Guitar · Level 10 · Expert
Rhythm changes (A section) in C major on Guitar
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Rhythm changes is the second most important jazz form after the blues. The A section packs two chords into every bar at a lively tempo.
Cmaj7
Notes: C · E · G · B
Am7
Notes: A · C · E · G
Dm7
Notes: D · F · A · C
G7
Notes: G · B · D · F
Em7
Notes: E · G · B · D
A7
Notes: A · C♯ · E · G
C7
Notes: C · E · G · B♭
Fmaj7
Notes: F · A · C · E
Fm7
Notes: F · A♭ · C · E♭
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord on its own: Cmaj7, Am7, Dm7, G7, Em7, A7, C7, Fmaj7 and Fm7. Press play on the chord card, then match the sound.
- Press just behind the fret with your fingertips and keep the thumb relaxed behind the neck.
- Set the tempo to 81 BPM and play the progression with one chord per bar. Practise each pair of bars slowly with a metronome, then link them.
- Strum down on every beat at first, then try down–down–up–up–down–up.
- Raise the tempo to 108 BPM once you can play the loop three times without stopping.
- Record one take, listen back and check for even, unhurried changes on beats one and three.
Listen for
Aim for even, unhurried changes on beats one and three. A common mistake is slowing down on the busier bars five and six.
Why it works
Bar five's I7 is a secondary dominant of IV, and bar six borrows the minor iv from the parallel minor.
C major has no sharps or flats; its relative minor key is A minor.
Questions
What are the chords in I–vi–ii–V–iii–VI7–ii–V in C major?
In C major the progression is Cmaj7 Am7 | Dm7 G7 | Em7 A7 | Dm7 G7 | Cmaj7 C7 | Fmaj7 Fm7 | Em7 A7 | Dm7 G7.
What is the key signature of C major?
C major has no sharps or flats. Its relative minor is A minor.
Is this lesson right for my level?
This is a level 10 lesson (expert). If it feels too hard, start with “A neo-soul chord loop”.
Your hands learn faster than your eyes.
Reading a chord chart is step one. Play it to a metronome, record it, and hear yourself get better, all in one app.
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