Learn How to Play a I–ii–V–I Progression in A Major | Chord by Chord

BY KATE KOENIG

Welcome to the latest installment of Chord by Chord, a series designed to build your understanding of harmony and the fretboard. In a previous lesson, we worked on the  the I–ii–V–I in G major. This time we’ll do the same chord progression, but in A.

The Work

Example 1 shows the A major scale, and Examples 2a–c spell out the I, ii, and V chords: A, Bm, and E, respectively. Again, the uppercase Roman numerals stand for major chords and the lowercase for minor. 

Example 3 shows the I–ii–V–I in A using mostly open chords, except for a second-fret Bm. Oppositely, Example 4 is made of all barre chords, but the I (E) chord is played open. You could alternatively play the E chord at the seventh fret, as shown in Example 5. Lastly, Example 6 contains three-note shapes on the top strings, ideal for playing with bass, another guitar, or keyboard covering the low end.

The Result

You should now know how to play a I–ii–V–I progression using various open and closed voicings in the key of A major. An excellent example of this progression in context can be heard in “Everyday I Have to Cry” by Jerry Lee Lewis. In the next lesson, I’ll show you a I–IV–V7–I progression, also in the key of A.