The following guitar lesson worksheet is from a series of studies I use to teach my students called Chords in Context.Visit www.guitarlessonsbybrian.com for more information.

Intermediate Guitar Lesson 1

Guitar Chords In The Key Of C


By Brian Turner


There are seven basic chords in the key of C. The fingerings below are the most common.

Each of the chords are given a number name designated with Roman numerals. This is known as the Nashville Number System.
I   ii iii IV V vi vii
C Dm Em F G Am Bdim

Adding another note to each chord creates the following seven chords.


 A chord progression is any combination of the chords. Songs usually have a chord progression that repeats itself. Since C is the I chord, F is the IV chord, and G is the V chord, the exercise below is the I, IV, V chord progression. The I, IV, V chord progression is the most common progression in western (hemisphere) music.

C C C C F F C C G G C C

The I, IV, V chord progression using added harmony:
CMaj7 CMaj7 CMaj7 CMaj7 FMaj7 FMaj7 CMaj7 CMaj7 G7 G7 CMaj7 CMaj7

Listed below are other common chord progressions.
I vi IV V
C Am F G
I vi ii V
C Am Dm G
I iii vi V
C Em Am G

Any combinations of the fourteen chords previously mentioned work together. Songs are written by simply experimenting with any combination of the chords as illustrated below.

C G7 C

C F G7 C

C Am F G7 C

C Am Dm G7 C

C Em Am G C 

C G Am Em F G C

Am G F G Am

C G Am G F Em Dm G C

C CMaj7 F FMaj7 G G7 C

CMaj7 Am7 Dm7 G7 C 

C Dm G7 C

C CMaj7 Dm Dm7 G G7 C 

C G Am Am7 Dm C G F G Am Dm C G C

C Am F G G7 C Am G G7 C

C Dm Em F G F G F G F Em Dm C

C CMaj7 Dm Dm7 Em Em7 F FMaj7 G G7 Am Am7 Bdim Bm7b5

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