb Cm Ab Bb

As I-vi-V-IV: Eb Cm Bb Ab

As I-V-IV-IV (x 3); I-V-vi-IV; I-V-IV-IV: Eb Bb Ab Ab (x3); Eb Bb Cm Ab; Eb Bb Ab Ab - like the intro of "Today" by the Smashing Pumpkins

As IV-I-V-vi: Ab Eb Bb Cm (Alternatively, I-V-II-iii)

As V-vi-IV-I: Bb Cm Ab Eb (Alternatively, I-ii-bVII-IV)

As vi-IV-I-V: Cm Ab Eb Bb (Alternatively, i-bVI-bIII-bVII)

As vi-I-V-IV: Cm Eb Bb Ab (Alternatively, i-bIII-bVI-bVII)

Eb Chord Progressions: I IV V

Remember from last time:

I. Eb major
ii. Fm
iii. Gm
IV. Ab major
V. Bb major
vi. Cm
vii(b5). Ddim

Many, many, many, many chord progressions in popular music contain some permutation of the I-IV-V progression, and since we're talking about the key of Eb:

I-IV-V can be replaced by the Eb, Ab, and Bb major chords.

You can change the order of the chords for some familiar-sounding progressions:

As I-IV-V-IV-V: Eb, Ab, Bb, Ab, and Bb chords.

As I-V-IV-IV: Eb, Bb, Ab, and Ab chords.

As IV-I-V: The Ab Lydian-sounding Ab, Eb, and Bb progression. (Also referred to as I-V-II.)

As V-IV-I: The Bb Mixolydian-sounding Bb, Ab, and Eb progression. (Also referred to as I-bVII-IV.)

All this looks a lot like high school algebra, but it sounds better than it looks (pun intended).

Eb Chord Progressions: Suspended Triads

Adding to yesterday's list of triads, here are some more simple triads in the key of Eb major, replacing the (major or minor) third note with either a suspended 2nd or suspended 4th:

Isus2. Ebsus2 (Eb-F-Bb)
I. Eb major (Eb-G-Bb)
Isus4. Ebsus4 (Eb-Ab-Bb)

iisus2. Fsus2 (F-G-C)
ii. Fm (F-Ab-C)
iisus4. Fsus4 (F-Bb-C)

iii. Gm (G-Bb-D)
iiisus4. Gsus4 (G-C-D)

IVsus2. Absus2 (Ab-Bb-Eb)
IV. Ab major (Ab-C-Eb)

Vsus2. Bbsus2 (Bb-C-F)
V. Bb major (Bb-D-F)
Vsus4. Bbsus4 (Bb-Eb-F)

visus2. Csus2 (C-D-G)
vi. Cm (C-Eb-G)
visus4. Csus4 (C-F-G)

vii(b5). Ddim (D-F-Ab)
vii(b5)sus4. D(b5)sus4 (D-G-Ab)

To spice up your chord progressions, use a suspended 2nd or suspended 4th instead of or in addition to the basic major and minor chords.

Eb Chord Progressions: Basic Triads

If you remember from previous entries, the Eb major scale consists of the Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C, and D notes. This scale will relate directly to the simple triads (that is, three-note chords made of the root, major/minor third, and diminished/perfect fifth notes) in the key of Eb major (please refer to this website or elsewhere for more information):

I. Eb major (made of the Eb, G, and Bb notes);
ii. F minor (F, Ab, and C notes);
iii. G minor (G, Bb, and D notes);
IV. Ab major (Ab, C, and Eb notes);
V. Bb major (Bb, D, and F notes);
vi. C minor (C, Eb, and G notes); and
vii(b5). D diminished (D, F, and Ab notes).

Ab Chord Progressions: IV and iv Substitutions

Remember from last time:

I. Ab major
ii. Bbm
iii. Cm
IV. Db major
V. Eb major
vi. Fm
vii(b5). Gdim

Remember that the Ab major diatonic scale is as follows: Ab Bb C Db Eb F G Ab

Remember that the relative minor of Ab major (the chord and the scale) is F minor.

The F natural minor scale is as follows: F G Ab Bb C Db Eb F (compare with Ab major).

The F harmonic minor scale is as follows: F G Ab Bb C Db E F (note the singular difference between the natural and harmonic minor scales).

Now we have those ground rules established, it might help in the songwriting process to punctuate the IV chord with a iv chord, which makes things a bit Beatlesque (for lack of a better word). Going back to the simple relative minor substitutions from last time, let's try the following progression:

I-V-IV-IV: Ab Eb Db Db

Let's replace the V chord with its relative minor, the iii chord.

I-iii-IV-IV: Ab Cm Db Db

Let's try the III chord instead.

I-III-IV-IV: Ab C Db Db

Let's replace the second IV chord with a iv chord (which is a minor chord).

I-III-IV-iv: Ab C Db Dbm

Anyway, to connect with the natural minor and harmonic minor scales mentioned above, let's look at the IV and iv chords.

IV. Db major chord (Db F Ab notes)

iv. Db minor chord (Db E Ab notes)

Experiment with different chord progressions, and the best of luck to you in the songwriting process.

Ab Chord Progressions: iii and III Substitutions

Remember the "Dirty Dozen" (see sidebar for more info) Key of G# from last time?

I. G# major
ii. Bbm
iii. Cm
IV. C# major
V. Eb major
vi. Fm
vii(b5). Gdim

Well, scratch that. We're back to a more or less "orthodox" way of stating the Key of Ab Major:

I. Ab major
ii. Bbm
iii. Cm
IV. Db major
V. Eb major
vi. Fm
vii(b5). Gdim

Remember that the Ab major diatonic scale is as follows: Ab Bb C Db Eb F G Ab

Remember that the relative minor of Ab major (the chord and the scale) is F minor.

The F natural minor scale is as follows: F G Ab Bb C Db Eb F (compare with Ab major).

The F harmonic minor scale is as follows: F G Ab Bb C Db E F (note the singular difference between the natural and harmonic minor scales).

Now we have those ground rules established, it might help in the songwriting process to substitute the mellow iii chord with a more confident III chord. Going back to the simple relative minor substitutions from last time, let's try the following progression:

I-V-I-V-IV-V-I (I-V): Ab Eb Ab Eb Db Eb Ab (play Ab Eb quickly)

Let's replace some I and V chords with their relative minors, vi and iii respectively.

I-V-vi-iii-IV-V-I (vi-V): Ab Eb Fm Cm Db Eb Ab (Fm Eb)

Let's replace the iii chord with a III chord (that is a major chord).

I-V-vi-III-IV-V-I (vi-V): Ab Eb Fm C Db Eb Ab (Fm Eb)

It sounds a bit more adventurous, but still familiar, does it not?

Anyway, to connect with the natural minor and harmonic minor scales mentioned above, let's look at the iii and III chords.

iii. C minor chord (C Eb G notes)

III. C major chord (C E G notes)

Experiment with different chord progressions, and the best of luck to you in the songwriting process.