Advanced chord progressions

This guide presents some uncommon chord progressions for guitar players that already know lots of fundamental progressions. You will probably learn some new chords and shapes that can help you develop your guitar playing further, especially if you also write songs.

It's understood that you already know basic chords; therefore, only the rare chords are shown in pictures.

E – Aadd9/E – E

Aadd9/E chord
Aadd9/E

This is only two chords, but it's a very simple yet original combination that you can develop further into longer sequences, see below.

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E – Aadd9/E – Badd11/E – Aadd9/E – E (see tab)

Badd11/E chord
Badd11/E

This is a continuation of the last sequence and as you can see the shape is the same for all three chords.

You can also try to experiment with the following nearby shapes: 0x2100, 7x7600 and 9x9800, more suited for finger picking.

tab chord progression

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G (320033) - Cadd (X32033) - G - Dadd11 - Gadd9 - Dadd11

Dadd11 chord diagram 10 9 0 0 10 10 Gadd9 chord diagram X 10 9 0 10 10
Dadd11 X                         Gadd9 X             

Observe that only two shapes are in use.

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Em – A7/D – Dadd9

EmA7/D chord diagramDadd9 chord diagram
Em                               A7/D                            Dadd9

Observe that the thumb should be used to press down the sixth string in two cases.

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Badd11 - E - C#m7 (X46600) - Bsus4 (X24400) - F#11

Badd11 chord diagram 799800E chordF#7sus4
 Badd11                        E                                          F#11

The E and F#7sus4 chords are played in different ways than usual as the pictures indicate. The B chord should be played as a pseudo-barre 799800.

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D – G/D – A/D – G/D – D (see tab)

G/D chord diagramA/D chord
G/D                                          A/D

From the regular D chord you continue to play on the highest strings with two similar shapes.

tab chord progression

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G – C/G – G – Em9 – D7/F# – G

Em9 chord diagram
Em9

As you can see is Em9 (more or less) a C major with the root on the fifth fret.  This progression is actually a part of the Bob Dylan song “Boots Of Spanish Leather” and is in the original context played with capo on the third fret. This progression sound especially great using fingerpicking.

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C – G/B – Bm b6 add11 – Am – Am/B – C

Bm b6 add11 chord
Bm b6 add11

Bm b6 add11 has a messy chord name and can be a little tricky to play, but your muscle memory will probably get a hang of it soon.

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E(II) – B/D# – A/C#

E(II) chordB/D# chordA/C# chord
E(II)                                         B/D#                          A/C#

An alternate E major chord is to prefer here since it use the fifth string for its root note.

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D5 - Dmaj7(no3)/C# - D6sus4/B

E(II) chordB/D# chordA/C# chord
D5                                      Dmaj7/C#                  D6sus4/B

An example with descending bass.

Learn from video



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Dm - DmMaj7 (XX0221) - Dm7 - G7 (XX0001)

An example of a middle voice movement.


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C - Cadd9 - G6 (X 10 9 0 8 0) - G6/9 (X 10 9 0 10 0) - Fmaj9 (X 9 7 0 6 0) - Fmaj9 (X 9 7 0 9 0)

 

An example with movable chords.


This guide to uncommon chord progression will continue to increase in following updates.

 

There are more chords and keys to learn and if you want to go more into depth, see the 500 Guitar Chord Progressions ebook.

See also: Chord progressions in various keys.

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