Jazz Guitar Lesson with Mathew Warnock: Common Chord Progressions

Here are some common chord progressions you can work on that will make playing standards at sight much easier.  These chord progressions are found in almost all of the common standards found in the American songbook.

All progressions are in the key of C

1) ii-V-I-vi in major and minor

Dm7   G7   Cmaj7   A7 & Am7

Dm7b5   G7alt   Cm7   Am7b5

2) I-I-iv-bVII

Cmaj7   Cmaj7   Fm7   Bb7


3) III-VI-II-V all dominants

E7   A7   D7   G7


4) ii-V-I's down in tones

Dm7   G7   Cmaj7   Cm7  F7   Bbmaj7 etc


5) II7 chord

Cmaj7   Cmaj7    D7   D7   Dm7   G7   Cmaj7    Dm7  G7


6) ii - V's down from the iv

fm7  Bb7   Em7  A7   Dm7  G7   Cmaj7


7) I moving to IV

Cmaj7   Cmaj7   Gm7   C7    Fmaj7


8) I moving to IV #2

Cmaj7  Bm7b5   E7b9   Am7  D7   Gm7   C7   Fmaj7


9) From IV to I

Gm7   C7   Fmaj7   Fmaj7   Am7  D7   Dm7   G7


10) #IV -  VII

Cmaj7   F#m7  B7  Cmaj7   Cmaj7 

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