I IV V Chord Progression: G Major - 1 Shape Patterns

The principal, or most important, chords in the key of G major are G, C & D. They are rooted on the 1st 4th and 5th scale tones, which are always the principal, or most important, chords in any key. Remember, roman numerals are often used to represent chords. Capital for major, lower case for minor.

Begin by strumming each chord with your thumb pick. Play these slow and listen to everything! Don't be in a rush to get to the next chord. Slow down. Smell the roses.

In this banjo tablature you'll be able to easily see and hear several iterations of the G, C & D chords on the banjo neck. Pay close attention to the distance between each shape. The pattern will hold true in any key. In the key of G you can move up(towards the bridge) 5 frets from any G chord shape(I) to find the C chord(IV). Up 2 frets from the IV is the V(D major in this case). From the V chord you can go down 7 frets, or up 5, to find a I chord again.

This example is mainly about getting you used to the shapes and the sounds of the I IV V in G. Here, the chord progression, or the order of the chords, is | G | C | D | G |. In many songs the order will change but the chords used will still be I IV V and the sound of going from I to IV and V to I will still have their signature sound! After getting used to this, try to recognize that sound in other tunes you know. Some good examples of I IV V tunes are: Louie Louie, Sweet Home Alabama, La Bamba, and Ring of Fire. There are hundreds and thousands more!

You can also experiment with picking patterns within each measure as long as your chord shape changes on time.