Pieces › Chords

The hit-song progression

C – G – A minor – F, without moving your hand

These four chords (I – V – vi – IV) make up the most famous progression in pop. To go from one to the next without jumping, you change the order of the notes: that’s called an inversion.

C (C-E-G) → G (B-D-G) → A minor (C-E-A) → F (C-F-A): your hand stays in the same place, and only one or two fingers move.

Heard in: Let It Be, Someone Like You, Africa (Toto), Can You Feel the Love Tonight, I’m Yours

Tips

• Look for the shared notes: C stays under your thumb for three chords out of four.

Four chords, one position

One whole note per chord. Keep your thumb near middle C.

In quarter notes

One chord on every beat, nice and steady.